Witches can be right. Giants can be good
Today, me, Cathy, Jane, and Jane's hubby Patrick met for picnic in Regents park while we eyed the sky a bit, then went into the open air theatre for Into the Woods. Jenna Russell as the Baker's Wife, Hannah Waddingham as the Witch, Helen Dallimore as Cinderella (rather a good Cinderella, less nasal than her Glinda but a bit weak vocally in places. Fortunately not on No-One is Alone.). Rest of cast very awesome.
They'd stripped out all the stage and just put in a bunch of walkways and staircases and ladders, letting the trees at the back become part of it. So, yeah, serious points on set design.
Brilliant production, great cast, great singing, very funny, very thought-provoking during the 'blame' bits. Am thinking that Jenna's getting typecast as the caring type who often has to make hard practical decisions, but if she will keep doing Sondheim, this is what happens. Special mention to the Princes. They'd dressed them up as 19th century dandy Russell Brand, different coloured coats to differentiate. And it did not help that Prince Charming had a dead ringer voice/manner to Rupert Everett. What has been seen cannot be unseen. Though on another mention, Red Riding Hood with a South London accent and Wolf from the East End really works. Also, just realised that was one large cast - fifteen people, no doubling up on roles like normal (eg, Wolf is normally also one of the Princes).
Figured out that Into the Woods is one of those Sondheims where only half the songs are good (but those half are knockouts) but the script/book is a piece of pure genius. ...I need to listen to Agony again.
And then there was the weather. it'd been pissing it down on the way in, bright boiling sunshine when we got to Baker St, clouded a bit when we got in, then rain stopped play soon after the first song. Was rather amusing to see the ripple of audience putting on their anoraks discreetly and then putting up the umbrellas. Waited a bit for the rain to die down, then the sun was so bright and hot that Cathy put her scarf on. Rain again a few songs later, bucketing it to the point where they encouraged us to go into the bar to take shelter, which felt to be about 10/15 mins and everyone necked any drinks they'd reserved. Rain petered off, we started again, and at one point it did rain but you could see the cast go 'fuck this, we are going to keep keep singing because we are sodding well going to get through the first half if it kills us.' Interval so they could change and get the water out of the speakers. Then cloudy with threatening bits and a bit of drizzle but yay, no breaks! We figured out they over-ran by about 45-55 mins. Which was not bad, and apparently much better than last saturday when it had to be called off before 'Hello Little Girl'.
this was all rounded off by when rooting for wine to chuck in sauce for dinner, found there was just enough gin in the bottle for a double. It was Fate.
Oh, and on twitter, Trekkie Monster is roundly abusing and insulting Tom Parsons, who plays him in the London Avenue Q. And hitting on Tom's girlfriend Julie Atherton, who used to play Kate Monster. Tom's making 'what did I ever do to him?' noises. Also, Russell Tovey is posting shirtless photos of himself. We approve of twitter today.
They'd stripped out all the stage and just put in a bunch of walkways and staircases and ladders, letting the trees at the back become part of it. So, yeah, serious points on set design.
Brilliant production, great cast, great singing, very funny, very thought-provoking during the 'blame' bits. Am thinking that Jenna's getting typecast as the caring type who often has to make hard practical decisions, but if she will keep doing Sondheim, this is what happens. Special mention to the Princes. They'd dressed them up as 19th century dandy Russell Brand, different coloured coats to differentiate. And it did not help that Prince Charming had a dead ringer voice/manner to Rupert Everett. What has been seen cannot be unseen. Though on another mention, Red Riding Hood with a South London accent and Wolf from the East End really works. Also, just realised that was one large cast - fifteen people, no doubling up on roles like normal (eg, Wolf is normally also one of the Princes).
Figured out that Into the Woods is one of those Sondheims where only half the songs are good (but those half are knockouts) but the script/book is a piece of pure genius. ...I need to listen to Agony again.
And then there was the weather. it'd been pissing it down on the way in, bright boiling sunshine when we got to Baker St, clouded a bit when we got in, then rain stopped play soon after the first song. Was rather amusing to see the ripple of audience putting on their anoraks discreetly and then putting up the umbrellas. Waited a bit for the rain to die down, then the sun was so bright and hot that Cathy put her scarf on. Rain again a few songs later, bucketing it to the point where they encouraged us to go into the bar to take shelter, which felt to be about 10/15 mins and everyone necked any drinks they'd reserved. Rain petered off, we started again, and at one point it did rain but you could see the cast go 'fuck this, we are going to keep keep singing because we are sodding well going to get through the first half if it kills us.' Interval so they could change and get the water out of the speakers. Then cloudy with threatening bits and a bit of drizzle but yay, no breaks! We figured out they over-ran by about 45-55 mins. Which was not bad, and apparently much better than last saturday when it had to be called off before 'Hello Little Girl'.
this was all rounded off by when rooting for wine to chuck in sauce for dinner, found there was just enough gin in the bottle for a double. It was Fate.
Oh, and on twitter, Trekkie Monster is roundly abusing and insulting Tom Parsons, who plays him in the London Avenue Q. And hitting on Tom's girlfriend Julie Atherton, who used to play Kate Monster. Tom's making 'what did I ever do to him?' noises. Also, Russell Tovey is posting shirtless photos of himself. We approve of twitter today.