Into the Woods at Bridge Theatre

Into the Woods at Bridge Theatre | Theatre review

8^th January 2026

8 January 2026

Leaning heavily into the comedic aspects of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s masterpiece, director Jordan Fein’s Into the Woods enchants its audiences with stunning designs, a charismatic cast, and the magic that is Sondheim’s score.

The story is an entanglement of several fairy tales, linked together by an original narrative about a baker (Jamie Parker) and his wife (Katie Brayben), who are cursed by a witch (Kate Fleetwood) to be unable to have children. The witch offers to break the curse if they gather several items that are fundamental to other fairy tales, leading to a complex story involving Rapunzel (Bella Brown), Cinderella (Chiumisa Dornford-May), Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk (Jo Foster), Little Red Ridinghood (Gracie McGonigal), and others. After an uplifting first act that concludes with a happy-ever-after, the grittier, gloomier second act deconstructs the concepts of wishes and endings in a clever twist that remains powerful to this day.

The cast frequently portray their characters amazingly well, delivering performances that immerse onlookers into the world of witty lyrics, even if musically some are uneven. In particular, Fleetwood, as the witc,h manages to be simultaneously threatening as the part-time villain of the story while still maintaining excellent comedic timing, and in Last Midnight even manages to generate a tear or two. Parker portrays a powerful baker whose development from hopeful would-be-father to crushed widower and single father produces moving results. Comedically, the princely duo of Oliver Savile (as Cinderella’s prince) and Rhys Whitfield (as Rapunzel’s prince) has the audience in tears of laughter at their rendition of Agony.

Tom Scutt’s set and costume designs are full of magic. All characters wear appropriate fairy-tale outfits that remind us of childhood representations, and the depiction of the forest with what look like proper trees and shrubbery is nothing short of breathtaking. Paired with Aideen Malone’s lighting – including using light and shadow to cleverly portray the giant (Valda Aviks) – the result is an atmospheric production that always looks the part.

There’s much to like about Into the Woods at Bridge Theatre. It’s an engaging and clever musical, and this rendition successfully works with the source material to guarantee a charming evening.

★★★★★

Michael Higgs
Photos: Johan Persson

Into the Woods is at Bridge Theatre from 3^rd December 2025 until 30^th May 2026. For further information or to book, visit the theatre’s website here.