What's happening in the woods? Into the Woods is an award-winning stage musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. The show premiered in New York (1987) and has had successful first-run productions in Britain and Australia as well as revivals in London and New York.
The latest hit production was staged in August at the Open Air Theatre in the beautiful setting of Regent's Park, London. Into the Woods weaves together the tales of Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Jack and the Beanstalk with a new story about the baker and his wife who desperately want to have a child.
The first act presents the stories as we know them, but the second act follows the characters into their 'happily ever after' lives. They find themselves in unfamiliar situations with danger lurking deep in the woods, bent on revenge and ready to destroy their hopes and dreams.
A cape as red as blood
All the characters in Into the Woods are brought together by the baker and his wife's desperate wish to have a child. The witch who lives next door promises to lift the childless curse on the couple if they gather together a series of very strange objects.
The two would-be parents are sent into the woods to get their hands on Cinderella's shoe, Little Red Riding Hood's blood-red cape, the cow in Jack and the Beanstalk, and a piece of Rapunzel's hair.
