Review: Into the Woods, The Redgrave Theatre – ‘Perfect for a pre-Christmas treat’

Into The Woods has always been an incredibly popular musical, enjoying two Broadway revivals (the most recent being last year) and two London revivals since its debut in 1987. This production, taking place at The Redgrave Theatre, is being put on by the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (BOVTS).

Stephen Sondheim, whose work also includes West Side Story, Sweeney Todd, Follies and many more iconic musicals, wrote both the music and the lyrics of the Brothers Grimm-based story.

It follows characters such as Cinderella, Jack (of Jack and the Beanstalk fame), Little Red as well as a baker and his wife who must journey through the woods following their own individual quests. Blending familiar tales with a brand new story, it is a refreshing take for those bored by or used to the classics.

Into The Woods isn’t an easy-to-perform musical by any state of the imagination, with most of the songs weaving verses from multiple characters into one. The plot itself is a mix of farce, satire, pantomime and fairytale, and so requires an ensemble that fully understands that assignment. Happily, the cast definitely rise to the challenge here, making the tricky tunes seem like a breeze for the most part, with only a few minor flubs.

Shaniya Hira and Molly Hanly have a great time as the wicked stepsisters, making the most of the parts and bringing hilarity whenever they are on stage. Roxanne Morgan gives a standout performance as the baker’s wife, by turns earnest, emotional and comedic when the role demands it. Other highlights include Olivia Hemmati’s campy witch and the idiotic duo of Jamie de Villiers and Nuhazet Diaz Cano as the two princes.

The set design is a fun spin on what can be, in this show, a typically standard stage of just trees. Here, it’s an industrial version of a forest, with strips of more faded wood lining the stage; signposts for guidance doubling up tree branches. In Act Two, these posts are cleverly twisted on their side to represent the Giant’s Wife’s destructive path through the woods, though this could be accentuated more fully.

The costuming is mostly successful, with many outfits impeccably tailored in a mix of classic and modern designs, neatly encapsulating the characters while matching the stage aesthetic. Little Red’s pelts and the design of the wolf and giant’s wife’s head are great, perfectly blending the fairy tale and pantomime feel of the show.

For me, the narrator’s uniform of black t-shirt and cargo trousers don’t stand up to the visual style of the rest of the show, exhibiting a casualness that strikes a slightly distracting note. However, Sol Taibi’s performance more than makes up for this costume choice, perfectly timing cues for maximum laughs and allowing the performance to move seamlessly along.

Overall, BOVTS’ production of Into The Woods is a great success, with bold stage design, costumes and performances breathing life into this classic tale. It’s perfect for a pre-Christmas treat!

Into The Woods is at The Redgrave Theatre on November 28-December 7; times vary (most shows 7.30pm). Tickets are available at www.redgravetheatre.com.

All photos: Craig Fuller

Read more: Bristol’s best Christmas shows 2023

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