Into the Woods is one of my perennial Sondheim favorites. In addition to the DVD of the original Broadway production, I've seen in onstage four times and have no particular plans to stop. Do things get a little sloppy and heavy-handed at times? Sure, but that's small potatoes compared to the complete picture.
This musical tosses a number of fairytales in a blender, principally Cinderella, Jack (of beanstalk fame,) Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel. It also features a baker and his wife, currently childless but desperate not to remain so; they're tangentially related to Rapunzel's story but largely invented. At the outset of the show, everyone has a particular wish, and Act I plays out the original stories essentially as written: wolves and giants are slain, princes ride in to carry the day, and everyone (who deserves it) gets their wish.
Some productions end the show at intermission, but they're missing the point. As with Sunday in the Park with George, two seemingly-disparate acts come together to create a richer whole. In this case, Act II explores what happens after the happily ever after, the consequences of getting one's wish. To some extent, everyone gives something up or compromises their ideals to get what they want (or think they want,) and the second act shows a reckoning as they all try to repair what they've done.
The score is pure Sondheim, from intricate book pieces like "Your Fault" to searing melodies like "No One is Alone", from the sly hilarity of "Agony" and its reprise to the soft profundity of "No More." I'm going to have to do a Top Five post on the music, because there's no way I have room to even touch on the magnificence here.
Thematically, the show maybe tries to cover a bit too much, but I appreciate its ambition. It looks at themes of desire, dissatisfaction, sacrifice, and morality that doesn't align with binary divisions. It refuses to be content with the overt "good" and "evil" monikers of traditional fairytales, making subtler distinctions and recognizing the potential for both good and evil within every choice. In this way, it gives these stories a more thoughtful, grown-up treatment. Here, "witches can be right," and "giants can be good," and the characters must learn to reason beyond their initial assessments of themselves and others.
Warnings
Some violence, drinking, sexuality, thematic elements, and scary moments.
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