INTO THE WOODS. To 1 February.
London.
INTO THE WOODS
music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim book by James Lapine.
Upstairs At The Gatehouse Highgate Village N6 4BD To 1 February 2009.
Tue–Sat 7:30pm Mat Sun 4pm & 3pm 29-31 Dec, 2 Jan 3pm.
no performance 1 Jan no evening performance 31 Dec.
Runs 2hr 45min One interval.
TICKETS: 020 8340 3488.
www.upstairsatthegatehouse.com
Review: Geoff Ambler 23 December 2008.
Into the Gatehouse for a musical delight.
With lyrics bursting with wit and wisdom, a delightful operatic score and an alternative treatment to the schmaltzy tales that inspire the usual seasonal fayre filling theatres at this time of the year, Into The Woods makes a welcome London appearance Upstairs at The Gatehouse.
On the surface James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim’s masterpiece deals with fairytale people such as Jack, who sells his cow, Cinderella, with all her family problems and Rapunzel: “High in her tower, she sits by the hour, Maintaining her hair.” However Into The Woods is so much more than that. Well-developed characters, hilarious situations deconstructed from popular stories and music that is some of Sondheim's finest, go hand in hand with love, betrayal, murder and tragedy, while beneath it all is a cornucopia of Sondheim/ Lapine wisdom that could replace a shelf full of self-help books - and actually be of help.
At The Gatehouse, director Racky Plews has again created some thoroughly entertaining musical theatre, with Rachel Bingham’s Baker's Wife, Emma Odell’s Cinderella, Daniel Summer’s Jack and Dominic Brewer’s Baker all exceptional, all delivering on Sondheim’s exacting and delightful score, along with a remarkably feisty and perky Little Red Riding Hood, stuffing her face with cakes while lighting up the murk. Alexander Bradford and Shimi Goodman, who double as Cinderella’s sisters, are every bit the dashingly vain and charmingly hilarious Princes.
Designer Stephie Hoyle, working for the first time at The Gatehouse, has created a fantastically dark and gloomy Wood which includes a screen, allowing the cast to merge, Brief Encounter style, with projections of the set and themselves, as well as a video of narrator Paul Nicholas, who bends and shimmers, unnervingly wraithlike.
Upstairs at the Gatehouse always manages to stage engaging and enjoyable fringe theatre and Into The Woods is utterly magical. A wonderful, edgy alternative to the traditional seasonal shows.
Rapunzel/Cinderella's Mother/Giant/Clarinet: Alice Keedwell.
Cinderella's Prince/Lucinda: Alexander Bradford.
Jack/Clarinet: Daniel Summers.
The Baker: Dominic Brewer.
Cinderella/Flute: Emma Odell.
Jack's Mother/Violin: Holly Aisbitt.
Stepmother/Granny/Steward/Clarinet: John Rogerson.
Little Red Riding Hood: Lauren Appleby.
Narrator/Mysterious Man (on video): Paul Nicholas.
The Baker's Wife: Rachel Bingham.
Rapunzel's Prince/Wolf/Florinda: Shimi Goodman.
The Witch: Susan Kyd.
Director: Racky Plews.
Designer: Stephie Hoyle.
Lighting: Howard Hudson.
Musical Supervisor: Dom Carter.
Musical Director: Alex Weatherhill.
Video: Martin Walton.
2008-12-29 00:34:02