Into The Woods Play Analysis
Into The Woods Review
After viewing Into the Woods it is wonderful to be able to present a personal review and opinion of this play, and evaluate its onstage production. Stephen Sondheim executes the recreation of the playwright James Lapine’s script impressively. Debuting in 1986 at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego California, Into the Woods hit Broadway by 1987, and won multiple Tony Awards (Clarksville Little Theatre). Clarksville Little Theatre also alludes to the success of Into the Woods by listing all of the reproductions of this play in this country and in London. Into the Woods had an amazing run of reproductions beginning in 1987, and continuing through 2002 (Broadway Musical Home). In this production James Lapine incorporated characters from many of the fairytales we know and love. Fairytales like Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Little Red Riding Hood are all entwined into Lapine’s newly created story. Lapine’s newly created tale includes a couple that cannot conceive because a witch has placed a spell on their home. Inevitably, all the characters wind up in the woods …show more content…
collecting certain items that each of them need in Act One. Lapine creates a form of continuation of the older fairytales that develops into a completely new tale. In Act Two the characters must deal with the complications that arise from the decisions they made in Act One (Sondheim). Into the Woods is an interesting play. Saying this play was perfect is too much, but to say it was just good is an understatement. The integration of the older fairytales inside the new original tale is genius. Act One was truly enjoyable, and it flowed well. Act one keeps the viewer on the edge of their seats begging for the next course of action. Each character sets out for the woods, and we want to know what will transpire. Cinderella goes to speak with her deceased mother, Jack goes to sell Milky White the cow, and the married couple needs to retrieve items for the witch to lift the spell. At the end of Act One the play seems final; Act Two came as a surprise. Although, the characters receive that which they most desire in Act One they find themselves still wishing in Act Two. Act Two doesn’t move as Act One did, and it is less interesting. Staying focused is a challenge, and the storyline concerning the giant’s wife is less exciting. Cinderella’s bird friends came across cheesy rather than funny; the funniest part is when the narrator is offered to the Giant because it was totally unforeseen. Act Two simply illustrates the problems created by Act One; clarifying the moral concept of being careful of what we wish for, and being happy with what we have (Sondheim). The use of music and song is highly effective in this production. Many of the songs extended moral concepts referred to in the play intended for the viewers. For example, the song “Children Will Listen” serves as a reminder to be cautious of the things you tell and teach children. Also Little Red Riding Hood’s song “ I Know Things Now” serves as an extension of the lessons she learned such as “Nice isn’t Good” (Lapine). “Giants in the Sky” performed by Jack, “Stay with Me” performed by the witch, and “Into the Woods” performed by the entire cast are the singing performances that stood out the most. “Giants in the Sky” was a favorite, and it was performed with conviction. “Stay with Me” ignited a personal connection, and understanding of how all mothers just wish their youngsters could stay with them and be shielded from the world. The song “Into the Woods” is extremely catchy; it is evocative of a nursery rhyme. Although “Agony” and “No More” are good songs they seem to drag out longer than they needed to. Maybe a few verses could have been eliminated. The remaining songs fit well, and served as a refreshing break from the dialogue (Sondheim). Bernadette Peters, Barbara Bryne, Ben Wright, and Danielle Farland have the best performances in Into the Woods.
All the other characters played their roles, and well, but Peters Bryne, Wright, and Farland stood out amongst the others. Bryne and Wright worked together to create the most realistic pair in the production; their roles capture the true sense of “mother and son”. Peters is a well-known actress, but immediately recognizing her as the witch is not an easy task. Her performance makes the viewer focus on the witch herself rather than the actress playing her. Also, Farland does such an amazing job playing a child; she depicts the innocence of a child, but she is still very effective in the production. One exception would be Robert Westenburge. Westenburge’s performance as the prince was questionable because his character seems “dead” and boring
(Sondheim). The design for this production is great. Although the sets are not exactly literal, the material used to recreate the woods is amazingly accurate in conveying the perception of a real wooded area. The layering used in the set design served its purpose in allowing the characters to remain on the stage, be visible to the viewers, but still be seemingly out of view to other characters. The stage seemed to be set up in different planes during the woods scenes. The shifting stages also appear to be an advantage the design team had in this production. While the actors were performing in the front area of the stage the sets were able to shift. Also, the design team wonderfully created the costuming to work for each individual story, and to tie into one another smoothly. The design of the production was extremely nice to look at. In conclusion, Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine created a provocative piece that is nearly timeless. Overall the production was likable; Act Two could have had a stronger plot. The design was dead on target, and the casting practically met that mark also. Lastly, we must also remember that this originally hit the theatre 27 years ago (Sondheim)!
Works Cited
Clarksville Little Theatre. Clarksville Little Theatre “Into the Woods”, n.d. Web. 20 June 2013.
<http://www.clarksvillelittletheatre.org/theatre-history/2011-2012-season/into-the-woods>
Sondheim, Stephen. Into the Woods. Dir. Stephen Sondheim. Per. Bernadette Peters, Ben Wright, Barbara Byrne, Joanna Gleason. Distributed by Image Entertainment, 1999. Film
The Broadway Musical Home – “Into the Woods”. The Broadway Musical Home - The
Musicals, People and Theatres of the Great White Way. Broadway Theatres, n.d. Web. 21 June 2013. <http://www.broadwaymusicalhome.com/>
After viewing Into the Woods it is wonderful to be able to present a personal review and opinion of this play, and evaluate its onstage production. Stephen Sondheim executes the recreation of the playwright James Lapine’s script impressively. Debuting in 1986 at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego California, Into the Woods hit Broadway by 1987, and won multiple Tony Awards (Clarksville Little Theatre). Clarksville Little Theatre also alludes to the success of Into the Woods by listing all of the reproductions of this play in this country and in London. Into the Woods had an amazing run of reproductions beginning in 1987, and continuing through 2002 (Broadway Musical Home). In this production James Lapine incorporated characters from many of the fairytales we know and love. Fairytales like Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Little Red Riding Hood are all entwined into Lapine’s newly created story. Lapine’s newly created tale includes a couple that cannot conceive because a witch has placed a spell on their home. Inevitably, all the characters wind up in the woods …show more content…
collecting certain items that each of them need in Act One. Lapine creates a form of continuation of the older fairytales that develops into a completely new tale. In Act Two the characters must deal with the complications that arise from the decisions they made in Act One (Sondheim). Into the Woods is an interesting play. Saying this play was perfect is too much, but to say it was just good is an understatement. The integration of the older fairytales inside the new original tale is genius. Act One was truly enjoyable, and it flowed well. Act one keeps the viewer on the edge of their seats begging for the next course of action. Each character sets out for the woods, and we want to know what will transpire. Cinderella goes to speak with her deceased mother, Jack goes to sell Milky White the cow, and the married couple needs to retrieve items for the witch to lift the spell. At the end of Act One the play seems final; Act Two came as a surprise. Although, the characters receive that which they most desire in Act One they find themselves still wishing in Act Two. Act Two doesn’t move as Act One did, and it is less interesting. Staying focused is a challenge, and the storyline concerning the giant’s wife is less exciting. Cinderella’s bird friends came across cheesy rather than funny; the funniest part is when the narrator is offered to the Giant because it was totally unforeseen. Act Two simply illustrates the problems created by Act One; clarifying the moral concept of being careful of what we wish for, and being happy with what we have (Sondheim). The use of music and song is highly effective in this production. Many of the songs extended moral concepts referred to in the play intended for the viewers. For example, the song “Children Will Listen” serves as a reminder to be cautious of the things you tell and teach children. Also Little Red Riding Hood’s song “ I Know Things Now” serves as an extension of the lessons she learned such as “Nice isn’t Good” (Lapine). “Giants in the Sky” performed by Jack, “Stay with Me” performed by the witch, and “Into the Woods” performed by the entire cast are the singing performances that stood out the most. “Giants in the Sky” was a favorite, and it was performed with conviction. “Stay with Me” ignited a personal connection, and understanding of how all mothers just wish their youngsters could stay with them and be shielded from the world. The song “Into the Woods” is extremely catchy; it is evocative of a nursery rhyme. Although “Agony” and “No More” are good songs they seem to drag out longer than they needed to. Maybe a few verses could have been eliminated. The remaining songs fit well, and served as a refreshing break from the dialogue (Sondheim). Bernadette Peters, Barbara Bryne, Ben Wright, and Danielle Farland have the best performances in Into the Woods.
All the other characters played their roles, and well, but Peters Bryne, Wright, and Farland stood out amongst the others. Bryne and Wright worked together to create the most realistic pair in the production; their roles capture the true sense of “mother and son”. Peters is a well-known actress, but immediately recognizing her as the witch is not an easy task. Her performance makes the viewer focus on the witch herself rather than the actress playing her. Also, Farland does such an amazing job playing a child; she depicts the innocence of a child, but she is still very effective in the production. One exception would be Robert Westenburge. Westenburge’s performance as the prince was questionable because his character seems “dead” and boring
(Sondheim). The design for this production is great. Although the sets are not exactly literal, the material used to recreate the woods is amazingly accurate in conveying the perception of a real wooded area. The layering used in the set design served its purpose in allowing the characters to remain on the stage, be visible to the viewers, but still be seemingly out of view to other characters. The stage seemed to be set up in different planes during the woods scenes. The shifting stages also appear to be an advantage the design team had in this production. While the actors were performing in the front area of the stage the sets were able to shift. Also, the design team wonderfully created the costuming to work for each individual story, and to tie into one another smoothly. The design of the production was extremely nice to look at. In conclusion, Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine created a provocative piece that is nearly timeless. Overall the production was likable; Act Two could have had a stronger plot. The design was dead on target, and the casting practically met that mark also. Lastly, we must also remember that this originally hit the theatre 27 years ago (Sondheim)!
Works Cited
Clarksville Little Theatre. Clarksville Little Theatre “Into the Woods”, n.d. Web. 20 June 2013.
<http://www.clarksvillelittletheatre.org/theatre-history/2011-2012-season/into-the-woods>
Sondheim, Stephen. Into the Woods. Dir. Stephen Sondheim. Per. Bernadette Peters, Ben Wright, Barbara Byrne, Joanna Gleason. Distributed by Image Entertainment, 1999. Film
The Broadway Musical Home – “Into the Woods”. The Broadway Musical Home - The
Musicals, People and Theatres of the Great White Way. Broadway Theatres, n.d. Web. 21 June 2013. <http://www.broadwaymusicalhome.com/>