The first Act of Stephen Sondheim’s musical, “Into the Woods”, begins in a lighthearted fashion, as familiar fairy tale icons – Rapunzel, Red Riding Hood, Jack (of beanstalk fame), and Cinderella – mingle with other characters and get in the way of each others quests. Act I ends more or less happily as everyone finds what they’re looking for: true love, riches, or children.
In Act II reality sets in. There is disillusionment, disappointment, and death. Some characters react with anger, some seek revenge, and some leave for what they hope will be a better life. Those who are left accept their lot, and the end of the play, with its finale of dance and song, is unexpectedly uplifting.
I entered the theater with low expectations. The lyrics are as clever as Porter’s, but Sondheim tunes are not as hummable. (I even dozed off in Act I.) But as the characters dealt with adversity in Act II, the primary colors of the various fairy tales turned subtle and interesting. I looked at the youngster. He was captivated.
By the standards of community theater, Broadway by the Bay put on an excellent production at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center. None of the voices, whether speaking or singing, or the instrument soloists in the orchestra, caused me to wince. The actors didn’t get in the way of the production. We’ll be back later in the season.
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