This past Friday I took my assistant to "Into the Woods" as her Christmas present. We brought our 10 year old daughters as our "dates". Applebee's and Sondheim - what's not to like?
Cheryl is a single mom so I asked her if this is what she would like for Christmas as I thought she might want this for her daughter C and indeed she thought that would be a great experience for her daughter. IT was also a gift for me to have these two young girls sit for hours in rapt attention enjoying a beautiful and incredibly staged production of a classic story. I am happy to make little musical theatre lovers :)
The surprise for me was how Sondheim hit me so different this time around. I have seen Into the Woods multiple times. I love Sondheim but he isn't usually my favourite as his tonal interests are usually divergent from mine. This time watching it though I'm not sure if it's because of how they staged it or because we had seats in the 5th row or because I'm older now (I think it's the latter) but the lyrics really hit so differently.
It was like hearing the lyrics for the first time. The songs, especially in the second act where so different to me. It wasn't just campy fairytale music - there was truth and melancholy and depth. I talked with Em on the way home about how art can hit you differently as you walk through your life and just how amazing that is.
"Into the woods you have to grope
but that's the way you learn to cope
Into the woods to find there's hope
of getting through the journey
Into the woods
Each time you go
There's more to learn
Of what you know
Into the woods but not to slow
Into the woods it's nearing midnight
Into the woods to mid the Wolf, to heed the Witch, to honour the Giant, to mind, to heed, to find, to think, to teach , to join, to go to the Festival
Into the woods then out of the woods
And happy ever after! I wish!"
