Into The Woods

Review by Abi

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into the Woods weaves together characters and stories from across the Brothers Grimm fairytales. From the Baker and his wife’s quest to lift a curse, to Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and Little Red’s intersecting journeys, the musical asks audiences what really lies beyond the “happily ever after”.

Directed by Jordan Fein with set and costume design by Tom Scutt, this revival is a dark, immersive spectacle of a production that truly transports its audiences deep into the depths of the tangled forest. The eerie, contemporary-inflected medieval costumes and the forest set contrast brilliantly with the starkness beyond it, deepening the show’s haunting atmosphere. Through striking sound and inventive lighting, you’re instantly enveloped into this world from beginning to end.

The entire company are spectacular, however there are some truly phenomenal stand out stars who must be mentioned. Kate Fleetwood as the Witch delivers both menace and soaring vocal power, commanding the stage through chaos. Oliver Savile (Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf) and Rhys Whitfield (Rapunzel’s Prince) make an excellent pair with brilliant comic timing and ego-driven duets.

Sondheim’s work sits uniquely in the musical canon, playful and witty one moment, probing existential themes the next, and this production absolutely honors that duality in all aspects.

This production is more than a revival; it’s a masterclass that proves why Into the Woods remains one of Sondheim’s most beloved and challenging pieces of theatre even today.