Stephen Sondheim's work is not really staged enough in the UK, in my
humble opinion. In the last few years though, we have seen some great
productions of Sunday In The Park With George, Assassins and Sweeney Todd. A
recent revival of Side By Side did not do great business in London, so it's
great to see this fairytale spoof back again, if only for a short while.
It takes a great cast to pull of Stephen's clever and vocally demanding
work. The Royal Opera House has assembled a talented team who give it their
all. The chaotic and constantly jokey narrative means that each one of them has
to be on their guard, to signal the next sardonic laugh. If you have watched Shrek and loved the way that fairy tales are spoofed for
ludicrous plot devices and moral-filled happy endings, then Into The Woods is
for you. I would not be surprised to read that the creators of the green ogre
and his friends didn't borrow many of their ideas from this fine musical
piece.
Imagine Cinderella, Jack and his beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood and Co
were all invited to a picnic in the woods and this gives you a sense of the
feel of this delightful musical. Each character brings with them the chaos of
their very own narrative. Cinderella admits she quite likes cleaning, Little
Red Riding Hood eats for England,
Jack is daft as a brush and Prince Charming says "I am supposed to be
charming, not sincere." The clever twists and turns keep you watching, but
it's the music which breathes life and laughs into this timeless and inventive
production. The wit and vaudeville style elements compliment James Lapine's
gorgeous book.
Sondheim is unique, in that his songs have depth and resemble mood swings,
taking characters on journeys, exploring every facet of their character. Agony,
for example seems filled with the heartache felt by two princes but it is
delivered with knowing humour that you end up rolling about on the floor, with
laughter to what is essentially a sad song.
The cast have to almost run the relay on stage, constantly passing on the
baton to each talented athlete. As Cinders, Gillian Kirkpatrick buries the
image you may have of the downtrodden cleaner, come slave. She seems dissatisfied
with the fairytale ending as she realises that it does not exist. This marvelous
actress excels herself admirably. Anne Reid, always a great stage presence
surprises the audience with a lovely singing voice as Jack's mother. Meanwhile,
Jack, himself is beautifully played via Peter Caulfield's wide eyed innocence. Clive
Rowe and Anna Francolini as the baker and his wife invest their roles with so
much emotion, that you are moved constantly. Lara Pulver stole many scenes for me as Lucinda, the blinded ugly sister. 
As the double act, Nicholas Garrett and Nic Greenshields do a remarkably
good job as the selfish princes, neither of them that charming. Comic relief is
provided by Suzanne Toase's ever hungry Little Red Riding Hood. And Beverley
Klein is unstoppable as the witch with a big voice and lots of stage
presence.
There are flaws within the show. Act one whizzes by, but by then, most of the narrative has been fully explored. This leaves you with a feeling of 'so what' as the unloose ends are tied up, in knots. Also some of the comedy is replaced by liberal amounts of sentiment too quickly. But, even Sondheim's least successful work is a joy, this one being no exception.
This fantastic production has received average reviews in London. But last night at the Lowry, the
audience applauded non stop. Sondheim's classic, Into The Woods remains an
insightful, clever crowd-pleaser. If you get the chance, go, but hurry as it
closes on Saturday.
Glenn Meads
Into The Woods @ The Lowry Salford until
Saturday, 07 July. http//:www.thelowry.com
Tel: 0870 787 5780
