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Stephen Sondheim shows his ingeniuity in this breathtaking on stage musical. An amazing line-up of multi talented Broadway actors including the one and only Bernadette Peters (steals the show with an amazing performance in her role as 'The Witch'), Joanna Gleason (in top form...the Bakers Wife), Chip Zien (Her Husband, The Baker), Robert Westenburg and Tom Aldredge who both show amazing talent in 'both' of their character roles...and MORE. This is a truly amazing cast, who throughout their performances, compliment one anothers talents unlike any production I have ever seen. A creative storyline like no other....The story of a childless baker and his wife, who upon discovering that a curse has been placed on their family by the resident evil witch (Bernadette Peters).....must embark on a truly amazing journey Into The Woods to collect a variety of items from a multitude of fairytale characters in order to have the curse reversed! A line up of the characters met by the Baker and his Wife in the woods are:-The Wicked Witch, Cinderella, The Ugly Sisters, Little Red Riding Hood and her Wolf, Rapunzel, The TWO ever complaining womanising Prince Charmings, Jack, His Mother (AND his Giants!!)....Also features Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and many many more! This is pure genius! Very cleverly written, as all our childhood favourites are brought together in this charming tale which will stay with you forever. It is an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish which has you laughing one minute, crying the next, and singing your heart out throughout!. Well written numbers performed to the highest standard! Some of my favourite Into The Woods vocal performances are...'The Prologue' (Which includes introductory solo numbers by all main characters, my favourite being THE WITCH'S introductory solo number!)...'Into the Woods'(signature tune performed throughout the show by all cast members and extremely catchy)...'Hello Little Girl' (The Wolf/Little Red Riding Hood) 'The Steps of the Palace' (by Cinderella)...'Agony' (The Two Prince Charming brothers)...'Giants in the Sky' (Jack)...'It Takes Two' (Baker and His Wife)...'Maybe They're Magic'(Baker and his Wife)...'Any Moment' (Prince Charming and The Bakers Wife) ...'Moments in the Woods' (Bakers Wife)...'Your Fault' (The Witch in a quick fire argument number with numerous other characters)...'Last Midnight' (Also by the Witch) and many many more titles which will be forever imprinted in your memory! A few tearjerker numbers include 'Stay With Me' (the Witch/Rapunzel)...'Lament' (The Witch/Rapunzel)...'No More' (The Baker)...and my favourite tearjerker song...'No-one is Alone' (performed by Jack, Cinderella, The Baker and Little Red Riding Hood) Truly fantastic actors/actresses display amazing talent throughout as you accompany the characters on their individual journeys into the woods and follow them throughought their adventures. Watch the baker and his wife as they tirelessly search for a white cow....a red cape.....yellow hair....and a golden slipper! The elusive four ingredients required to lift the curse bestowed upon them by the wicked witch! Chaos ensues as they harrass and haggle with the owners of these much needed ingredients, and just when they think they're there, along come Jacks' Giants!! It's both funny AND sad!! The Cast is second to none, The Script is second to none...Vocal Performances are second to none, INTO THE WOODS IS SECOND TO NONE, AN ABSOLUTE 'MUST SEE' FOR ALL AGES deeRead full review
"Into The Woods" is a two act musical for which the crediut usually goes to Steohen Sondheim and where it is, without question, one of the finest vocal scores ever written for the theatre, a great edeal of the mkagic in this piece is in the book and direction. A bow to James Lapine. This DVD is wonderful because it captur4es, in a rare way, a live Broadway6 perfo4rmance. The magic of theatre is that it idssapates as soon as the audience sees it yet the origonal production is preserved here. The first act is witty and charming, even hysteri8cal in ploaces. The clever conept of comb9ining half a dozen fairy tale cha5racters all of whom have something that our central characters need in order to have a curse removed by the mean witch next door. (expertly played by Bernadette Peters) ijn order to create a potion they need a cow as white as milk the cap0e as red as blood the hair as yellow as corn the slipper as pure as gold. And off the go to find these th9ings: INto The Woods. If you;ve young children the end of act one is the perfect time to tuck them off to bed because act tow tells us what happens AFTER Happily ever after. in order for everyone to get thier wish they had to lie a littoe, or cheat a little and,k in Jack';s case, murder a giant. The second act shows us that as they did in the first act, they cannot survive alone.They must work together. Act two begins to grow very heavy with the suicide of Rapunzel and we quickly see that this is a show about the relationship between parents and children. This is a DVD that SHOULD be watched many many times. First with the eyes, then with the vocal score open on your lap. Deep study, and th beautiful lyrics of the last song "Children Will Listen" will sing out a brilliant philosophy of parenting. Couple that song with Rodgers and Hammersteins "You've Got To be Carefully Taught6" and inspiratipon piurs from your television.Read full review
This is a great play! All of the actors are quite good, especially Bernadette Peters. This musical is based on what could happen if several of the fairy tales all met in the woods and interacted with each other. The music is wonderful and superbly executed. The story line is very creative and has some very good lessons about how people view and interact with their surroundings and each other. The play takes place on a stage and is filmed mostly as a panorama of the stage. Consequently, it is not like watching the play of 'Oklahoma' on the big screen, but more like watching a play on a stage.If you love musicals, this is a wonderful addition to your collection. The music, like all good musical music, sticks with you even after you have put it away.
This is one of the best musicals ever wriiten with so much human depth and the ability to wrench emotion from the viewer. I am a Drama teacher and an amateur actor/singer in musicals and I want to use this DVD to introduce this show to my studenst as well as encourage my Musical company to put it on one day. Although the DVD had no brochure included, most notes about the show can be easily found on the 'net. This product was great value and arrived very quickly.
I am a huge musical fan and have always loved this movie. It's witty and entertaining on so many levels and has all the charm of a broadway musical. It's one of those movies that you find yourself absent mindedly singing to yourself even weeks after watching it. Fantastic film with very talented performers. I'd highly recommend anyone who loves musicals to watch it. And even if you're not a musical fan, I've found many friends who enjoy this movie depsite the fact.
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