Directed by Annabel Mutale Reed
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by James Lapine
Review by Annie Aslett
Greenside @ George Street
Directed by Annabel Mutale Reed, the cast of this production of Into the Woods is the first cohort to come through the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art's (LAMDA) Masters programme. Yes, this is technically an amateur production, but with the future LAMDA graduates looking to join the ranks of alumni such as Benedict Cumberbatch, Leah Harvey and Brian Cox, expectations are high.
Reed's creative team have drawn the most out of the relatively small stage, giving the actors a solid foundation upon which to build Sondheim's expansive yet intricate musical. Co-choreographers Sarah Golding and Gregory Haney have done stellar work, and the drama of the opening and closing group numbers is a particular highlight. Torches are used to varying degrees of success; those wielded by the Prince and his steward work well as props that up the comedy element, while the narrator's bulky headtorch, used occasionally to focus the audience's attention, is a bizarre distraction. Though the cast are fitted with head mics, they often produce handheld microphones when a character really needs to say something, a quirky addition that makes no sense but is somehow funny every time.
And so to our cast. Across the board, the vocal performances are professional and confident and wouldn't be out of place on any West End stage. Every actor is committed and works together to create a harmonious ensemble whose energy and chemistry with one another elevates the show.
Guiding the tale is Robert Voigt as the narrator, his demeanour confident and calm with a hint of humour. Anna Cornish as Milky White is the show's silent star - Cornish nails her particular brand of understated physical comedy. Chéri McKenzie plays Little Red with an understated feistiness, contributing to some of the show's funniest moments. Her antagonistic relationship with Matthew McFarland's Baker is pitched perfectly. McFarland is a steady and confident force throughout, at his best during the Baker's touching final song, making the audience's hearts break for him. The chemistry between McFarland and Dana Gough as the Baker's wife is rivalled only by that of Gough and Daniel Trainor's Prince - their Moments in the Woods is enchantingly funny.
I didn't fully believe Luke Capello as Jack until the end; towering over the rest of the cast, Capello is dressed in dungarees in an effort to age him down, though the effect is less childlike, more Edinburgh hipster. Though likeable, Capello could have commited more throughout to the characterisation of Jack's youthful naiveté. I was won over, however, by his heartwrenching portrayal of Jack's grief, slipping seamlessly into a feeling of hope throughout No One Is Alone.
Hollie Avery is a triumph as the Witch; there is a beautiful tone to her voice that lends subtlety to the Witch's gentler moments but is also a huge advantage when belting out the Witch's anguish. Avery's crisp diction and characterisation throughout paint a convincing portrait of this unhinged yet layered character, though one feels she could have pushed the frustration and mania even further during Last Midnight.
A professional and dynamic outing for the 2024 class, the quality of these performances bode very well for the future of musical theatre.
Review by Annie Aslett (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Annie is a not-so-recent graduate of the University of Edinburgh with a degree in French and Spanish, along with a Masters in Translation from the University of Glasgow. A Spanish teacher for three years, she decided to leave the classroom behind to pursue personal goals and has since been regularly reviewing for Corr Blimey's Glaswegian wing. Annie is a life-long lover of musical theatre, whose childhood performances included a rousing production of Snow White in The Hall and a heartfelt rendition of Go, Go, Go Joseph in The Living Room.
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