So long, farewell! Into The Woods finished at Open Air Theatre on September 11, 2010

Into The Woods is now showing at Bridge Theatre

2 Dec - 18 Apr 2026
More infoBook Tickets

Into The Woods

Into The Woods at Open Air Theatre

So long, farewell! Into The Woods finished at Open Air Theatre on September 11, 2010

Into The Woods is now showing at Bridge Theatre

2 Dec - 18 Apr 2026
More infoBook Tickets

Why see Into The Woods?

Into the Woods takes the stories of the Brothers Grimm and gives them a dark and humorous twist.  The popular tales of Red Riding Hood, Jack (of Beanstalk fame), Cinderella and Rapunzel are interwoven with that of the Baker and his Wife and their quest to have children.

However this re-telling goes beyond ‘happily ever after’ as the familiar characters find themselves in unfamiliar circumstances and hopes and dreams are shattered.

Celebrating his 80th birthday in 2010, Stephen Sondheim is one of theatre’s most prolific composers, with recent productions of A Little Night Music, Sunday In The Park With George, and Tim Burton’s Oscar-winning version of Sweeney Todd increasing his popularity.

Into the Woods is co-directed by Timothy Sheader and Liam Steel following their previous collaboration on Romeo and Juliet.  Liam also directed the 2009 family production of The Tempest, and Timothy’s record-breaking production of Hello, Dolly! received critical success, winning Best Musical in the Evening Standard Theatre Awards.

Originally Directed on Broadway by James Lapine.

Cast

Hannah Waddingham as the witch
Jenna Russell as the Baker's Wife
Mark Hadfield
Mark Goldthrup

Creative

Director: Timothy Sheader
Designer: Soutra Gilmour
Co-Director & Movement Director: Liam Steel
Musical Supervisor & Director: Gareth Valentine
Casting Director: Pippa Ailion

Awards

2011 OLIVER AWARDS
Winner of Best Musical Revival

Reviews

Customer reviews

2 reviews, average rating: (5.0 Stars)

Johnathon Gallagher

Into The Woods; in the woods at Regents Park

A masterclass of Sondheim and Lapine's amazing musical. This staging is genius, sitting in Regents Park listening to the haunting melodies of Sondheim as dusk descends, the trees changing color, the stars above extending the backdrop and the wind rustling the leaves as if conducted by MD Gareth Valentine. Simply Perfection. The cast shine in this production and a great addition is the role of the Narrator being played by child; how prefect to see the story unfold through the eyes of one so young making perfect sense of the heart rendering "Children Will Listen" sung beautifully by Hannah Waddingham as the witch. Beverly Rudd shines as Little Red Riding Hood providing the audience the great comic moments. Sondheim favorite Jenna Russell as always is in a league of her own with her portrayal of The Bakers Wife. She does not act the role but simply lives it with note perfect confidence. This really is an ensemble piece with the entire cast weaving through the woods with perfect ease. ... Read more

John Baker

Another Triumph Amongst the Trees

I adored "Into the Woods" at Regent's Park open air theatre. Eat your granny for a ticket to this Sondheim meisterwerk! Act 1 weaves lots of fairy tale favourites into a slightly macabre web of lust and longing, Cinderella, Jack, Red riding hood and Rapunzel all pop up, as the hapless Baker seeks to obtain the four special items he needs to lift a witches spell which has been preventing his wife from bearing a child. The songs are fast and furious, bouncing around the forest scaffold set and actors like a pinball, and manage to expertly combine the pathos of parenthood with the delusion of dreams and the corruption of youth. The physical direction of the cast is deft, and the sequence where a wolf straight out of "Grease" teases his prey, before seducing her into her grandmother's bed & "devouring" her, to her obvious delight, is impeccable. in act 2 however when the show comes into it's own, the focus pulls back away from the fairy tale context, with heart wrenching hilarity ... Read more
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