Into the Woods
8 PM, November 10, 2007 at the Music Museum
Starring Lynn Sherman, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo
Michael Williams, Cathy Azanza…
This is the reason why I wasn’t able to attend my org’s teambuilding. It’s a birthday gift for me and my sister and helloo, it’s Into the Woods!!!!
Before any bashing (hah) occurs, I would just like to say that Into the Woods is one of my favorite musicals. Ever. My sisters and I grew up watching the fantastic Bernadette Peters as the Witch in the taped broadcast of the original broadway cast. We have a VHS copy of it but I think we wore it out.
I loved it so much I actually plagiarized the story (my FIRST and LAST, mind you) for my creative writing class in 5th grade. We had to make an ABC story that goes like “A long long time ago… Beside them was… Crickets are cool..” and so on. That was ten years ago, how was I supposed to know that it was plagiarism?!? It was a creative writing class. I was just being creative.
As proof:
Nasty artwork.
Embarrassing writing skillz. And to think I wanted to become a writer. You can click the scans to read my attempt on writing an ABC story.
My ABC story was one hundred percent lifted from Into the Woods (I’m sorry Mr. Lapine) and the only thing I changed were the names of the characters. I think I got the name “Morbidda” from the Baby-Sitters Club. Haha. Oh well, I received a perfect score and an “Awesome” for it!! I forgot who my Reading/creative writing teacher was… Ms. F-something. Good thing she wasn’t aware of the musical. Anyway, moving on…
What is the musical all about?
Into the Woods is an award-winning musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. Inspired by Bruno Bettelheim’s 1976 book, The Uses of Enchantment, the musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales and follows them further to explore the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests. The main characters are taken from the stories of Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, and Cinderella, tied together by an original story involving a Baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family, and including references to several other well-known tales. From Wikipedia
The Show
Since I am already familiar with the story, characters, and the music, I loved every bit of it. I really don’t have anything negative to say about it because Stephen Sondheim is a genius. I remember not liking Act II when I was younger because the songs were darker compared to first act and it involved deaths of several characters (spoiler) but I learned to appreciate it as I got *older*. The fairy tale aspect of the musical only hovers on the surface and beneath it is surreality. In fact, I liked the second act better in this production. “Children Will Listen”, “No More” and “No One is Alone” is one of the best songs in the musical. And of course, everyone loves “Giants in the Sky” and “Agony”.
Several of the acting was stellar, especially Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Michael Williams, Cathy Azanza and Lynn Sherman. Lynn Sherman’s portrayal of the Witch is all kinds of fabulous and she made the role her own. Yulo and Williams are a staple to musical productions and they are ALWAYS consistent in their amazing performances. Jamie Wilson, as the Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince, wasn’t that good a singer, but his performance was terrific. I think he wore his Emcee (Cabaret) leather jacket/coat during his Wolf bit. Haha. Cathy Azanza sounded a little like Kim Crosby, but still a great performance. Loved her dress. Joaqui Valdez as Jack… He lacked the boyish charm and really, he’s no Ben Wright but it’s all good. Some of the other actors were disappointing, though.
The narrator, for instance. I didn’t mind that the character was played by a woman, but the way she delivered her lines was distracting. She didn’t have a commanding voice and her portrayal as the narrator became more of a nuisance rather than a guiding voice in the musical. And then there’s Jack’s mother. I’m so sorry, but it was painful to watch her perform. She’s supposed to be hysterical in one scene but all I saw was blandness. The girl who played Little Red Riding Hood (Julia Abueva) has a beautiful voice but she didn’t know how to act at all. Hehe I’m so mean. But she’s still young, she’s definitely someone to watch out for in the future. The rest of the supporting cast were good.
My sister also noticed that some of the fantastic punchlines of the musical fell flat during the show. The stage was rather small because I noticed the actors having difficulty dancing. And while the set was simple, it was fully utilized. Cinderella’s mother was silly, not spooky, whenever “it” appeared on stage.
Overall, it was satisfactory. I enjoyed it but somehow I feel it still needs polishing, to be honest. Although, I might be comparing it too much with the original Broadway cast. I still loved it, anyway. If anyone has free tickets to the other dates, gimme gimme. I’m off to check out Vanessa William’s Witch. Toodoloo.
More on Into the Woods
Buy tickets at TicketWorld online or call 8919999
Sondheim
New Voice Company
Join the Into the Woods fanlisting!!!
Directed by Rito Asilo. New Voice Company’s Into the Woods runs from November 9 to December 8, 2007 (Fridays and Saturdays) at the Music Museum, Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan.
*Pictures scanned from program.
I’m closing the comments section because I get a lot of SPAM messages. If you need to vent out on a particular post, I’d rather you EMAIL them to me. Thank you.
November 11th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
I do not agree with your views on the show.
November 16th, 2007 at 1:09 am
I second Gideon’s comment. Your criticism on ITW was superficial, whiny and lacked insight. I too am very familiar with ITW though it isn’t my favorite Sondheim musical. In fact I have seen its Junior version abroad too. This particular staging has succeeded in raising its ranking among my most favorite Sondheims, and a good reason for this includes the narrator, Joaqui Valdez, who were spectacular. you probably didn’t take your afternoon nap, or better yet, you forgot to take your medicine prior to watching the show at the Music Museum. Great disclaimer though. Your favorite musical EVER yet you failed to appreciate a greatly mounted show. Taste, taste, or the lack of it…LOL
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IP ADDRESS: 58.69.1.235
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I second Gideon’s comment. Your criticism on ITW was superficial, whiny and lacked insight.
I’m sorry you didn’t like how I reviewed it.
you probably didn’t take your afternoon nap, or better yet, you forgot to take your medicine prior to watching the show at the Music Museum
Maybe. It was midterms week, so I wasn’t particularly feeling fine when I watched the show. But I did somewhat enjoy it. Just not everything about it. Maybe I was expecting too much??
Taste, taste, or the lack of it…LOL
Okay.
November 16th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Excuse me, whether you agree or disagree, it’s only an opinion anyway. You don’t have to say such rude words and further say that you have superiority in taste. Na ah! And … if you have nothing good to say, will you just please just shut your mouth?!
November 16th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
@Robert
The one who made AN OPINION about Into The Woods stated that “Into the Woods” is her favorite musical, not favorite production. There’s a difference. I too had a chance in watching the lackluster show. If you think that NWC’s Into the Woods is amazing, watch it again.
About lacking tastes, when you typed in “greatly mounted show”, that shows that YOU have a lack of taste, especially in the lacking of taste in direction and several acting “skills”.
Oh and why are you SOOOO bitter about it? I am sorry but you seem immature in stating your “feelings” towards the show. It wasn’t a greatly mounted show… it was a POORLY mounted show. Could’ve been better. See you in the Tasteful side.
-Jackie M.
November 17th, 2007 at 10:54 am
I’m sorry for this long comment, I had to say something about the comment Robert made.
Robert sounds like someone who is involved in the production… And doesn’t know how to handle criticism.
Tinatamaan ka masyado, eh she liked it naman. She only stated that she didn’t like the way the actors portrayed their roles. I think she’s saying na dahil sa mga actors, hindi gaano ka ganda ang labas ng show. Baka naman hindi talaga magaling kasi she praised the other ones.
And it was rude for you to say that Jessica forgot to take her “medicine” and “nap”. Sino kaya ang “superficial, whiny and lack[ing] insight” ngayon? Jessica, I’m so sorry for the use of such terms in your blog… Robert, ang kapal ng mukha mo. One commenter above already said that she is entitled to her opinion.
Now, I haven’t seen this production YET pero I was able to see the broadway revival w/ Phylicia Rashad lang nga, not Vanessa Williams, and hindi ko masyadong nagustuhan yung mga actors na pinili nila. Masyado rin akong nagexpect and I compared it din with the Bernadette Peters on dvd. Bias is unavoidable because the original broadway production was really exceptional.
November 19th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
I think I know what you mean by the narrators “distracting” delivery. She seemed to be eating her words.
And over-acting nga si Abueva. And oh my god Jack’s mother… speechless.
November 19th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
I watched NVC’s ITW, too, and I agree that while it’s not a bad production, it’s definitely not within flirting distance of the Original Broadway production.
Of course, there are several things that probably “hurt” this particular production, such as the small stage (inadequate space for the dance scenes, etc), or lack of really good actors and actresses. I can also truly say that Yulo and Williams are the standouts–although Wilson’s portrayal of the ‘now that i think about it–he is!’ slimy wolf/prince was really good. I remember the prince from the Original Broadway Cast being very “princely” and classy–traits that overshadowed what a, ahem, douche, he actually was.
(I’m sorry, I just have to say this) to ROBERT–you are a pompous, over-bearing, narrow-minded, moronic, pseudo-theater aficionado. And I say all this because if you were otherwise, you would’ve respected the contents of this review, not to mention the reviewer.
And P.S., this is a review, which means kislapmata.org is entitled to her own opinion–which by definition, can’t be wrong.
November 21st, 2007 at 8:45 am
Let spam invade that IP address!!! Haha! Excellent tactics Jecca dear!!!
November 27th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
Maganda boses ni Julie Abueva pero di ko feel acting niya. Masyadong OA. My two centavos lang po.
November 28th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
my… my… it’s just a review a.k.a. sharing one’s opinion… why are you (Robert and Gideon) making such a big fuss about it? Everyone’s entitled to say their opinion.
February 17th, 2008 at 7:35 am
Filipinos are just wonderful at considering themselves theater critics. Especially if they have - lah dee dah - seen the Broadway production on DVD or (oh cool) live. The reviews say more about the reviewers than the show.
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IP address state: Rizal
IP address city: Makati
Ok. No one’s claiming to be a theater critic.