Ian Waller enjoys one of the brightest, most creative and colourful stage productions that he’s ever seen. Then came the interval…
The evening had started well with typically excellent tapas at Pintxo, surely one of Bath’s best eateries, just a few doors up from the Theatre Royal and clearly hosting a good few diners arriving early enough to finish their meals in time for the second treat of the evening, the chance to see Into The Woods. The chatter at a few of the tables was clearly around what we were all hoping to see – after all, this was a production that has garnered a fair share of its own headlines, some related to the show itself and others to the views of its co-director, the ever quotable Terry Gilliam.
Still, once in our theatre seats, all eyes were on the stage, intriguingly set with a scattering of children’s toys and an old fashioned doll’s house. Now while the child who started to play with the toys was as sweet and lovely as could be, a chill soon descended with the appearance of the Mysterious Man, appearing from the wings in the guise of the child catcher’s scarier big brother and instantly demanding the audience’s rapt attention.
And that attention stayed and stayed, as what follows is simply some of the most creative, wonderfully produced, superbly choreographed and expertly acted pieces of theatre that I have ever had the pleasure to see. With the Mysterious Man as our story-telling guide, we’re soon in the storybook land of the Brothers Grimm’s tales of Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella and Rapunzel. However, just in case you get the wrong idea, this is no children’s pantomime, rather a darker and more creative telling, bringing the stories together with a wonderful skill that is so enjoyable to watch.
Unifying the story strands is the tale of the baker and his wife who seek to break a curse that means they will remain childless by gathering four items for a wonderfully terrifying old witch, including Jack’s cow Milky White, Red Riding Hood’s cloak, Rapunzel’s hair and Cinderella’s glass slipper.
Throughout, the tale is interwoven with magical musical creations of Stephen Sondheim, designer Jon Bausor’s fantastical set and the most wonderful cast who to a person plays each part to perfection. However, the magical dust that makes this production extra special is the way it comes together with a freshness and humour that is theatrical genius.
As the baker and his wife take on their quest, so they must deal with the slightly psychotic Red Riding Hood (Lauren Conroy), a partnership of Jack (Barney Wilkinson) and his best mate Milky White the cow (Faith Prendergast), where the cow is clearly the brighter half, two of the campest, most entitled and self congratulating princes (Nathaneal Campbell and Henry Jenkinson) you’re ever likely to meet and the clumsiest Cinderella (Audrey Brisson) to ever hit (many times) the stage. Along the way there are giants, a huge hen laying golden eggs, talking birds, a giant swinging clock and yes, of course, a big bad wolf.
All in all the results are just faultless – until, that is, the interval comes along. You see, the second half just loses the charm, the plot becomes plodding, the humour repetitive and the magic glitter peters away. It’s almost as if the writers couldn’t keep up the standards of the first half and just made do with what came next. Don’t get me wrong, the actors are still superb and the stage set continues to shine, but the storyline loses its way.
Still, the result is that while you might come away slightly disappointed with the second half, the first part shines so brightly, the talent on display is so incredible and the whole creative display so beguiling that it is well worth the ticket price alone.
Into The Woods at the Theatre Royal Bath runs until 10 September. For more information and to book tickets, go to www.theatreroyal.org.uk