Review: INTO THE WOODS, Bridge Theatre

Having brought their extraordinary theatrical concepts to the all-conquering Fiddler on The Roof, director Jordan Fein and designer Tom Scutt reunite to bring lucky London audiences a gorgeously dark and heartfelt version of James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods. 

Since its debut in 1987, the show has not many revivals; it is a fun and playful musical, full of tales so familiar from childhood, but underlying all the joviality is a darkness from the original Grimm fairytales and a painful sense of yearning and loss of a couple desperate for a child of their own.

The Baker and the Baker's Wife have been cursed by a witch so they cannot have children. To reverse the curse, they must collect the witch; Cinderella’s shoe, Rapunzel’s golden hair, Red Ridinghood’s coat and the milky white cow. So Into the Woods they go, encountering an array of fairytale characters along the way.

It all seems to be happy ever after, then things take a darker turn. Guilt, grief and lust take hold of the characters as they struggle to come together in the face of the existential threat of the vengeful Giant's wife.

It could be argued that Sondheim never wrote a more flamboyantly virtuosic set of lyrics, but the whole cast handle them with aplomb. Oliver Savile and Rhys Whitfield are a hoot, hamming it up as the ineffectual princes, with Savile sporting a remarkable codpiece that could take your eye out if you leant in too close from the front row. As Cinderella, Chumisa Dornford-May has a gorgeous voice, with a clear yearning for her old life and freedoms.

Jo Foster is both vulnerable and funny as Jack, Jamie Parker and Katie Brayben make a brilliant double act as the Baker and his wife, Bella Brown is beautifully ethereal as Rapunzel and Grace McGonigal is defiant and bolshy as Red Ridinghood.

But despite this wonderful cast, this is Kate Fleetwood's show as the Witch. Brimming with arch, biting comments and maternal struggles, she holds the stage every time she appears. Her vocals are also outstanding, particularly the painful “Stay With Me”. 

Tom Scutt's design is stunning; a black backdrop opens to reveal the lush and magical woods behind, where dappled light dances through the trees. This is starkly contrasted by the snapped tree trunks and dark corners after the unseen Giant's intervention. Scutt's costumes are also a wonder, medieval design with modern colours and textures-except the Narrator (played by a thoughtful Michael Gould), who is dressed like an anonymous middle manager at a conference.

The Giant's presence is felt (voiced by Valda Aviks) through booming sound and shadowy projections of a menacing silhouette and leaves falling from the trees in response. It's clever, very effective and Aideen Malone's lighting design is just knock-out.

A celebration of these twisted fairytales, this is a razor-sharp production full of heart, thoughtful design and wonderful performances. Pure theatrical magic.

Into the Woods is at the Bridge Theatre until 30 May 2026

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