Customer Reviews

Sondheim / Lapine: Into the Woods (1991 Original London Cast)

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This recording benefits from British accents. I do indeed like Julia McKenzie (as The Witch), but I prefer the original Bernadette Peters. This recording also has the opening prolgue divvied up among several tracks, so if you just want to hear the "Witche's Rap" really quickly, you can skip right to it and give it a quick listen. "Our Little World," the new duet, is a gem. Some might say, "So, Steve sold out for a comedy song, huh?" But, hey -- who cares? It gives Rapunzel more to do than just walk around and go, "Aaahhhhh ... " (whether singing or screaming). But, it is more than just a comedy number underneath, because it shows the relationship between The Witch and Rapunzel better than any pages of dialogue could do. I thought that they would have the Prologue in full on this recording, but they did the truncated version that is featured on the OBCR. However, on the "No One is Alone" track, it does feature the dialogue between Jack and The Baker. The dialogue inclusion there, and the missing dialogue in the Prologue, makes for somewhat of an uneven recording (especially since The Baker's reprise of "Maybe They're Magic" and the Stepmother's "You'll Never Need to Walk" is also missing), but still enjoyable none-the-less. Some people say that the new song is dumb, and that London Cast Recordings are inferior, to which I say, "SO IS YOUR MOM'S FACE! " This recording is a must for any die-hard ITW fans.

Stephen Sondheim's shows are usually dark, whether dealing with murder (SWEENEY TODD, ASSASSINS), midlife crisis (FOLLIES), prejudice (WEST SIDE STORY) or overbearing parents (GYPSY). When seeing a show by Sondheim, as opposed to say Rogers and Hart, the theatergoer will usually feel a little shaken up, forced to face thoughts and ideas that are uncomfortable. With INTO THE WOODS, Sondheim again forced his audience to think, and has again shook them up with the deaths of good people. The original Broadway production, starring Johanna Gleason, Chip Zien and Bernadette Peters was dark in its written form but not so much as its physical presentation. The London production, under a different director, was much darker in its music, lighting, costumes, and staging. For instance, in the New York production, when the Narrator is dropped from a lethal hight by the giant, the audience simply heard narrator Tom Aldrege's screaming trail off into a loud thud. In London, a dummy of Nicholas Parsons was dropped from the catwalk onto the stage.

This CD, in a way that I cannot adequately describe, is darker than the Broadway version. The often reprised title song is now much faster, and actually more effectively creepy than the OKLAHOMA!-styled rendition of the Broadway production. My only complaint is not really a complaint at all, but an acknowledgement of two different cultures tackling the same music that many devoted American Sondheim fans have accepted in a certain American style. Little Red Ridinghood for instance, being a lower-class character, has a cockney accent that may startle those who loved Danielle Ferdland (forgive my misspelling of the name) on the Broadway CD.

I do have to criticize not the CD iself, but the billing of the performers of the London production, which is very strange. For example, the actress who plays the small role of Jack's Mother has third billing and the actor who plays the leading man, the Baker, seventh, in a smaller font size. The child actors, Little Red and Jack, who have major supporting roles, aren't billed at all. A silly thing to be angered about, but interesting nonetheless.

I haven't yet gotten the chance to see (or purchase) the Revival Cast of Into the Woods, but this album takes a very different viewpoint from the Original 1987 Cast. The most obvious difference will be the addition of the song "Our Little World," cut from the original show but put back for the London Production (mainly to show off Julia McKenzie's varied, albeit different, voice). The London production is in a much darker tone; you will find slower tempos, more obvious dissonance, and heavier singing. This remains, however, my favorite recording of the show not only for the reasons previously stated, but also because it is far more musically accurate (towards the original libretto) than the Broadway version. A fantastic addition to the library of a Sondheim purist, but if you're looking for the "fun" version, I suggest the Broadway cast.

After hearing the other reveiws and listening to peices of the Broadway version, I decided to get the London one because it had an extra song and was darker. I'm really glad I did... although some of the vocal performances pale slightly in comparison to the Broadway cd, this is a lovely cd once you get used to the accents. And I personally cannot chose which Witch was better... they were simply different styles, although Bernadette Peters has a better singing voice. I like the narrator more on this recording for the speaking parts, but on Ever After, the broadway narrator is much better, Jack, Cinderella, the baker, the princes and the baker's wife were about the same on both. I also really enjoyed Little red riding hood and the wolf. The songs focus more on acting and putting emotions into the voice, making it more realistic than outstanding vocal performances as on the broadway cd. For anyone who enjoys faerie tales or who's interested in this play, I suggest getting this.

This recording of 'Into The Woods' seems to provoke extreme reactions among Sondheim lovers. For my part, I think it is a subtle improvement on the Broadway version, notwithstanding the excellent performers in the latter. The London version offers much darker readings of the songs, and the characters seem much more surreal. I bought the New York cast first, and loved every minute of it, but on balance I think I would be inclined to turn to the London one in future. The actors are very fine: Julia McKenzie offers a deliciously ripe performance as the Witch, much more the character of a nightmare than Bernadette Peters; the Wolf, similarly, is much more subtly realised, sounding altogether more dangerous. The other cast members are uniformly exellent. But, again, this is not to diminish the quality of the New York cast. The whole sound of this recording is sinister and treacherous, which to my mind fits the piece exactly. Remember, however, that as as any artistic work matures, performers are inclined to find hidden depths and darker meanings. It is this maturity which for me makes this recording definitive.

The London production of INTO THE WOODS - which opened four years after the opening of the Broadway production - lacks the overall sparkle of the original cast but has some superior orchestrations.

As the centrepiece is veteran Sondheim diva Julia McKenzie as The Witch. She adds her galvanising vocals to the show-stopping "Last Midnight" as well as "Stay With Me" and "Our Little World" (which was not used in the Broadway version).

Imelda Staunton tries her best in the tragic role of The Baker's Wife, but memories of Joanna Gleason are never far from the listener's mind. No one has ever come even remotely close to replicating Ms Gleason in her Tony-winning triumph, but Ms Staunton is quite affecting with her rendition of "Moments In The Woods".

Rounding out the cast are Jacqueline Dankworth as Cinderella, Richard Dempsey as Jack, Tessa Burbridge as Red Ridinghood and Ian Bartholomew as The Baker. Those wishing to hear more of the delightful Jacqueline Dankworth should get the studio cast of SWEET CHARITY featuring Dankworth in the lead.

Although this production was entirely different in design and concept; the orchestrations and arrangements are better here than on the Broadway recording.

Overall a great recording but nothing that the Broadway cast can't better.

Yes, it has its moments...but all in all this is pretty boring! I think I have only listened to it once. I don't know how to explain it, but after seeing the Broadway company and listening to the CD...it's too hard to switch opinions. I will have to say that Julia McKenzie gives Bernadette a run for her money! She is a great stage presence and brings a lot to the role of the witch!

First things first - this recording does not approach the practically perfect Original Broadway Cast recording. However, it does come pretty close, especially when compared to the recent Broadway revival. James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim's retelling of fairy tales is a morality tale for modern times; as the booklet pictures show, this was a much darker production than it's Broadway counterpart, which is reflected in the performances on the recording. Personally, I like this approach as it makes the London cast recording different enough to be worth buying!

It goes without saying that the words and music of Stephen Sondheim are perfection. Though the show does become slightly 'ballad heavy' towards the end, this slowing of the pace allows for emotional reflection on the evenings frantic events for the large cast of principles, including Cinderella and her ugly sisters, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack (of 'beanstalk' fame) and Rapunzel as well as an un-heroic, but human, Baker and the traditional witch.

The cast are all top notch. Being British, I don't have a problem with the accents - in fact because my parents read many of the original fairy stories to me, it sounds more natural with the English voices, but that's just a personal preference. Julia Mackenzie is a powerhouse, from the shrill (almost pantomime) witch at the beginning, to the bitter, rueful character of the finale. In a standout performance, Imelda Staunton makes the Baker's Wife both humourous and strong, which makes her final fate heartbreaking. Jacqueline Dankworth, Ian Bartholomew and Richard Dempsey are also worthy of mention, while Nicholas Parsons is a competent (though slightly tuneless) narrator. The orchestrations are wonderfully effective and the orchestra, whilst not supplemented, sounds full. I personally prefer the slightly different takes on the tempi that give the songs a bit more life.

Overall, this is probably the best acted recording of the three available, but can't match the Broadway cast for sheer energy and sparkle. However, the different atmosphere and the wonderful performances make this an interesting alternative for the curious...

I tend to shy away from reviewing Broadway cast albums because the ratings are all over the place, and the lead review always gives five stars. What has lured me out of hiding is Sondheim's 80th birthday year. I had high hopes for this London production of Into the Woods, even though it goes without saying that no one could surpass Bernadette Peters as the Witch in the original cast. But British accents seem right in a fairy tale setting. Sadly, the overall results are too tame. The director has forgotten that Into the Woods isn't an innocent retelling of fairy tales -- it's based on Bruno Bettelheim's famous psychoanalytical book, The Uses of Enchantment, which uncovers the hidden terrors in children's fables.

Instead, we get a faintly whimsical performance, sung by good-enough voices. None of the singers is particularly distinctive, and Red Riding Hood is far too bland. The formidable Julia McKinzey gets top billing as the Witch, and she's certainly fierce and scary, but even here the effect is one-dimensional compared with Peters's insinuating cynicism and infantile rage. Basically, this show works best if the actors can expose their inner child, with all its irrational fear and hostility as well as innocence and charm.

In all, this cast album flattens out Sondheim's multi-dimensional tour de force, which is a shame.

I find it difficult to understand why some people (mainly from the US I think) consider this recording superior to the original Broadway cast. There is one extra number, cut from the original production, which doesn't really add much. The band on the London recording is a bit louder. Imelda Staunton doesn't have the wonderful "built-in" irony to her voice that Joanna Gleason does. But for me the worst aspect is (sadly) Julia MacKenzie - the top of the voice wobbles like mad, and she becomes rather operatic when not using her chest voice. Bernadette Peters is much easier on the ear, and much funnier. Also Nicholas Parsons is a bit of a bore as the Narrator - thankfully he doesn't double as "Mysterious Man".