All Star Productions’ Into the Woods to return to London

Award-winning All Star Productions has teamed up with Trilby Productions and London’s The Cockpit to stage a fresh new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into the Woods next month.

Following on from a sold-out run in 2014 at All Star’s home base, Walthamstow’s Ye Olde Rose and Crown, the new production of Sondheim and Lapine’s magical creation has been given a 21st century twist by weaving in popular culture and topical events.

Featuring an ensemble of 17 larger-than-life characters drawn from modern day Britain, the production will once again be directed by Tim McArthur.

Commenting on the production which will play The Cockpit from 23 May until 24 June, McArthur said: “My love for Stephen Sondheim began in 1988 when I went to see a production of Follies at the Shaftesbury Theatre. As I grow older, I find myself unconsciously relooking at Sondheim’s material; its complexity is vast and, as an artist, I continue to discover new meanings and feelings about his storytelling.

“Into the Woods is a magnificent piece of theatre and storytelling and, young or old, it’s full of life and lessons that we can all learn from. When we got the rights to do the show back in 2014, I knew I wanted to do something different and fresh with the production, now what Into the Woods meant to me four years ago has further evolved. The fairy tales are so strong and legendary, so I wanted to use that but reinvent the look of the show for a modern audience.”

The production’s musical director, Aaron Clingham added: “I am so thrilled to revisit Into the Woods four years after our original production. This show holds a special place for me as it was the show that first introduced me to the work of Stephen Sondheim almost 15 years ago.

“For a musical director, tackling any Sondheim score is always an exciting challenge – the lyrics are often complex with multiple internal rhymes and the musical motifs and melodies are technically challenging. But I can’t wait to share with audiences my newly reduced orchestration for the show which I have scored for strings and woodwind which is based on Jonathan Tunick’s original parts”

Angela Thomas