Don't you know what's out there in the world...
As a somewhat avid musical nerd, I've been wanting to see the stage production of Into The Woods for some time. (I can rarely decline a modern spin on a Brothers Grimm fairy tale - especially when it combines several of them.) However, when the film adaptation was announced, I hoped it would provide an ideal substitute in the meantime. With a cast that boasts Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, and, personal favourite, Anna Kendrick, expectations were high.
The main storyline entwines the tales of Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Little Red Riding Hood, tying them together with an original story of a baker and his wife, who are desperate to lift the curse of a witch so they may conceive a child. They are sent into the woods to collect the cloak as red as blood, the cow as white as milk, the hair as yellow as corn, the slipper as pure as gold, crossing paths with all manner of characters and creatures. However, just when you think they've reached their happily ever after, the real struggle begins.
Sondheim's music does a wonderful job of piecing each arc together, through ensemble performances, recurring themes, and some truly wonderfully wordy lyrics (the witch's arrival and 'Your Fault' come to mind). The opening number sets the scene wonderfully, introducing each character and their situation through song, with the assistance of a narrator.
'Agony' was an unexpected highlight with Billy Magnussen and Chris Pine giving amusing - almost caricature - portrayals of pompous Disney princes. While the audience initially seemed a little hesitant to believe the mockery, the tittering giggles soon gave way to resounding laughter at their stoic stances while staring into the distance, then the popping of their shirt buttons as they splashed about in a picturesque stream. 'Stay With Me' and 'On the Steps of the Palace' are also stand-outs.
Into The Woods is very clever in the way it pokes fun at and puts a new spin on the classics, while offering an insight into consequence, lessons learned, and the possible aftermath of these tales. After being questioned about why he strayed from Cinderella, her prince comes back with one of the best lines in the film, "I was raised to be charming, not sincere". Casting a shadow over the seemingly good characters we've known our whole lives makes these tales much more honest, and their subjects more human. However, it seems that rather than quelling my desire to see the stage musical, it has encouraged it.
The main storyline entwines the tales of Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Little Red Riding Hood, tying them together with an original story of a baker and his wife, who are desperate to lift the curse of a witch so they may conceive a child. They are sent into the woods to collect the cloak as red as blood, the cow as white as milk, the hair as yellow as corn, the slipper as pure as gold, crossing paths with all manner of characters and creatures. However, just when you think they've reached their happily ever after, the real struggle begins.
Sondheim's music does a wonderful job of piecing each arc together, through ensemble performances, recurring themes, and some truly wonderfully wordy lyrics (the witch's arrival and 'Your Fault' come to mind). The opening number sets the scene wonderfully, introducing each character and their situation through song, with the assistance of a narrator.
'Agony' was an unexpected highlight with Billy Magnussen and Chris Pine giving amusing - almost caricature - portrayals of pompous Disney princes. While the audience initially seemed a little hesitant to believe the mockery, the tittering giggles soon gave way to resounding laughter at their stoic stances while staring into the distance, then the popping of their shirt buttons as they splashed about in a picturesque stream. 'Stay With Me' and 'On the Steps of the Palace' are also stand-outs.
Into The Woods is very clever in the way it pokes fun at and puts a new spin on the classics, while offering an insight into consequence, lessons learned, and the possible aftermath of these tales. After being questioned about why he strayed from Cinderella, her prince comes back with one of the best lines in the film, "I was raised to be charming, not sincere". Casting a shadow over the seemingly good characters we've known our whole lives makes these tales much more honest, and their subjects more human. However, it seems that rather than quelling my desire to see the stage musical, it has encouraged it.
Click to view