To Grandmother’s House: Into The Woods Review
While I sadly wasn’t able to catch the show while Sara Bareilles was still in the cast, the opportunity to see Into the Woods was one I could not turn down. I had seen the star-studded 2014 movie, but it was long enough ago that I didn’t quite remember the intricacies of the plot and characters.
Into the Woods is a fairytale retelling featuring such stories as Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Little Red Riding Hood that takes a dark turn more in line with the original fairytales. The first half, which feels like a complete story of its own, follows a variety of journeys that send our characters running through the woods: Cinderella wants to make it to (and from) the ball, the farmer and his wife want to find the ingredients to break a witch’s curse preventing them from having children, Little Red Riding Hood is off to visit her sickly grandmother, and Jack is headed to the market to sell his beloved cow so his family have something to eat. Red is pretty airheaded and gluttonous, played hilariously by Katy Geraghty. The haughty princes were funnier together than apart, but played their parts to perfection. When Act One ended, it took me a moment to realize the show wasn’t over. In the second act, the characters must deal with the consequences of their actions, including a giantess terrorizing the kingdom.
The true MVP of the show was Kennedy Kanagawa, playing Milky White, Jack’s cow. Not only was he able to make the cow puppet incredibly expressive, his facial expressions were equally perfect. He stole every scene he was in, even while often sitting quietly in the background. A close second was the Giantess (voiced by Orange is the New Black‘s Annie Golden). The physical representation of the Giantess was cleverly done with enormous wire shoes carried around the stage, perfectly expressing both her mood and her location.
The movie had a lot more death than I recall (at least five orphans by the end of the story, if I have my count right) and got darker than I realized, but it was still a delight.
ABOUT THE SHOW
Official Synopsis: Little Red has strayed far from the path, Jack’s found a second beanstalk, Prince Charming’s eyes are wandering, and there’s a Witch living next door. Stephen Sondheim’s most popular musical turns the world of fairy tales topsy-turvy, reminding us that granted wishes often bring complications. Filled with exquisite music and brilliant lyrics, this innovative new production is sure to enchant as it ventures beyond “happily ever after.”
Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
Book: James Lapine
Music: Stephen Sondheim
Directed By: Lead deBessonet
Opened on Broadway: June 28, 2022
Runtime: 2hrs and 45min, including 15 min intermission
Watch Highlights:
Photo: The cast of Into the Woods. Production photos by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.