"Into the Woods" never became the stuff of legend like "Hair" or "West Side Story", and it never became a commercial blockbuster like practically every Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. Perhaps this is because of its length--three hours, on average--perhaps because of the fairy-tales-go-to-hell subject matter. People don't usually like to see what happens after "happily ever after," but it's one of the most cogent and powerful lessons of "Into the Woods," the best of all Broadway musicals. It's comical, serious, joyous, poignant, mystical, accessible, you name it. It's got an intricate plot, complex and sympathetic characters, and the most rich and rapturous score ever to grace the professional stage. Thank you so much, Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, for this wonderful gift.
40 Reviews
Wonderful Musical That Really Explores "Happily Ever After"
domino100316 September 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Stephen Sondheim's "Into The Woods" has a wonderful premise, wonderful music and a universal premise: be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. The film takes place in the forest where The Baker (Chip Zien) and his wife (Joanna Gleason)want a child. Unfortunately, due to a curse placed on his home by the witch (Bernadette Peters), this doesn't happen. Only if they complete a task put on them by the witch can the curse be removed. They go on a journey "into the woods" to find 4 items: The cow as white as milk, The cape as red as blood, the hair as yellow as corn and the slipper as pure as gold. The 2 of them are not alone in their quest to have their wishes granted: Jack (Ben Wright),whose cow he has to sell for food; Little Red Riding Hood (Danielle Ferland)is on her way to visit her grandmother; Rapunzel (Pamela Winslow)lowers her corn-yellow hair so the witch can climb it: and Cinderella (Kim Crosby)desperately wants to attend the ball and gets her gown and beautiful slippers. Through a series of intertwining events, everyone gets what they wish for.
It isn't until the second part of the musical when things get dark. With everyone's wishes granted, not everyone is living "Happily Ever After". Many of the characters are totally unhappy. And with the arrival of a visitor from the past that is seeking vengeance on one of the inhabitants, things turn tragic.
The songs are incredible (Especially "Children Will Listen," "Last Midnight." and "No One Is Alone."),the costumes and scenery are great, and all of the stars shine. But it is Gleason and Peters that really shine in their roles. The musical will have you laughing and crying. A must have.
It isn't until the second part of the musical when things get dark. With everyone's wishes granted, not everyone is living "Happily Ever After". Many of the characters are totally unhappy. And with the arrival of a visitor from the past that is seeking vengeance on one of the inhabitants, things turn tragic.
The songs are incredible (Especially "Children Will Listen," "Last Midnight." and "No One Is Alone."),the costumes and scenery are great, and all of the stars shine. But it is Gleason and Peters that really shine in their roles. The musical will have you laughing and crying. A must have.
What happens after "Happily ever after?"
Will_Scarlet2 March 2004
One of the great Stephen Sondheim's last great musicals combines four favorite fairy tales to make one classical epic: "Cinderella," "Jack & The Beanstalk," "Little Red Riding-Hood," and "Rapunzel." A fifth story is, of course, needed to bind them together, which comes here in the story of a poor baker and his wife who wish for a child, and to get it, strike a bargain with a witch to fetch the ingredients for a potion: "The cow as white as milk, the cape as red as blood, the hair as yellow as corn, and the slippers as pure as gold." The baker rescues
Red Riding-Hood from the wolf and is rewarded with her cloak, and then sells
the beans to Jack for his cow, while his wife plucks a hair from Rapunzel in her tower, and relieves Cinderella of her last shoe, since she is having trouble
escaping in one high-heeled slipper. Over the first act, we see the stories unfold just as we know them from our childhood, ending with "Happily ever after." In the second act, however, the characters' continuing stories are shown as not as
happy as we thought. Cinderella and Rapunzel's princes have lost their hearts' desires in the having of them, and start chasing after Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. Red Riding-Hood has become obsessed with killing wolves, and
defending herself. Rapunzel, simultaneously missing her Witch-mother and
hating her, has moments of hysteria. As for the Baker, he feels insecure as a father, and his wife wishes their house were bigger. And the Giant's wife comes down another beanstalk to get revenge on Jack for murdering her husband.
Disaster strikes when, in desparation, the characters sacrifice the Narrator to the Giant, and thus destroy the person keeping the stories in order. Chaos ensues as the black and white so well divided before flow together. Heroes lie, Witches are right, Giants are good, heroes die. But still, the characters are able to stay together and defeat the giant and resolve their stories on their own. The moral of the story is simple: Learn from the stories, but don't live by them, as sung by the legendary Bernadette Peters as the Witch. She proves amazingly good at
playing the hideous old crone, and later becomes more of a Gothic beauty,
more suited to her beautiful voice and fantastic acting skills (Last Midnight, who would have thought a waltz could be so chilling?) The rest of the original
Broadway cast is also fabulous. Danielle Ferland is delightful as Red Riding- Hood, a Shirley Temple with a delightful mean streak. Robert Westenberg
makes the Prince funny and sad, and as the Wolf, brings out the lustful
undertones of the character, and Chip Zien and Joanna Gleason evoke
memories of Desi and Lucy as the married couple, while Kim Crosby is a
surprisingly independent Cinderella. All the cast sings one of Sondheim's
strongest scores, and brings the musical into the range of 10/10.
Red Riding-Hood from the wolf and is rewarded with her cloak, and then sells
the beans to Jack for his cow, while his wife plucks a hair from Rapunzel in her tower, and relieves Cinderella of her last shoe, since she is having trouble
escaping in one high-heeled slipper. Over the first act, we see the stories unfold just as we know them from our childhood, ending with "Happily ever after." In the second act, however, the characters' continuing stories are shown as not as
happy as we thought. Cinderella and Rapunzel's princes have lost their hearts' desires in the having of them, and start chasing after Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. Red Riding-Hood has become obsessed with killing wolves, and
defending herself. Rapunzel, simultaneously missing her Witch-mother and
hating her, has moments of hysteria. As for the Baker, he feels insecure as a father, and his wife wishes their house were bigger. And the Giant's wife comes down another beanstalk to get revenge on Jack for murdering her husband.
Disaster strikes when, in desparation, the characters sacrifice the Narrator to the Giant, and thus destroy the person keeping the stories in order. Chaos ensues as the black and white so well divided before flow together. Heroes lie, Witches are right, Giants are good, heroes die. But still, the characters are able to stay together and defeat the giant and resolve their stories on their own. The moral of the story is simple: Learn from the stories, but don't live by them, as sung by the legendary Bernadette Peters as the Witch. She proves amazingly good at
playing the hideous old crone, and later becomes more of a Gothic beauty,
more suited to her beautiful voice and fantastic acting skills (Last Midnight, who would have thought a waltz could be so chilling?) The rest of the original
Broadway cast is also fabulous. Danielle Ferland is delightful as Red Riding- Hood, a Shirley Temple with a delightful mean streak. Robert Westenberg
makes the Prince funny and sad, and as the Wolf, brings out the lustful
undertones of the character, and Chip Zien and Joanna Gleason evoke
memories of Desi and Lucy as the married couple, while Kim Crosby is a
surprisingly independent Cinderella. All the cast sings one of Sondheim's
strongest scores, and brings the musical into the range of 10/10.
Brilliance, sheer brilliance
jweatherford275 July 2001
I loved every minute of it. Bernadette Peters was spectacular, of course everyone has given her a large amount of praise for her performance, but she deserves it, she was the one that stood out above the rest! The best part about Into The Woods is that you can watch it again and again, and it still doesn't get old, and you're still catching minor detales that you missed from the first viewing. This is a definate must for fans of the theatre, and for everybody else.
Another Stunning Achievement from the mind of Stephen Sondheim....
Isaac585516 April 2008
INTO THE WOODS is a musically intricate and enchanting musical from the man who brought us COMPANY,A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC,FOLLIES, Sunday IN THE PARK WITH GEOGRE and SWEENEY TODD. Sondheim, Broadway's finest lyricist, has once again struck gold with this clever and complex story that incorporates characters from several different classic fairy tales in a mystical blend that might make the Brothers Grimm roll over in their graves but will leave fans of this musical genius clamoring for more. This musical follows the adventures of a poor Baker and his wife, who want to have a child more than anything and are promised a child by an evil witch, with secrets of her own, if they can bring her Little Red Riding Hood's Cape, Cinderella's slipper, the cow belonging to Jack of Jack and the Beanstalk fame and a lock of Rapunzel's hair and it is their journey into the fairy tale forest to find these items that provides the plot for this delightfully imaginative musical. As always, Sondheim has provided us with lush melodies and intricate musical arrangements where characters sing on top of each other and it is virtually impossible to catch everything that is being sung, but for us Sondheim-aholics, this is half the fun, requiring careful attention and multiple viewings. This DVD is a taping of a performance by the original Broadway cast, led by the divine Bernadette Peters as the Witch. Hidden behind heavy makeup for the first act, Peters proves to be a gifted actress as well as the consummate song stylist. Peters stops the show with "Children Will Listen" and "Last Midnight". Joanna Gleason won a Tony for her effervescent turn as the Baker's wife and Chip Zien is beautifully paired with her as the Baker. There are also outstanding supporting performances from Robert Westenberg in two roles as the Wolf and Cinderella's Prince, Danielle Ferland as Little Red Riding Hood, Kim Crosby as Cinderella, and Ben Wright as Jack. Other musical highlights include "Agony" a funny yet melodic duet between the two princes, "On the Steps of the Palace" sung by Cinderella, "Hello Little Girl", the musical meeting between Red Riding Hood and the Wolf" and Gleason's show stopping "Moments in the Woods". A thoroughly original and lushly theatrical musical that provides another testament to the genius that is Stephen Sondheim.
Fun, dark twist to fairy tales.
OllieSuave-00731 December 2014
This is a movie episode of a TV series called American Playhouse, where the famous play "Into the Woods" is showcased. It is a fun, dark twist to various fairy tales combined where a childless baker and his wife cannot have a child until they follow the orders of their next-door neighbor, the Witch, to obtain a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn and a slipper as pure as gold. This brings together famous fairytale characters like Jack, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Cinderella into the mix to help.
This TV episode version I saw was a recorded stage play, but it was well acted out with neat special visual and sound effects, especially in the Giant's footsteps and the Witch's magic spells. It is captivating to see famous scenes from each fairytale blend in together throughout the main course of events of the baker and his wife searching for the Witch's items, such as the Baker's wife running into Cinderella into the woods, who happened to trip down some steps and looses her slipper, and the Witch (who is actually Rapunzel's mother) casting a spell on Rapunzel's prince. And, this all leads to a thrilling sequence when the character must deal with the Giant from the Jack and the Beanstalk tale.
This play also take a more dramatic and in depth look at each character, including the agony of the Princes finding love to the aftermath after Cinderella marries her prince. It's brilliantly played out and the plot gives a reality check that not all stories end in happily ever after - or at least not without some sacrifices and courage.
It's a great play for the audience, but not 100 percent innocent for children; therefore, it's best to have some parental guidance for the kids if or when they watch it.
Grade A
This TV episode version I saw was a recorded stage play, but it was well acted out with neat special visual and sound effects, especially in the Giant's footsteps and the Witch's magic spells. It is captivating to see famous scenes from each fairytale blend in together throughout the main course of events of the baker and his wife searching for the Witch's items, such as the Baker's wife running into Cinderella into the woods, who happened to trip down some steps and looses her slipper, and the Witch (who is actually Rapunzel's mother) casting a spell on Rapunzel's prince. And, this all leads to a thrilling sequence when the character must deal with the Giant from the Jack and the Beanstalk tale.
This play also take a more dramatic and in depth look at each character, including the agony of the Princes finding love to the aftermath after Cinderella marries her prince. It's brilliantly played out and the plot gives a reality check that not all stories end in happily ever after - or at least not without some sacrifices and courage.
It's a great play for the audience, but not 100 percent innocent for children; therefore, it's best to have some parental guidance for the kids if or when they watch it.
Grade A
A Great Musical
gws-226 April 2000
We owe Sondheim a debt of gratitude for allowing this stage performance of "Into the Woods" to be Filmed. It is filled with outstanding performances (Joanna Gleason won a Toni). Sondheim's words and music move us back and forth between laughter and tears. "Into the Woods" is the ultimate fractured fairy tale: traditional fairy tales are mixed together and then filtered through the lens of late 20th Century reality. Wonderful stuff
not necessarily appropriate for children...
weymo17 June 2003
My wife and I have enjoyed the soundtrack and associated book form of this musical for years. Alas, we were never able to enjoy it on broadway. We knew there was a bit of innuendo involved but that it was fairly out of the range of our 8 year old daughter. However, when we rented the DVD of this live performance, my eyebrows were raised quite quickly when Red Riding Hood comes upon the Wolf. The Wolf is, how should I say, amazingly anatomically correct for a man, let alone a wolf. The tone of the whole play really isn't for kids but the rest of it seems okay. My daughter enjoyed the music and made comments about the crude special effects. But the parents understand that the effects are just for effect and that the real power of this musical is in the story. It tugs just a little harder than one would expect at the heartstrings. I was amazed at the number of real tears shed by the cast...and that emotion is just a real today as a decaded ago. Oh. And Bernadette...best witch ever.
Absolutely Magical!
il_repute30 August 2013
This has to be, hands down, the most wonderful musical I have ever seen! The cast was not to be outdone! The story line is fantastic! The writing was outstanding! And when you put it all together with the music, you end up with a tale that is familiar but at the same time new, seen from perspectives you never imagined before... charming... hilarious... and even a little sad. It is so special to find something that can evoke so many emotions, and the production quality was amazing. I have seen this and listened to it so many times, and it never gets old! Bernadette Peters made the production! But you will love the entire cast! Not a dud in the bunch!
The thinking man's musical.
mark.waltz8 December 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Stephen Sondheim has written some of the most delightful melodies in Broadway history, and if you listen to each of his scores, you will pick up something different from each show. Even with his overtures or opening non-sung introductions, there is something fabulous to be heard. Take the openings of "Follies" and "A Little Night Music" which have such twists and turns that no other composer could have thought of and are delightful to the individual ear. Each of his shows, too, have a different theme, and even if somebody else wrote the book, it is always Sondheim whom you think of when watching those shows.
"Into the Woods" may not have been the first of the fairy tale shows, but unlike "Once Upon a Mattress" and "Cinderella", it is one that forces its audience to look way beyond the context of the story which they are being told. Each storyline here has characters that are forced to look at their plight with a need to change or at least make some alterations in their lives. In other words, this is a more serious version of "Fractured Fairy Tales", made famous on the "Bullwinkle" show, yet still having a tongue in its cheek that makes the lessons learned even more valuable.
For this "American Playhouse" filming of the 1988 Broadway show, the original cast was reunited late in the show's run. At the time, movie musicals were pretty much a thing of the past, so there was probably no clue that a movie of this would ever be made, even though it certainly has been hinted at for decades. Bernadette Peters took essentially a secondary part and turned it into the diva role playing a witch with several different guises. Unlike the "Wicked" witch, she isn't green, and it isn't water which destroys her. But like that "wicked" witch, she is perhaps the wisest character here, knowing that there is definitely a difference between "nice" and being "good". She is the one character who provides the "truths", especially that we should all "be careful of the things you say".
Chip Zien and Joanna Gleason are the prominent leads as the Baker and his wife, repeating their original roles (for which Gleason won a Tony) and truly provide the heart and soul of the story. Jack (and his beanstalk), a little girl with a red cape, a poor girl who lives among the cinders and an innocent maiden in a tower also provide their lessons, and some do not make it out of here alive. They also have to remember that "Ever After" isn't always "Happily Ever After", sung here with equal cynicism that Carol Burnett had sung about the same themes in "Mattress" years before.
No matter how the new movie turns out (and I look forward to seeing it), this original production will always be around for everybody to see. Having seen the original national tour, the 2002 Broadway revival and a 2012 Central Park version which really did take you "Into the Woods", I have noticed all the changes, but the universal themes of isolation, abandonment, slavery, death, birth and betrayal all remain truthful to this day. A new Off Broadway revival opening soon also gives it a new look, making this the ever-changing show that will continue to mesmerize theater goers for decades to come. But as long as Sondheim's melodies remain and the themes don't change, this will continue to delight new audiences who have come back to the wonderful world of the musical theater which was almost as dead as Jack's giant when this first premiered.
"Into the Woods" may not have been the first of the fairy tale shows, but unlike "Once Upon a Mattress" and "Cinderella", it is one that forces its audience to look way beyond the context of the story which they are being told. Each storyline here has characters that are forced to look at their plight with a need to change or at least make some alterations in their lives. In other words, this is a more serious version of "Fractured Fairy Tales", made famous on the "Bullwinkle" show, yet still having a tongue in its cheek that makes the lessons learned even more valuable.
For this "American Playhouse" filming of the 1988 Broadway show, the original cast was reunited late in the show's run. At the time, movie musicals were pretty much a thing of the past, so there was probably no clue that a movie of this would ever be made, even though it certainly has been hinted at for decades. Bernadette Peters took essentially a secondary part and turned it into the diva role playing a witch with several different guises. Unlike the "Wicked" witch, she isn't green, and it isn't water which destroys her. But like that "wicked" witch, she is perhaps the wisest character here, knowing that there is definitely a difference between "nice" and being "good". She is the one character who provides the "truths", especially that we should all "be careful of the things you say".
Chip Zien and Joanna Gleason are the prominent leads as the Baker and his wife, repeating their original roles (for which Gleason won a Tony) and truly provide the heart and soul of the story. Jack (and his beanstalk), a little girl with a red cape, a poor girl who lives among the cinders and an innocent maiden in a tower also provide their lessons, and some do not make it out of here alive. They also have to remember that "Ever After" isn't always "Happily Ever After", sung here with equal cynicism that Carol Burnett had sung about the same themes in "Mattress" years before.
No matter how the new movie turns out (and I look forward to seeing it), this original production will always be around for everybody to see. Having seen the original national tour, the 2002 Broadway revival and a 2012 Central Park version which really did take you "Into the Woods", I have noticed all the changes, but the universal themes of isolation, abandonment, slavery, death, birth and betrayal all remain truthful to this day. A new Off Broadway revival opening soon also gives it a new look, making this the ever-changing show that will continue to mesmerize theater goers for decades to come. But as long as Sondheim's melodies remain and the themes don't change, this will continue to delight new audiences who have come back to the wonderful world of the musical theater which was almost as dead as Jack's giant when this first premiered.
Dwarfs are very upsetting.
film-critic5 September 2005
I must admit, I wasn't sure what I was getting into when this film arrived at my doorstep. With pensiveness in my eyes, I placed the DVD into my player and watched
surprisingly
a play unfold before my eyes. I knew it was a play, but I didn't realize this was nothing more than the stage version placed in DVD format. With no special features, I dived directly into the action. Song after song, joke after joke, familiar story line crossed with unfamiliar stories, I patiently waited to explore the finale of this extremely creative play. With an hour and a half down, I thought the film was over. I didn't see what the excitement was about, it was creative, but not shockingly bold
then the second act began and my jaw dropped. Darkness finally crept into these fairy tales and opened a fresh new door for our dated characters to explore.
I must give tons of credit to Stephen Sondheim's creative mind. Without his ability to dive deeper within a story than imaginable, I do not think there would have been much desire for me to sit through this three-hour epic. Thankfully, Sondheim has this ability to constantly keep you guessing. There were not many scenes in this performance that seemed stale, or overused. There were clean and creative moments that kept you guessing until the very end. I kept my eyes glued to the screen because I never knew which direction Sondheim was going to take next. Was he going to follow classic form, or branch away into a powerful new area that has yet to be explored? Thankfully, he broke away and created a story that set in motion the several thousands of other fairy tale rediscoveries.
Coupled with Sondheim's powerful penmanship, we also have James Lapine's amazing direction. With a film like this, basically taking a live-performance and releasing it on DVD, there was that opportunity to go extremely stale and find yourself watching what looks like a "high school" parent's videotaped production. This version has extremely crisp editing, you can see the actors, you can hear what they are saying, and it feels as if you are right on the front row watching these powerful performances unfold in front of you. Lapine does an excellent job with his positions of the cameras and ability to focus on exactly whom we need to be watching. He keeps us centered on the story and characters without constantly reminding us that it is a play. He does a great job of taking us into the story, away from the stage, and giving us life away from the theater. If you force yourself to accept that it is only a play, than you will see the stage, the stagehands, and everything else that follows live theater, but if you get swept away into the songs, characters, and story, as I did, then you will see a fairy tale unfold in front of you.
While I did enjoy the quality of the DVD and the creativity of Stephen Sondheim, there were some elements that I just could not escape. One happened to be the songs. While I loved the opening songs of the first act, in fact finding myself tapping my toes to several of the melodies, the second act felt as if I was listening to the same songs over and over again. The second act became repetitious to me. The songs, as well as the length, just seemed to be a bit overwhelming. I found my mind wandering, when I wanted to focus on what was happening on screen. I think this is because of the different versions of the SAME song coupled with elongated speeches. This may sound weird, but I loved the second act. It was dark, spooky, and showed a new side to fairy tales that we had not been accustomed to exploring. Yet, I hated the second act as well. It just seemed to drag on and on without a true direction in sight. I understood what needed to happen, but it just didn't feel as crisp as the opening act. The characters seemed a bit stale, the surroundings seemed a bit boring, and I just felt as if it had lost some of the creative genius that I witnessed in the opening act. While I hate to blame anyone (especially after the lesson learned in this film), but there was too much focus on Bernadette Peters, who was the obvious star of the play. This was an ensemble performance and needed to be treated as such. The second act focused a bit too much on Peters' Witch characters while it needed to explore everyone's emotions equally. Outside of these two issues, I felt this was a fun, fantastical film that introduced me into a new chapter of fairy tales.
Overall, I was impressed. I really desire to see the play now, but don't know if I can sit through another 2.5 hour performance. It was great, but not worthy of another viewing. While I loved the creativity and the DVD transfer, I felt that the second act of this play was a bit sloppy. It needed to be tightened, strengthened around the darkness of the characters, and everyone brought together as a group, instead of individually. The ending smelled a bit cheesy, but allowed for all resolutions to be solved. There is so much that I loved about the second act (like the darkness and the chaos surrounding indestructible storybook characters), but there were equally the same amount of dislikes that spawned from the second act. Good, but not great, powerful, yet didn't seem to drive that nail home. Applauding Sondheim and Lapine, penalizing Peters and the uncreative repetitions of the songs.
Grade: *** out of *****
I must give tons of credit to Stephen Sondheim's creative mind. Without his ability to dive deeper within a story than imaginable, I do not think there would have been much desire for me to sit through this three-hour epic. Thankfully, Sondheim has this ability to constantly keep you guessing. There were not many scenes in this performance that seemed stale, or overused. There were clean and creative moments that kept you guessing until the very end. I kept my eyes glued to the screen because I never knew which direction Sondheim was going to take next. Was he going to follow classic form, or branch away into a powerful new area that has yet to be explored? Thankfully, he broke away and created a story that set in motion the several thousands of other fairy tale rediscoveries.
Coupled with Sondheim's powerful penmanship, we also have James Lapine's amazing direction. With a film like this, basically taking a live-performance and releasing it on DVD, there was that opportunity to go extremely stale and find yourself watching what looks like a "high school" parent's videotaped production. This version has extremely crisp editing, you can see the actors, you can hear what they are saying, and it feels as if you are right on the front row watching these powerful performances unfold in front of you. Lapine does an excellent job with his positions of the cameras and ability to focus on exactly whom we need to be watching. He keeps us centered on the story and characters without constantly reminding us that it is a play. He does a great job of taking us into the story, away from the stage, and giving us life away from the theater. If you force yourself to accept that it is only a play, than you will see the stage, the stagehands, and everything else that follows live theater, but if you get swept away into the songs, characters, and story, as I did, then you will see a fairy tale unfold in front of you.
While I did enjoy the quality of the DVD and the creativity of Stephen Sondheim, there were some elements that I just could not escape. One happened to be the songs. While I loved the opening songs of the first act, in fact finding myself tapping my toes to several of the melodies, the second act felt as if I was listening to the same songs over and over again. The second act became repetitious to me. The songs, as well as the length, just seemed to be a bit overwhelming. I found my mind wandering, when I wanted to focus on what was happening on screen. I think this is because of the different versions of the SAME song coupled with elongated speeches. This may sound weird, but I loved the second act. It was dark, spooky, and showed a new side to fairy tales that we had not been accustomed to exploring. Yet, I hated the second act as well. It just seemed to drag on and on without a true direction in sight. I understood what needed to happen, but it just didn't feel as crisp as the opening act. The characters seemed a bit stale, the surroundings seemed a bit boring, and I just felt as if it had lost some of the creative genius that I witnessed in the opening act. While I hate to blame anyone (especially after the lesson learned in this film), but there was too much focus on Bernadette Peters, who was the obvious star of the play. This was an ensemble performance and needed to be treated as such. The second act focused a bit too much on Peters' Witch characters while it needed to explore everyone's emotions equally. Outside of these two issues, I felt this was a fun, fantastical film that introduced me into a new chapter of fairy tales.
Overall, I was impressed. I really desire to see the play now, but don't know if I can sit through another 2.5 hour performance. It was great, but not worthy of another viewing. While I loved the creativity and the DVD transfer, I felt that the second act of this play was a bit sloppy. It needed to be tightened, strengthened around the darkness of the characters, and everyone brought together as a group, instead of individually. The ending smelled a bit cheesy, but allowed for all resolutions to be solved. There is so much that I loved about the second act (like the darkness and the chaos surrounding indestructible storybook characters), but there were equally the same amount of dislikes that spawned from the second act. Good, but not great, powerful, yet didn't seem to drive that nail home. Applauding Sondheim and Lapine, penalizing Peters and the uncreative repetitions of the songs.
Grade: *** out of *****
into the woods...and home before dark!
OliverPage5477 July 2006
I've loved this since i was a kid. the concept is great and so are the songs. Placiong together stories and characters for various fairy tales and creating something completely new to me is just genius. Some of the characters are hilarious and others are really believable such as the wolf and Prince charming. The songs are also brilliantly written and performed. One of the main strengths of this show was that everybody could act well and sing better. My personal favourites are the two songs done by the two princes 'Agony'. And of course the song sung by the Wolf when hes planning his evil idea for Red Riding Hood, 'that kind of scrumptious delectable feast twice in one day...there's no possible way...to describe how you feel...when your talking to your meal!!!'. Anyway back to the original point this show is amazing and really worth watching, and also don't write it off as a silly kids show because most of the jokes and quirky remarks are written for adults.
Good if not dark and twisted....
ponyboys-girl9 February 2007
This play was pretty good until act 2. Then things started getting weird. Many main characters die and certain affairs really cast some dark shadows on the thing. It would of been a great play for children if not for the second act. It really depressed me after I saw it. Ecsapalliy after the first act was so happy. It still didn't wrap up a few loose ends even after all that trouble to do so. Also I didn't like the way Jack kinda changed from the beginning of act two to the end. It still leaves a good message at the end though about children learning from you. One more thing they should of given more screen time to Rapunzel and her prince and made her seem like less of an airhead. I also think she should of kept her hair.
My favorite of all time.
Toddaroo16 December 1999
This is by far one of my favorite Broadway shows ever. Bernadette Peters is absolutely unparalleled on the stage, Sondheim and Lapine have pulled off another masterpiece, and Joanna Gleason TOTALLY deserved her Tony award for this. In my mind, this musical was far superior to the one that beat it out for 1989 Best Musical (Phantom of the Opera). Anyone who liked this would like "The School for Scandal", which stars Barbara Bryne (Jack's Mother). I suggest you check it out.
A Very Real Journey Into The Unreal Manifestations Of Our Libidinous Id. Whoa. Did I Actually Just Say That?
johnstonjames5 May 2012
Warning: Spoilers
i don't always like revisionism. especially when it comes to children's stories and fairy tales. it often seems unnecessary since they are what they are, and if you don't like them, find something else. they often speak louder and more revealing when least tampered with. also they represent historical context better when presented in truer form.
not that i'm saying if i had little kids i wouldn't dilute the stuff. under no circumstances would i tell a little child the actual Grimm Bros. version of the Cinderella fairy tale where the princess extracts revenge by having a dove peck out the eyes of the step mother and step sisters, and has them dance with hot irons on their feet at her wedding. i think the Disney version which is modified and homogenized, as tepid as it is, is far more appropriate for contemporary generations. there is such a thing as being a little too much of yourself.
funny though. the pecking of the eyes of the step mother and sisters is included in this version, but it's mostly played for laughs with the unfortunate in-laws groping along with dark glasses and walking canes after wards.
most everything here is played for laughs in this Sondheim farce, including humankind's own desperate sexual mores and search for ego and identity. the stage-play here very effectively brings to the conscious surface what folklore and fairy tales only dealt with collectively and intuitively.
there is a lot to be said for the intuitive. it can sometimes spark the imagination to deep recesses and reveal things about ourselves that we didn't want to consciously address outright. but analysis helps to make the unconscious more real and therefore more useful in application to our waking needs.
definitely Sondheim's play is about analysis of our unconscious intuitions and helps us to understand how we interpret our needs and drives and how it might apply them to more conscious and useful thought. and it's probably never been done better and never been done funnier. this play was probably also the fore runner to many of the fairy tale interpretations of today and a good part due to the psychological insight of something like Disney's 'Enchanted' and 'Tangled'.
this also features some wonderful performances by Bernadette Peters and Joanna Gleason, and of course the wonderful music of Stephen Sondheim.
this is a journey into the woods that a lot of people can't or won't want to make. for one thing musicals aren't for everyone. for another, most people are content to view things with simplicity and never challenge themselves to look beneath the surface of things. but if you're patient, and even a little brave, you may find that these woods hold truth and discovery. instead of a children's fairy story, this journey into the woods is a very real and insightful one.
not that i'm saying if i had little kids i wouldn't dilute the stuff. under no circumstances would i tell a little child the actual Grimm Bros. version of the Cinderella fairy tale where the princess extracts revenge by having a dove peck out the eyes of the step mother and step sisters, and has them dance with hot irons on their feet at her wedding. i think the Disney version which is modified and homogenized, as tepid as it is, is far more appropriate for contemporary generations. there is such a thing as being a little too much of yourself.
funny though. the pecking of the eyes of the step mother and sisters is included in this version, but it's mostly played for laughs with the unfortunate in-laws groping along with dark glasses and walking canes after wards.
most everything here is played for laughs in this Sondheim farce, including humankind's own desperate sexual mores and search for ego and identity. the stage-play here very effectively brings to the conscious surface what folklore and fairy tales only dealt with collectively and intuitively.
there is a lot to be said for the intuitive. it can sometimes spark the imagination to deep recesses and reveal things about ourselves that we didn't want to consciously address outright. but analysis helps to make the unconscious more real and therefore more useful in application to our waking needs.
definitely Sondheim's play is about analysis of our unconscious intuitions and helps us to understand how we interpret our needs and drives and how it might apply them to more conscious and useful thought. and it's probably never been done better and never been done funnier. this play was probably also the fore runner to many of the fairy tale interpretations of today and a good part due to the psychological insight of something like Disney's 'Enchanted' and 'Tangled'.
this also features some wonderful performances by Bernadette Peters and Joanna Gleason, and of course the wonderful music of Stephen Sondheim.
this is a journey into the woods that a lot of people can't or won't want to make. for one thing musicals aren't for everyone. for another, most people are content to view things with simplicity and never challenge themselves to look beneath the surface of things. but if you're patient, and even a little brave, you may find that these woods hold truth and discovery. instead of a children's fairy story, this journey into the woods is a very real and insightful one.
Happily ever after with Stephen Sondheim
TheLittleSongbird5 September 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Into the Woods is funny, clever, complex, poignant, enchanting and also deliciously dark, it is so cleverly constructed as a musical and if you love Stephen Sondheim you will not be disappointed here. Because the music is just wonderful, The Last Midnight, Agony, Children Will Listen and No One is Alone stand out. For performances, you'd be hard pressed to find a better performance than this one, one of the best productions of any musicals seen personally in recent weeks. The costumes and sets give off this enchanting fairy-tale-like atmosphere and then they match the darker mood of the second act(which understandably may feel a little too heavy for some) beautifully as well. The production is very well photographed with excellent video directing, live performances of musicals and operas as well are not always successful in this department, but that is not the case with Into the Woods.
The songs lose none of their impact, the orchestra play in sweeping style, the tempos are very well-judged and they are beautifully staged as well. The fist act enchants and the darker second act is suitably macabre in places and just as smartly done. You just have to love Cinderella's birds, the baker's wife being grabbed by the handle of her top and the horse that moves backwards. The stepmother cutting off her daughter's heel shows some fidelity to the spirit of the original fairy tale(which is darker than you think it is), and The Last Midnight is deliciously macabre. The Last Midnight is also the song that says the most about any of the characters, Sondheim reveals so much about the Witch through this song and especially the lyrics.
With the dialogue, it is also smart and witty, and everybody seems to be having a ball delivering it(lines like "some of us don't like the way you've been telling it", "slotted spoons don't hold much soup" and "I was raised to be charming, not sincere" amongst others are gems). Amongst the fun and endless charm, "Sometimes people leave you halfway through the woods" leading into Children will Listen is also hugely affecting. With the story, it is really fun to spot the fairy-tale stories and characters- Cinderella, Rapunzel, Red Riding Hood and Jack and the Beanstalk to name a few- and it is unfolded in a way that is always entertaining, magical and clever. The narration is as wittily written as the rest of the dialogue, and always serves a purpose when needed, never does it feel too much and it does a great job making things a little more understandable for first-time viewers.
You can't go wrong with the performances either. Bernadette Peters is phenomenal in every way as the Witch, to find somebody better than her in this role would be highly unlikely. Her beautiful voice is in powerhouse form, she commands the stage in sassy and menacing fashion and her dainty, doll-like look is put to good use when the production calls for it. Joanna Gleeson shows why she deserved her Tony win, she sings very strongly and her acting is beyond excellent. In fact all the performances are great, with a deliciously sarcastic Red Riding Hood in Danielle Ferland, a wonderfully frustrating and later easy to love Baker in Chip Zien, a lovely Cinderella in Kim Crosby, a very funny Prince/menacing yet amusing Wolf in Robert Westenberg(his musical interlude with Red Riding Hood is a comic highlight with a somewhat sexual element) and a charming Jack in Ben Wright(his Giants in the Sky is very winning).
Overall, a brilliant production of a really well-done Sondheim musical show. A very easy 10/10. Bethany Cox
The songs lose none of their impact, the orchestra play in sweeping style, the tempos are very well-judged and they are beautifully staged as well. The fist act enchants and the darker second act is suitably macabre in places and just as smartly done. You just have to love Cinderella's birds, the baker's wife being grabbed by the handle of her top and the horse that moves backwards. The stepmother cutting off her daughter's heel shows some fidelity to the spirit of the original fairy tale(which is darker than you think it is), and The Last Midnight is deliciously macabre. The Last Midnight is also the song that says the most about any of the characters, Sondheim reveals so much about the Witch through this song and especially the lyrics.
With the dialogue, it is also smart and witty, and everybody seems to be having a ball delivering it(lines like "some of us don't like the way you've been telling it", "slotted spoons don't hold much soup" and "I was raised to be charming, not sincere" amongst others are gems). Amongst the fun and endless charm, "Sometimes people leave you halfway through the woods" leading into Children will Listen is also hugely affecting. With the story, it is really fun to spot the fairy-tale stories and characters- Cinderella, Rapunzel, Red Riding Hood and Jack and the Beanstalk to name a few- and it is unfolded in a way that is always entertaining, magical and clever. The narration is as wittily written as the rest of the dialogue, and always serves a purpose when needed, never does it feel too much and it does a great job making things a little more understandable for first-time viewers.
You can't go wrong with the performances either. Bernadette Peters is phenomenal in every way as the Witch, to find somebody better than her in this role would be highly unlikely. Her beautiful voice is in powerhouse form, she commands the stage in sassy and menacing fashion and her dainty, doll-like look is put to good use when the production calls for it. Joanna Gleeson shows why she deserved her Tony win, she sings very strongly and her acting is beyond excellent. In fact all the performances are great, with a deliciously sarcastic Red Riding Hood in Danielle Ferland, a wonderfully frustrating and later easy to love Baker in Chip Zien, a lovely Cinderella in Kim Crosby, a very funny Prince/menacing yet amusing Wolf in Robert Westenberg(his musical interlude with Red Riding Hood is a comic highlight with a somewhat sexual element) and a charming Jack in Ben Wright(his Giants in the Sky is very winning).
Overall, a brilliant production of a really well-done Sondheim musical show. A very easy 10/10. Bethany Cox
Brilliant in every way.
beresfordjd17 January 2015
I caught this one Christmas, many years ago, on BBC TV buried away at about 10 a.m. in the schedule. It entranced me right away and I made a point of searching out the eventual release of the DVD. Everyone in the production was marvellous and brought their characters to life. There is a great deal of marvellous humour and pathos throughout the show which the songs portray wonderfully. Sondheim's musical/lyrical genius runs throughout and I don't think could be bettered. I only hope that the new movie can live up to it. Bernadette Peters' witch is a hard act to follow and naturally I guess the film must be shorter than the stage production, which will affect it adversely. I remain open to be amazed - Rob Marshall's Chicago was a treat so I am hoping for a good experience when I see the movie. I update this review to mention the film - the film is a very different prospect- still hugely enjoyable but lots of great songs are missing from Rob Marshall's realisation of the play. I prefer the Broadway production and while the cast in the film are excellent they have a lot to live up to.
Impeccable Team Work!
moviesampink14 November 2006
Warning: Spoilers
James LaPine and Stephan Sondheim are brilliant together. James LaPine did a tremendously awesome job directing and Stephan Sondheim's heart-wrenching and extraordinary musical score made Into The Woods a legendary musical and the cast made it memorable. Chip Zien was zany and offbeat as the baker. Ben Wright was lively and imaginary as jack. Chuck Wagner was charismatic and hilarious as Rapunzel's Prince. Kim Crosby was lovable and dreamy as Cinderella. Robert Westenberg was Territoral as the wolf and serious as Cinderella's Prince. Joanna Gleason was an original as the baker's wife. Tom Aldridge was perfect as the narrator and was a mystery and complicated as the mysterious man who happened to be the baker's father. Pamela Winslow was perfect as Rapunzel's even thou she went mad. The most unique character of all of the character's is the Witch, Bernadette Peters once again proves that she is magical on-stage. The set's are amazing, the lighting is perfect and the special effects are incredible. The songs were all very touching, heartfelt and beautiful especially Your Fault/Last Midnight, Stay with me and Children will listen.
I Really LIked This.
Lyndsi_S16 June 2019
I had seen the recording of the actual stage show before the movie because of this I had enjoyed this production rather than the film. I had liked the story plot and the music. Thanks to this I now own an actual copy of this show and the Soundtrack. Sondheim is truly great.
A True Wonder To Behold!
writerever3657 November 2013
I watched this play on Netflix the other night, having never seen or heard it before. I was stunned.
Sondheim's INTO THE WOODS is a piece of musical theatre that the world needed. It's a fun, kid-friendly (for the most part), musically rich fairy tale. Bernadette Peters absolutely shines as the Witch, and Chip Zien is perfect for the Baker. The music is the star of the show, though. The music by Sondheim is genius (as is the Sondheim norm).
I highly recommend this movie. It's a fun, flighty musical the whold family can enjoy. Only some slight sexual elements mar this otherwise- friendly film.
Sondheim's INTO THE WOODS is a piece of musical theatre that the world needed. It's a fun, kid-friendly (for the most part), musically rich fairy tale. Bernadette Peters absolutely shines as the Witch, and Chip Zien is perfect for the Baker. The music is the star of the show, though. The music by Sondheim is genius (as is the Sondheim norm).
I highly recommend this movie. It's a fun, flighty musical the whold family can enjoy. Only some slight sexual elements mar this otherwise- friendly film.
Popular
RobertHI23 October 2006
"A slotted spoon doesn't hold much soup" is a good characterization of this sometimes appealing entertainment. Although it occasionally rises above the level of television situation comedy, it probably wasn't worth the price of a Broadway ticket (not many Broadway shows are), but if you can get the DVD at a discount, go for it. The DVD accurately documents the stage show, which had high production values (costumes, sets, props, lighting) and a cast filled with highly talented people. Personally I'm not terribly fond of Bernadette Peters, who plays the witch, but the in-the-know audience makes clear she is the "Big Star" of the ensemble, and she certainly qualifies as a peerless and experienced Sondheim interpreter. The camera work is appropriate and rarely calls attention to itself. The frequent intrusion of audience applause/laughter increases the aptness of a comparison to television situation comedy. Fortunately it's "live" and spontaneous, not canned.
I was so moved - my favorite Musical of all time
Philaura19 September 2001
I saw the play just recently for the first time in a little outdoor amphitheater under the stars in a heavily wooded area. What a magnificent event. Others have articulated the plot etc. so I won't repeat. But let me say, after I "experienced" Into the Woods on stage, I then purchased several copies of the Broadway version available on DVD and CD. Can't think of a more precious gift to give both young and old than the humor, joy, comfort and wisdom of this play.
"Into the Woods" - not wearing well.
bradjanet26 February 2008
After the almost triumph of the recent "Sweeney Todd" movie, I sat down to have another look at "Into The Woods', which I saw on Broadway the night it was recorded for video, and the bad news is, it's not wearing well, (hisses from the Sondheim fanatics, of which I am usually one).
It is now my opinion that there are several problems with the work as presented on DVD.
The first is that I find Bernadette Peters handling of the role of the witch grossly overplayed and mannered. Having seen both this and Australian cabaret performer Judi Connelli's playing of the role, I found the latter's more subtle playing of the role infinitely preferable, (and indeed the Sydney production with its more inventive and imaginative sets and costumes, as well as the performances, was much better).
The production and performances are not, however, the main problem however ... I think it is the piece itself. There is a boffo start to the first act and the moments leading up to the finale are very moving, first-rate Sondheim, but boy does this show get bogged-down in the middle, and especially in the last act. Dark, dreary and depressing with quite a few moments when the cleverness of the lyrics draws attention to itself, and not in a good way like in "Sweeney" but in a way that reminds me of what some great writer or other once said ..."whenever you write a passage that you tell yourself is especially fine, strike it out!" ... this would avoid lines like "When the end is right, it justifies the beans!" and other infelicities.
Now I have voiced such misgivings about the second act previously, only to be shouted down by the Sondheimites that I don't understand, that I miss the point, that the second act is meant to be dark and gloomy because it is the other side of the fairy-tale ...but I DO understand ... what I object to is that it the central section is musically monotonous, the production is dreary to look at, the book is simplistic and sentimental, (a Sondheim anathema) and ultimately, boring. Great moments like the Princes' "Agony" duet don't quite make up for the gloom.
I admit that I have enjoyed much in this show in the past, (partly the anticipated excitement of seeing a Sondheim musical), especially the innovative Sydney production rather than the rather dull vision presented on the DVD ... but for me, it doesn't stand up to repeated viewings, whereas I could watch any version of "Sweeney Todd" or "Follies in Concert" many times with out any diminishing enjoyment. I still love Sondheim, but not unconditionally.
It is now my opinion that there are several problems with the work as presented on DVD.
The first is that I find Bernadette Peters handling of the role of the witch grossly overplayed and mannered. Having seen both this and Australian cabaret performer Judi Connelli's playing of the role, I found the latter's more subtle playing of the role infinitely preferable, (and indeed the Sydney production with its more inventive and imaginative sets and costumes, as well as the performances, was much better).
The production and performances are not, however, the main problem however ... I think it is the piece itself. There is a boffo start to the first act and the moments leading up to the finale are very moving, first-rate Sondheim, but boy does this show get bogged-down in the middle, and especially in the last act. Dark, dreary and depressing with quite a few moments when the cleverness of the lyrics draws attention to itself, and not in a good way like in "Sweeney" but in a way that reminds me of what some great writer or other once said ..."whenever you write a passage that you tell yourself is especially fine, strike it out!" ... this would avoid lines like "When the end is right, it justifies the beans!" and other infelicities.
Now I have voiced such misgivings about the second act previously, only to be shouted down by the Sondheimites that I don't understand, that I miss the point, that the second act is meant to be dark and gloomy because it is the other side of the fairy-tale ...but I DO understand ... what I object to is that it the central section is musically monotonous, the production is dreary to look at, the book is simplistic and sentimental, (a Sondheim anathema) and ultimately, boring. Great moments like the Princes' "Agony" duet don't quite make up for the gloom.
I admit that I have enjoyed much in this show in the past, (partly the anticipated excitement of seeing a Sondheim musical), especially the innovative Sydney production rather than the rather dull vision presented on the DVD ... but for me, it doesn't stand up to repeated viewings, whereas I could watch any version of "Sweeney Todd" or "Follies in Concert" many times with out any diminishing enjoyment. I still love Sondheim, but not unconditionally.
Broadway splendor at its greatest.
ticktockcrocodile22 May 2002
"Into the Woods" has to be my favorite musical of all time, and the video production has to be my favorite video of a musical of all time. The cast is incredible, the costumes are enchanting, the set is dazzling, the dialogue is fun, the music is beautiful, and the entire production is 100% perfection.
For those not familiar with Sondheim's greatest work, "Into the Woods" blends four famous fairy tales- Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, and Jack and the Beanstalk- into one continuous story, intertwined with the tale of a lonely Baker and his Wife who long for a child of their own.
Tom Aldrege is amazing as the Narrator and Mysterious Old Man, he will truly make you examine how you've lived your life during his heart-wrenching duet with the Baker, "No More". Kim Crosby is mesmerizing as Cinderella, and she brings an underrated sense of comedy and excitement to the role of the rags-to-riches servant who simply doesn't know what she wants. Barbara Bryne, as the over-the-top fanatical mother of the boy who climbs the beanstalk is a laugh-riot from start to finish, but proves her fantastic acting ability in her melodramatic death scene. With the exception of Chip Zien's cardboard portrayal of the Baker, the rest of the cast is equally fantastic, but two others stand out in particular: Joanna Gleason and Bernadette Peters. Ms. Gleason does a beautiful job as the Baker's Wife, flying into angry flurries, sorrowful confessions, sympathetic matriarchies, and comedic fits of joy left and right. And each emotion is entirely believable and utterly astounding. Top it all off with an awesome singing voice and an incredible stage presence and you have an A-list actress in an A-list role. And last, but most certainly not least, the ever-enchanting Bernadette Peters. As always, Ms. Peters is stunning in her portrayal of the Witch. Her beautiful voice and porcelain-doll appearance fit the role magnificently. She is one of the best actresses of all history, and she fits perfectly into the role of the obsessive mother who only wants to be loved. She is in equal doses silly, flighty, shrill, mean, loving, and haunted, and this role will, for me anyway, never belong to anyone except for Bernadette.
Besides the acting, this show is simply a wonderful story. It's a fable, a parable of sorts, of growing up and a reflection of society. At every turn, we learn lessons that will do us good to remember: "Nice is different than good" (as Little Red Riding Hood puts it), appearances can be deceiving, everyone wants to feel needed, sometimes you just have to take chances, our lives can change unexpectedly, being underhanded and sneaky won't do anything but get you in trouble, and, of course, "No one is alone". Among many, many others.
So, if you're looking for a great show with excellent music, brilliant acting, a fabulous story, and a nice lesson at the end, this is it! Go out and buy it today!
For those not familiar with Sondheim's greatest work, "Into the Woods" blends four famous fairy tales- Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, and Jack and the Beanstalk- into one continuous story, intertwined with the tale of a lonely Baker and his Wife who long for a child of their own.
Tom Aldrege is amazing as the Narrator and Mysterious Old Man, he will truly make you examine how you've lived your life during his heart-wrenching duet with the Baker, "No More". Kim Crosby is mesmerizing as Cinderella, and she brings an underrated sense of comedy and excitement to the role of the rags-to-riches servant who simply doesn't know what she wants. Barbara Bryne, as the over-the-top fanatical mother of the boy who climbs the beanstalk is a laugh-riot from start to finish, but proves her fantastic acting ability in her melodramatic death scene. With the exception of Chip Zien's cardboard portrayal of the Baker, the rest of the cast is equally fantastic, but two others stand out in particular: Joanna Gleason and Bernadette Peters. Ms. Gleason does a beautiful job as the Baker's Wife, flying into angry flurries, sorrowful confessions, sympathetic matriarchies, and comedic fits of joy left and right. And each emotion is entirely believable and utterly astounding. Top it all off with an awesome singing voice and an incredible stage presence and you have an A-list actress in an A-list role. And last, but most certainly not least, the ever-enchanting Bernadette Peters. As always, Ms. Peters is stunning in her portrayal of the Witch. Her beautiful voice and porcelain-doll appearance fit the role magnificently. She is one of the best actresses of all history, and she fits perfectly into the role of the obsessive mother who only wants to be loved. She is in equal doses silly, flighty, shrill, mean, loving, and haunted, and this role will, for me anyway, never belong to anyone except for Bernadette.
Besides the acting, this show is simply a wonderful story. It's a fable, a parable of sorts, of growing up and a reflection of society. At every turn, we learn lessons that will do us good to remember: "Nice is different than good" (as Little Red Riding Hood puts it), appearances can be deceiving, everyone wants to feel needed, sometimes you just have to take chances, our lives can change unexpectedly, being underhanded and sneaky won't do anything but get you in trouble, and, of course, "No one is alone". Among many, many others.
So, if you're looking for a great show with excellent music, brilliant acting, a fabulous story, and a nice lesson at the end, this is it! Go out and buy it today!
The Last Midnight Gone Wrong
allenblake219 May 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Having grown up with the Grimm Brother's and all sorts of fairy tales, this is the ultimatum that conquers all! Combining the vocal talents of Bernadette Peters, Joanna Gleason, Chip Zien and others with the dazzling power of Sondheim is an ingenious feat.
Not only are the actors/actresses perfectly suited for the roll, the dynamics of each individual is designed almost in perfect unison with the singing part, costuming and development.
The first half of the play is astounding! Reading Little Red Riding Hood, you would not be able to comprehend any resemblance or connection between Cinderella. The morals are not even the same, yet Stephen Sondheim some how allows Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Cinderella, The Baker and His Wife, Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and other small (yet noticeable) fairy tales to intertwine and become so closely related that at the end, the Baker adopts Little Red Riding Hood and Jack and basically marries Cinderella. Anyways, back to the point, the first half of the play is the basic fairy tale with a curse and finding a cure and living "Happily Ever After." All seems peaceful and full of bliss, in fact, the "opera musical" could be only one half, but it would not be the same without the complexity of the second act.
The second half of the production begins with complaining about how life is hard or not what they wished for, and so everyone once again seems to be unhappy...as the plot begins to become quite strange. The narrator is eaten, hence a plot vanishes. Chaos rains and everyone gangs up on each other because the Giantess has climbed down another bean stalk. It really throws the mind in for a whirl.
This musical is one that every film lover should own. It is worth the buy and time to watch the 3 hours. Some people only watch the first half claiming the second is quite strange and odd, but I say the whole musical is a remarkable achievement of not only acting, but also dancing, singing, costuming, lighting, scenery and "awefying" delight!
Not only are the actors/actresses perfectly suited for the roll, the dynamics of each individual is designed almost in perfect unison with the singing part, costuming and development.
The first half of the play is astounding! Reading Little Red Riding Hood, you would not be able to comprehend any resemblance or connection between Cinderella. The morals are not even the same, yet Stephen Sondheim some how allows Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Cinderella, The Baker and His Wife, Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and other small (yet noticeable) fairy tales to intertwine and become so closely related that at the end, the Baker adopts Little Red Riding Hood and Jack and basically marries Cinderella. Anyways, back to the point, the first half of the play is the basic fairy tale with a curse and finding a cure and living "Happily Ever After." All seems peaceful and full of bliss, in fact, the "opera musical" could be only one half, but it would not be the same without the complexity of the second act.
The second half of the production begins with complaining about how life is hard or not what they wished for, and so everyone once again seems to be unhappy...as the plot begins to become quite strange. The narrator is eaten, hence a plot vanishes. Chaos rains and everyone gangs up on each other because the Giantess has climbed down another bean stalk. It really throws the mind in for a whirl.
This musical is one that every film lover should own. It is worth the buy and time to watch the 3 hours. Some people only watch the first half claiming the second is quite strange and odd, but I say the whole musical is a remarkable achievement of not only acting, but also dancing, singing, costuming, lighting, scenery and "awefying" delight!
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