After the success of Sunday in the Park librettist James Lapine and composer Stephen Sondheim wanted to do ‘something funny’. The thought of Quest Stories, such as The Wizard of Oz, led them to examine Folk Tales. Not finding one story which was long enough for a full production they settled on combining a number of familiar tales. Sondheim’s music and lyrics elevates the musical to a high level, and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, was superb, as always.
Taking a number of familiar folk tales and weaving their stories into a complex narrative, drawing out a number of themes, proved to be very effective, and a perfect recipe for a fantastic show, with great songs, fast action, humour, dancing, magic and sorcery, and over the top, in the best possible way, performances.
The woods, with tall trees create the atmosphere of a gloomy forest. Light streams from Rapunzel in her tower, Jack appears with a golden egg, and then a golden harp, which he has stolen from the Giants. A Giant appears as a round circle, with an eye. Birds bring messages to Cinderella (Jessica Dean) and Nicholas Cannon and Andrew Crispe, as the Princes suffer Agony, searching for their respective beloveds, with delightful gusto.
Hugh Sheridan, as The Baker was outstanding, while Johanna Allen as the Baker’s Wife was the perfect foil, showing both courage and resilience. The quest they undertook was at the behest of a Witch (Rosie Hosking) who was quite terrifying until she lost her powers, although even then she was forceful. Eliza Brill Reed as Little Red Riding Hood transformed from dutiful grand daughter to a tough young lady wielding a large knife, having ‘learned much’ after being eaten by a wolf, and then saved. Her scream, at the loss of her cloak, so clear and long and piercing, should be bottled.
At the end of the First Act, all seem to be living happily ever after, with Cinderella (Jessica Dean) happily married to the Prince, the Baker’s Wife very pregnant, Jack with his beanstalk and white cow, except for the stepmother and step sisters of Cinderella who were suitably punished.
In Act two all unravels, until final, more realistic arrangements come to pass.
So Lepine and Sondheim have succeeded in writing ‘something funny’ but not with out a deeper meaning.
Directed by Constantine Costi
Conductor Anthony Hunt
Her Majesty’s Theatre 22-29 August
Image Andrew Beveridge
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