Rhonda Burchmore (Witch), Eddie Perfect (Baker) and Rachael Beck (Baker’s Wife). Photography credit : Nick Morrissey
On one level, Stephen Sondheim’s award winning musical Into the Woods is a delightful romp through many well-known fairy tales, mixing stories and characters into an amusing production for kids and adults alike. At a deeper level, Sondheim’s brilliant score and witty lyrics are pure allegory, demonstrating the dark side of human nature within the tales of Grimm and Hans-Anderson. The wood as a symbol of all that is evil in the world truly comes into its own in Act 2.
Written 25 years ago, surprisingly this is the first professional production of Into the Woods in Queensland and was a straightforward interpretation that nevertheless proved challenging in managing the complexities of Act 2.
Key strengths included musical direction under the firm baton of Jason Barry-Smith, the quality of the orchestral playing by the fourteen musicians exemplary. The band were there for every song and every nuance of the score. Disappointing was the lack of a Sondheim big-bang musical opening and snap lighting cues in both acts. Director, Tim O’Connor, chose to let the cast wander on stage in Brechtian style leaving them and the audience with a luck-lustre opening until the Narrator and music kicked-in. There were also some radio microphone issues and crackling on opening night, fortunately minimally distracting.
The fairy tale picture book set by Josh McIntosh, with its pantomime painted trees and hanging web cloths, worked well in the Concert Hall and was visually interesting, allowing Andrew Meadows to light it with imagination and a diverse colour palette.
The lack of decent props to support the staging, especially a confusing bicycle representing Jack’s cow, Milky White, followed by a uni-cycle for the Golden Hen, was a gag that ultimately had little resonance.
Tim O’Connor’s direction was light-weight, though Dean Vince’s able Narrator helped to drive the action along. But Sondheim’s dialogue, with some of the best one-liners, was often thrown away, giving the appearance of an under-rehearsed book, though vocally the cast were more than capable to deliver the goods.
Rachael Beck, as the Baker’s wife, was consistently excellent and sparkled, completely comfortable in her well-rounded role. As her husband, Eddie Perfect brought a boyish and vulnerable quality to the Baker, making a good match.
Rhonda Burchmore’s old hag of a witch was delicious; as evil and nasty as they come and she sang the pants off the Witch’s Lament and Last Midnight. However, when she changed into the glamorous Witch, with a sequined slinky dress showing off her famous legs, the Witch curiously mellowed into an anachronistic cabaret star, at odds with her character.
Georgina Hopson’s Cinderella was delightful and believable, as was the precocious Little Red Riding Hood of Kimberley Hodgson. Steve Hirst’s Wolf was also well-managed and sung, though turning his and Red Riding Hood’s Hello, Little Girl, into a sleazy, sex number was questionable.
Tom Oliver’s Jack impressed and his main number, Giants in the Sky, was sung with panache. Some of the loveliest singing came from Natalie Greer as both Rapunzel and Cinderella’s Mother. The shallowness of the two princes was nicely handled and they performed Agony with requisite angst and humour.
Harvest Rain has been in existence for 30 years but has only been a professional company for two and half years and the standard of their work is increasingly impressive and always entertaining. Sondheim’s works are never easy to stage or direct and, with Into the Woods, they may have bitten off more than they can chew with this production.
On the whole though, this was an enjoyable evening with first-rate musical direction and good performances from a dedicated cast.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Into the Woods
Harvest Rain
QPAC Concert Hall
Music and Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
Book: James Lapine
Director: Tim O’Connor
Music Director: Jason Barry-Smith
Designer: Josh McIntosh
Choreographer: Callum Mansfield
Lighting Designer: Andrew Meadows
Sound Designer: Tony Carter
1 October 2015
