Be ready to put this date in your diaries: 20 and 21 February at the Royal Grammar School Miller Theatre next to Jesmond Metro. This will not be one to miss; with its iconic 16 minute prologue, extravagant characters, beanstalks, giants and more!
This classic musical follows various fairy tale characters and their journeys to complete a quest of their choosing.
We watch the Baker and His Wife undo a curse placed on them by a witch, in order to bear the child they have been desperate for. By collecting a "cow as white as milk", "a cape as red as blood", "the hair as yellow as corn" and the "slipper as pure as gold", from our favourite fairytale characters the spell will be undone and they can have the family they dreamed of.
Throughout the show we see the good, the bad and ugly of going after your wishes and the consequences that follow it.
But only if it was that easy! Throughout the show we see the good, the bad and ugly of going after your wishes and the consequences that follow it. Whilst containing heavy themes, Sondheim keeps the show light hearted with comedic relief, especially from the 'princely' characters.
Zach Hardy is no stranger to directing after he directed last year’s production The Addams Family which was considered a huge success. Here, he discusses his vision for the upcoming show and his excitement at the record number of sign-ups this year! I also spoke to Agatha Ingall, President of the Musical Theatre Society, who tells us more about executive decisions made in picking the play.
Why did you choose Into The Woods as the production for this year?
Zach: Personally, it is my all-time favourite musical. The score by Stephen Sondheim is a one that most people know and enjoy. Also, the fact that it is such a jam-packed show, with lots of different themes and characters, really embodies the idea that it is somewhat an ensemble piece.
Agatha: We chose Into the Woods because it's a cult classic! People love this show so much and it's different to the type of shows we've done in the past due to it being Sondheim. When we met up with our production team, this show came up the most when we were having our discussions and we realised that we seem to love it for a reason, so does everyone else, why not just do it.
As a watcher, the reveal of the show was very unexpected; was this a last minute change or a planned surprise? What did you think of the reaction to the announcement?
...when we revealed it, the energy in the room was electric...
Zach: Some aspects of the reveal were planned but others were not; for example, we had a lot of people worried it was going to be Shrek so we thought it was a nice surprise to have that up again before we finally revealed Into the Woods. I was quite nervous at first as I was worried people may be unhappy but, when we revealed it, the energy in the room was electric and, as the production team and the committee, we could not have asked for a better reaction!
Agatha: We had the show planned from the very beginning however we realised a lot of people thought we were doing Into the Woods as our show so we wanted to through people off the scent! We had always intended to do a couple of 'fake-outs' and this option worked best to reduce suspicion that it was Into the Woods. The reaction was amazing! I was so worried that people were going to be unhappy or have been rooting for another show but everyone loved it and we've had a record number of people to sign up to audition to prove that.
Do you think the attention and demand for this year's production will change your processes as director and if so in what ways?
Zach: Into The Woods has no ensemble written into the script or the score which I think is shocking for a Sondheim show. In this production, I always wanted to have a small ensemble to help push the story along and this will not change.
Agatha: I'll leave that to Zach.
The sign ups for auditions have had to be closed early due to the sheer amount of interest, which is amazing! Why do you think Into The Woods is such a desired show?
...this show is a one for the ages and allows people to reminisce about their favourite fairy tales...
Zach: It is a show that is known by all in many ways. Some people forget that the writers pulled their inspiration from some of the best Brothers Grimm Tales; from Cinderella to Rapunzel, this show is a one for the ages and allows people to reminisce about their favourite fairy tales from a completely different viewpoint.
Agatha: If you are a musical theatre fan, you will know Into the Woods. However, the 2014 film I think is what pushed it into the mainstream the same way Hamilton was when that pro-shot was released on Disney Plus. Even more people are aware of the show now which is amazing but it's also just such a brilliant show. It's so catchy and recognisable as well as also having pre-established fairytale characters like Cinderella and Little Red Riding hood.
Describe your production and vision for the show in 3 words
Zach: Light-hearted, moving and trees.
Agatha: Vibrant, talented, whimsical.
What is your personal favourite scene in the show? What are you most excited to direct/recreate?
Zach: When you mention any Sondheim, people are soon to shut it down because of the intricacy of the score and the script. This has always been a bucket list show and for me my favourite has to be the most intricate number in the show: the Opening Number. Staging the opening will be different to the original vision that everyone expects to see – yet it still draws upon aspects of other productions that people may have seen. I cannot wait to hear the words "once upon a time" for the first time!
Agatha: I LOVE the character of The Witch. I love an eccentric female villain and all the craziness that surrounds them. 'Last Midnight' is the song in the show that particularly stands out to me. It's such an amazing character song and it allows us to understand The Witch and how she perceives the world.
What are your personal thoughts on the 2014 film and would you rather people wait for your production or watch it in the meantime?
Zach: I absolutely adore the 2014 film – particularly Meryl Streep as The Witch! If people want to have an idea of the plot, then definitely watch the film but be aware there are sections that may differ and things will be done differently in our production and I cannot wait for you to see it!
Agatha: I really like the film – controversial I know! The cast is stacked with phenomenal people like Anna Kendrick and Meryl Streep and, unlike other people, I genuinely like James Corden and his role as The Baker. I think it's a great gateway into the show as it's a film not a staged production – you get special effects and real locations which helps to guide the audience through the narrative. To our cast, I would recommend watching the Original Broadway Production which you can find on YouTube or a bootleg of other productions like the 2022 revival. To someone who may be a friend or family member of the cast however, I would point them towards the 2014 film.
The show will be in February but if you can’t wait until then you can watch the 2014 star studded film featuring Meryl Streep, Chris Pine, Anna Kendrick, James Cordon, Emily Blunt and Lilia Crawford which can be found on Disney+. Also, the 2026 Bridge Theatre revival has been moved to the Noel Coward Theatre in the West End until early January. So, if you are able to catch it before closing, I would highly recommend it to fuel your interest while waiting for NUMTS's fabulous version.