INTO THE WOODS

Noël Coward Theatre

★★★★★

“Compelling and captivating”

Much has been written about the importance and, more significantly, the magic of fairy tales. How they help a growing mind deal with difficult emotions and internal conflicts. We all have our favourite one, but imagine if a few of them were intertwined together. Would that create confusion and dampen the magic? Jordan Fein’s staging of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s “Into the Woods” provides the simple answer that, if done right, the result is truly magical indeed. For nearly three hours we are enchanted, bewitched and spellbound by this production in the West End, which has transferred from its acclaimed run at the Bridge Theatre across the river.

It shouldn’t work. The musical mixes up the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales – notably ‘Little Red Riding Hood’, ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’, ‘Rapunzel’, ‘Cinderella’ – and adds some others too. It is fitting that the collaboration between Sondheim and Lapine was initially (allegedly) forged over a shared spliff at Sondheim’s New York apartment. Whether that’s true or not, it certainly goes a long way in explaining the haphazard storyline which centres on a childless baker and his wife, and their quest to begin a family.

The characters are introduced to us by the Narrator; a casually erudite Michael S. Siegel who leads us on their journey, watching from the outside but occasionally and unwittingly getting drawn into the fantastical fiction himself. They each have their own wishes. Cinderella wants to go to the King’s festival; Jack wishes that his cow could be milked while his Mother just wishes he would sell it. Little Red Riding Hood wishes to look after her grandmother; Rapunzel wishes for freedom, and the witch, in an odd twist, wishes for curses to be lifted. There are giants, wolves, princes and a mysterious man. And chaos and destruction, with plenty of darkness. But above all, the humour is brought to the fore in this revival. It is a winning and utterly compelling formula that adds untold layers onto the dreamlike wonder the show inspires.

And that is before we even get to the performances. Impeccable across the board, the cast weave the dialogue and the singing together as though spinning gold, making the complex melodies, countermelodies and switchback rhythms sound natural and simple, and layering emotion onto the technical intricacy. All the while humanising their outlandish characters. John Dagleish and Laura Pitt-Pulford have a deep-rooted and cozy chemistry, as do Keith Ramsay’s gorgeously eccentric Jack and his Mother, whose resigned and stoic tolerance of her son is beautifully portrayed by Julie Jupp. They all have their quirks, kinks and foibles. Simbi Akande is a feisty Cinderella who is more concerned with escaping her family than fawning over her prince, while Fiona Finsbury’s delightfully obstreperous Rapunzel dreams of her own escape. Gracie McGonigal, as a mischievous Red Riding Hood, makes us wonder how the wolf would even dare think about taking her on. Cinderella’s Prince and Rapunzel’s Prince (Matthew Seadon-Young and Lucas Koch respectively) make a dynamic, camp comedy duo.

It’s an impossible task to stand out among such a strong line up, but if anyone does it is Kate Fleetwood as the witch, with her starry and captivating performance. Caustic, sardonic, world-weary and extremely funny, she exudes sassy power and helpless frustration simultaneously. Her rendition of ‘Last Midnight’ is breathtaking, enhanced by the sheer spectacle of Aideen Malone’s lighting. Ethereal and mystical it creates the supernatural world of the woods. Tom Scutt’s set opens up to reveal the forest, inviting but foreboding; initially luxuriant before becoming a wasteland when things take a turn for the worse. For in this tale, they most certainly do as we learn that getting your wish is only the start of your problems. There’s no small body count in the second act as the characters battle the consequences of their actions. There is a pertinence to this make-believe world of witch hunts and scapegoats that translates to the real world, and Sondheim and Lapine’s message creeps through the ravaged undergrowth to grab us by the throat.

This is an astonishing piece of theatre that highlights every note, cadence and inflection of Sondheim’s extraordinary score. Dark but full of joy, affirming the importance of fairytales, magic and escapism. Lapine has called it “the best production I’ve ever seen, and I include my own”. We can only agree with that. Compelling and captivating. You simply must go into the woods. The only problem is that you won’t want to come out.

INTO THE WOODS

Noël Coward Theatre

Reviewed on 7th October 2026

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Johan Persson

INTO THE WOODS REVIEW

INTO THE WOODS

★★★★★

“Inevitably all eyes will be on Adrian Lester, who delivers a faultless and fearless performance”

Edmond Rostand’s 1897 play, “Cyrano de Bergerac”, has had many stage adaptations – as well as film, television, radio, opera and musical – but none so layered and emotionally engaging as Simon Evans’ and Debris Stevenson’s interpretation. The comic heart beats furiously throughout with its mix of poetry and prose; the rhythm never falters until it quivers with shockwaves of tragedy and pathos that shake the narrative, taking us quite by surprise. Set against the backdrop of the Thirty Years’ War between France and Spain, the action moves from Bohemian Paris, out onto the battlefields, and back again to a broken and wounded Paris fourteen years later.

The tale focuses on the (semi-fictional) nobleman, duellist, poet, playwright and over-zealous grammarian, Cyrano de Bergerac. Famous for his exaggeratedly large nose; his audacious and strong-willed nature is thrown into self-doubt by the unfortunate proboscis, especially where matters of the heart are concerned. Unable to express his love for the beautiful Roxanne, he relinquishes his happiness in order to help the witless and inarticulate Christian win her over instead. It is a symbiotic relationship that benefits both, and much of the play’s humour derives from Cyrano feeding Christian the words he so lacks. When the deceit is finally uncovered, however, it is difficult to keep a dry eye. Such gear shifts epitomise this adaptation, beautifully told by an astonishing company of actors.

Inevitably all eyes will be on Adrian Lester, who delivers a faultless and fearless performance. His character is equally fearless, yet his brash bravado knows exactly where the chinks in his armour lie. This self-awareness draws the audience closer to him, even at his most cynical. Susannah Fielding shows the same strength and vulnerability as Roxanne, with a playfulness and intelligence that lend her a magnetic power. Forget Cyrano and Christian – the whole audience will fall in love with her. Meanwhile, Levi Brown’s Christian adds surprising lyricism to his Brummie monosyllables in a role that embraces the joke rather than being the butt of it. Surrounded by a supporting cast of off-beats and eccentrics, every moment and every line of this production is a true delight.

Evans also sits in the director’s chair, dishing out neat theatrical devices like a mad-cap inventor. Cyrano (according to this version) won a six-piece travelling band in a bet, who now follow him around wherever he goes. Frequently crossing over into acting mode, the musicians are a constant presence, adding atmospheric and emotional depth to each scene with Alex Baranowski’s compositions. The inclusion of a young Cyrano is a stroke of genius, intermittently and silently shadowing Lester at pivotal moments. We speculate what this may represent, but the final symbolism – when revealed – is achingly devastating, and beautifully executed.

Grace Smart’s set and costume create a timeless sense of period in which we know where we are, while Joshie Harriette’s lighting throws fairytale elements into the mix, frequently shattered by Donato Wharton’s enveloping sound design. The performers wander the auditorium, straddle the balconies and heckle from the boxes; while music suddenly appears from unexpected places. Similarly, masked moments of social commentary pop up when we least expect them, yet so cleverly woven into the fabric they are almost invisible. We are constantly taken aback by the fusion of Evans’ and Stevenson’s writing with the performances, led by Adrian Lester in astounding form.

Cyrano de Bergerac has a pathological fear of the cliché. But fear not; this production is as far away from a cliché of the story as you can get. I could try to sum up with a tag line to match the eloquence, but I would only fail, and probably just come up with a cliché anyway. Like ‘unmissable’, for example. Yet that is what this show is. I’ll leave it to the Cyrano’s of the world to wax lyrical about it.

Tag Archives: Noël Coward Theatre

INTO THE WOODS

★★★★★

Noël Coward Theatre

INTO THE WOODS

Noël Coward Theatre

★★★★★

“Compelling and captivating”