Into the Woods
Sondheim, recently deceased, was a great storyteller who wrote music of beauty and complexity. The score of Into the Woods is thematically rich and textured and can only be adequately realised by performers of a certain calibre.
In their first show since 2020, The Show Company has drawn together an ensemble more than equal to the task. Moreover, they have assembled Tasmania’s best, augmented by expats who are recognised for their talent on the mainland having completed degrees at prestigious interstate schools. A hand full of younger players must count themselves fortunate to be mentored by a core of professionals and semi-professionals, well known to Tasmanian audiences, who bring the necessary skill and experience to this enduring and resonant work.
The curtain rises (Prologue) on three well-dressed mobile pieces depicting Cinderella’s kitchen, the Baker’s house and Jack’s house. The woods, once revealed, are evocatively lit to showcase Jesse Eynon’s lovely artwork on Jill Munro’s exceptionally tall birches. The stage is not cluttered but the depth of the area is maximised. The depiction of the giant as a shadow is a simple but effective use of lighting that gives shape to the disembodied voice. The costumes are everything they should be.
Andrew Castles is the most sought-after conductor in Hobart for good reason The orchestra is balanced and secure under his direction. Vocal performances are excellent despite some of the cast taking roles outside their usual compass (sopranos in mezzo roles or vice versa) and some employing specific accents whilst others channelled the accustomed inflections of the original Broadway Cast recording.
For those for whom that iteration is the canon, one interpolation might prove a surprise. “Our little world”, performed by the Witch and Rapunzel, was only added to the show in 1990, three years after the first performance. The song develops the theme of the danger of allowing “wishes” a life of their own. Grace Ovens is perfectly cast as Rapunzel with Nicole Simms-Farrow in her element as the Witch. Simms-Farrow labours under a half-face mask, but is still able to communicate her role effectively and articulately. In a cast of standout performances, Simms-Farrow is key.
Melinda Briton brings a cheeky warmth to the Baker’s Wife. Petr Divis (Butcher, Baker and Musical Maker) performs with his role with characteristic awkwardness and vulnerability. Jaime Mollineux is assured and sympathetic in her role of Cinderella with a delightful voice. Martine Holliday is simultaneously feisty, naïve and knowing as Little Red. Jack Norris was suitably attractive and repulsive as the Wolf, and as Cinderella’s Prince. Of the two narcissistic princes, it would be difficult to say who of Jack Norris and David Thomson was accorded more of the audience’s laughter and disapprobation. Jack Norris, as the seducer of the Baker’s wife, certainly gave the appearance of being the most comfortable in his own skin without displaying the least notion of empathy and as such was a standout performance among the many.
Di Richards, a veteran performer who has previously given a powerful turn as the witch, brings warmth and humour into the role of Jack’s mother. Max Baldock is a young performer who embodies Jack’s ingenuous bravery. Karen Kluss, Rebecca Oliver Black, Katie Green and Andrew Hawkey are suitably ridiculous as Cinderella’s family. Clare Pearson is an assured performer and a delight as Granny. Isabel Burdick and Lucy Hannon, who have recently been seen to advantage in other shows, are essential supporting performers.
Robert Jarman is both the Mysterious Man and the controller of a narrative. As the story spirals out of control, he’s the first character sacrificed to the giant. Jarman is another professional bringing significant experience to this production.
The star of the cast, however, is, without doubt, Milky White, the cow. The body count in Into the Woods is high, but it is the death of Milky White which elicits the most profound audience response. All credit to the magic of Helen Cronin for a suitably emaciated but beautifully expressive puppet as manipulated by the wonderful Oliver Gorringe. Gorringe manages to be adeptly invisible as Milky White’s handler and entirely present as the physical epitome of the Steward.
In every respect this production is the Fantasy Premier League of musical theatre. From the crew, to the orchestra, and the production team, to the onstage performers, The Show Company has assembled a cast one could only “wish” for.
Anne Blythe-Cooper
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