Sondheim's classic, "Into The Woods" seems to be enjoying something of a flurry recently, with this production of it being the fifth I have seen thus far this year alone. Perhaps Sondheim's passing has something to do with societies, companies etc all clamouring to perform his work. Together with James Lapine, Sondheim has created a dense and complicated story of combining various fairytales into one, where, by the end of act one, all is resolved and everyone lives happily ever after.... until, in typical Sondheim fashion, along comes act two and a giant, and people start dying!
In this semi-staged production by the RNCM we are presented with an open plan set with rostra on different levels around the edges of the stage, whilst further, moveable rostra are used as set items throughout. All had been covered with pot trees and plants. On the fixed rostra on the edges sat the Community Chorus, a group of amateur adult singers from around Greater Manchester and the first members of a new venture for the RNCM. This evening it would have helped however if they had been all dressed in black (wearing their own normal day wear didn't really work, as it looked more like a rehearsal than a performance), whilst sadly, when they were tasked into singing the chorus parts of the score, they were completely inaudible; the vastness of the high stage and amplification of both band and soloists simply drowning them out completely. They needed amplification too.
The principals however, despite wearing modern dress and speaking/singing in British English accents, were all magnificent. I mention the English simply because the lyrics are at times overtly and obviously written in US English, and so using a British English in this musical does not necessarily work terribly well.
The band sounded simply amazing in the pit under George Strickland, whilst, despite this being only a semi-staged production, there were some rather nifty choreographic movements going on which truly helped the production to sparkle, and these were credit to Gemma Payne.
As for the consummate directing, the lovely characterisations, and the brilliance of telling the story.. a few of the songs were taken just a tad slower than normal this evening... then credit here to director Sarah Tipple. And I loved the shadow puppetry idea for the giant!
All the main leads were excellently chosen and the ensemble feel was superb. Clementine Thompson was a real and engaging Cinderella, Louis Rost presented a slightly dim but truly likeable Jack; whilst Theodore Murphy-Jelley gave quite simply one of the best interpretations of the role of Baker I have seen! The two princes, Stian Jebson and Hakeem Henderson played their characters to the hilt, finding comedy and sincerity in being charming and insincere; Amelia Grey was a forthright and strong Little Red, but almost (and I mean this in a positive way) stealing the show this evening was Sophie Clarke as The Witch. A measured and assured performance commanding the stage with her every entrance.
If this is what the RNCM can do with a semi-staged production, then I am looking forward very much to seeing a fully staged one very soon... it could quite easily rival the West End!
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
In this semi-staged production by the RNCM we are presented with an open plan set with rostra on different levels around the edges of the stage, whilst further, moveable rostra are used as set items throughout. All had been covered with pot trees and plants. On the fixed rostra on the edges sat the Community Chorus, a group of amateur adult singers from around Greater Manchester and the first members of a new venture for the RNCM. This evening it would have helped however if they had been all dressed in black (wearing their own normal day wear didn't really work, as it looked more like a rehearsal than a performance), whilst sadly, when they were tasked into singing the chorus parts of the score, they were completely inaudible; the vastness of the high stage and amplification of both band and soloists simply drowning them out completely. They needed amplification too.
The principals however, despite wearing modern dress and speaking/singing in British English accents, were all magnificent. I mention the English simply because the lyrics are at times overtly and obviously written in US English, and so using a British English in this musical does not necessarily work terribly well.
The band sounded simply amazing in the pit under George Strickland, whilst, despite this being only a semi-staged production, there were some rather nifty choreographic movements going on which truly helped the production to sparkle, and these were credit to Gemma Payne.
As for the consummate directing, the lovely characterisations, and the brilliance of telling the story.. a few of the songs were taken just a tad slower than normal this evening... then credit here to director Sarah Tipple. And I loved the shadow puppetry idea for the giant!
All the main leads were excellently chosen and the ensemble feel was superb. Clementine Thompson was a real and engaging Cinderella, Louis Rost presented a slightly dim but truly likeable Jack; whilst Theodore Murphy-Jelley gave quite simply one of the best interpretations of the role of Baker I have seen! The two princes, Stian Jebson and Hakeem Henderson played their characters to the hilt, finding comedy and sincerity in being charming and insincere; Amelia Grey was a forthright and strong Little Red, but almost (and I mean this in a positive way) stealing the show this evening was Sophie Clarke as The Witch. A measured and assured performance commanding the stage with her every entrance.
If this is what the RNCM can do with a semi-staged production, then I am looking forward very much to seeing a fully staged one very soon... it could quite easily rival the West End!
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 2.7.23
Thanks for this review. I remember the thinking behind using our own accents was because the show isn't in itself set in America, so we felt we had the artistic license to portray it like such. But thanks for all your comments I agree it would be really nice in the future for RNCM to do a fully staged production of something, and I'm glad you got the likeable and dim from Jack it was absolutely what I was going for.
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