Pippin players ‘brought the house down’ leading to flood of award nominations

Eden Hunt

Musical theatre enthusiasts from across Brockenhurst College united recently to stage the College’s big budget production for 2025, Pippin, winning critical acclaim and awards nominations.

The show ran for four nights in February in front of packed audiences of paying theatre goers in the College’s Kemball Theatre.

It won four National School Theatre Awards nominations, along with praise from awards representatives who attended.

The nominations are for Best Musical 2025; Best Ensemble 2025; Best Actor in a Musical 2025 (Eden Hunt); and Best Actress in a Musical 2025 (Ciara Smyth).

Winners will be announced at a glittering awards ceremony in June.

Ciara Smyth

Brock’s interpretation of the famous Broadway show saw students from the Performing Arts & Music Academy and associated courses join forces with Enrichment students.

A main cast of nine were backed up by a musical ensemble of 30 and a live orchestra, as well as a large stage crew.

Ciara Smyth, who took the part of Leading Player, said afterwards:

“The support from the staff and students has provided me with the opportunity to really grow as a performer – I would definitely encourage others to get involved in such an enriching experience.”

Directed by Moira Rock, the production incorporated thought-provoking theatrical methods made popular by the esteemed theatre practitioner Bertolt Brecht.

One Brechtian device was the use of two different actors to portray Pippin – James Mills in Act One and Eden Hunt in Act Two.

The idea behind this was to compel audiences to concentrate on the message instead of becoming emotionally tied to a character.

Moira was supported by musical director Tara Gadd, choreographer Chris Brown, and production managers Luke Taplin and Tom Critchell, with technical support provided by Lewis Jones.

The original production was staged on Broadway in 1972 by Bob Fosse.

With music by Stephen Schwartz and lyrics by Roger O. Hirson, Pippin tells the story of a young prince desperate to find a sense of belonging, passion and adventure in his life.

To demonstrate his loyalty to his father, King Charles, Pippin goes to war.

However, the Leading Player encourages him to fight against cruelty, leading him to overthrow his father by killing him.

Realising his mistake, Pippin pleads with the Leading Player to bring his father back to life, which she does.

He then falls in love with a widow, Catherine, and begins a new life with her and her son – much to the Leading Player’s annoyance.

Pippin struggles to decide whether to settle for this new life or continue to create magic with the players.

According to a written review published by a National School Theatre Awards representative:

‘From the moment I entered the venue, I was engulfed in an atmosphere filled with anticipation and excitement…

‘The meticulous attention to detail from the front of house (the popcorn was a nice touch), along with the lighting, set, and props, immediately transported the audience into a Brechtian-styled circus, where actors continually broke the fourth wall with asides and direct storytelling.’

The reviewer added:

‘This production left the audience immersed in a world of dark comedy and heartfelt moments.

‘It highlighted the importance of the performing arts in education, showcasing the incredible talent and togetherness of the students both on and off stage.’

Following the successful run, director Moira Rock said:

“It has been my true privilege to work with all the students and the creative team involved in this project.

“Watching them develop and grow in confidence and skill through the rehearsals was a real honour, and we also had a lot of fun.

“I am really proud of how playful and engaged the ensemble was and how they were such an integral part of the piece throughout.

“Our named characters were fantastic and really pushed themselves to be the strongest, funniest and most engaging characters they could be, and they were truly brilliant to watch and spend time alongside.

“This group quite simply brought the house down.”