ABSTRACT

The musical premiered on Broadway on 5 November 1987, where it ran for 764 performances and won three Tony Awards for 'Best Score', 'Best Book' and 'Best Actress in a Musical'. Into the Woods (ITW) represents Stephen Sondheim at his very best: the score is both melodious and full of humour, containing many of the artist's most accessible songs from the hilarious comedy of 'Agony' to the wistful 'No More' and the achingly beautiful 'No One Is Alone'. ITW on the other hand opts for a decidedly postmodern approach to the subgenre of the fairy tale musical that proved utterly unique. In ITW, Sondheim and Lapine aim to look beyond the surface of classic fairy tales by combining several well-known stories into a new plot. Even in the fairy tale musical, the individual and his/her desires have to be modified for, and sometimes subordinated to, the general good of the community.