logblog

This is the third and final post in a series about Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods. You can also read the first and second parts.

In the last section of my ponderings on Into the Woods, I thought it’d be nice to look at the recordings available of the show. The Original Broadway Cast gives a lively and entertaining (if slapstick and cartoony at times) performance on the taped version of the show available on DVD. What was going on when they recorded the cast recording? The tempos are slow as Christmas and the entire cast sounds like they have a gun to their head and are being forced to sing. Seeing the two recordings, you’d hardly think they were even the same cast. The OBCR is interesting though in the cut material it provides. We’re treated to an extended “A Very Nice Prince” that contains a section similar to the middle of “Agony.” I agree with this cut first and foremost because it’s nice, but not needed. It also makes “On the Steps of the Palace” a little redundant, in my opinion. I like that she doesn’t even really think about making a decision until that final evening. It makes the climax of the song a bigger deal for the character, and therefore more interesting for the audience. There’s also a longer version of the “Witch’s Lament,” in which there is more of a reprise of “Stay With Me,” and a few extra lines in “Any Moment.” Again, unnecessary and a happy cut. If you get the remastered print of the CD, you also get some bonus tracks, such as the “On the Steps…” precursor “Back to the Palace” and “Boom Crunch” which was eventually replaced by “Last Midnight.” Both are remarkably similar to the songs that later replaced them, and both are pretty inferior to their replacement as well. They’re still interesting to hear, though.

My favorite recording is the Original London Cast. The CD is excellently produced, the only recording to split up the Act 1 Finale into separate tracks. The orchestra sounds excellent and crisp, as do the performers. Not only do the British accents here really suit the story, there are so fantastic performances. The stand-out for me is Julia Mackenzie’s witch, which is much much better than Bernadette’s. She sounds like an old woman and a witch, and then still delivers the most terrifying rendition of “Last Midnight” I’ve ever heard. Imelda Staunton (now of Harry Potter fame, she was Prof. Umbridge) also gives an excellent performance as the Baker’s Wife, one that rivals Joanna Gleason Tony-winning turn. The narrator may not be able to sing on key in Ever After, but I find this recording to be the most satisfactory. The London production was clearly much darker than the original Broadway, and I would have loved to see it. The way they did their wolf is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. You can watch it below, though keep in mind this performance was taped for a television show and the set they’re on is not the set that was used in full production.

I barely even want to talk about the 2002 Broadway Revival recording. That production was actually the first Broadway show I ever saw, and at the time it was really exciting. With time, I kind of realized how terrible a production it was. I’ll start with the good. The physical production was really gorgeous. I loved the added choreography. I LOVED the cow. I also liked the “Oos” they added to the title number. Laura Benanti and Kerry O’Malley were both fantastic. That being said, WHAT were they thinking changing the ending to “On the Steps…” and the lyrics to “Last Midnight.” Both HORRIBLE choices. Also, WHY did they add pigs to “Hello, Little Girl?” Terrible. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.

The moral is, get the London cast recording if you need one.

That’s all I have to say about Into the Woods, at least for now. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. If not, stop reading. If you’d like to come see my production of Into the Woods, visit the Sooner Theatre’s website for performance and ticket information. Until next time!