Sondheim’s 1987 Broadway classic reinvented Grimm tales, and whilst this production from the Sheffield University Performing Arts Society needed not to reinvent, it certainly sought to invoke the classical quality of the musical and succeeded in doing so to great effect.
Jamie Stephens’ and Rory Violet’s direction was fantastic. Scenes were carefully considered, and the conveyer-belt qualities of the work were well understood, bringing about an amusing and potent sense of urgency and slickness. I got a strong impression there was some really useful time put into fine-tuning the actors’ performances also, as there was evident depth and a real freedom and aliveness that can often only be wrought out by a director-actor working relationship. The layers of these performances are arguably what much of the piece hangs upon. Stan Smith and Nancy Rutter’s choreography was equally as impressive, handling large set pieces very well whilst maintaining good control over more intricate fixtures between one or two other performers. George Maher and team’s set design and execution was also very impressive for student theatre – comprehensive, efficient and ambitious, as were the wider elements of the production, from technical to costume.
The ensemble cast proved compelling as performers. There was some lovely work from Aine Cronnelly, Jess Hamilton, Jude Yellop and Harry Reeves who all had a nicely balanced skillset put to great use. Sophie Warren, Alfie Cowgill, Vania Azadi and Dan Brown were equally admirable with some special recognition owed to their comedic (and vocal) sensibilities. The awful stepmother and stepsisters, in the form of formidable trio Zara Walton, Emily Mawson and Isabel Butterworth were as funny as they were fiercely good actors.
Walton’s delivery in particular was very strong, and she gave a real full-bodied performance which left little more to be desired. James Laikin’s Jack (of beanstalk fame) was a welcoming display of great theatrical understanding, giving an appropriately balanced performance in which Jack was overstated but crucially not excessive, making for great viewing. Evan Dorringer’s Prince was full of all the charm and annoying charisma you’d want and expect from young fairytale royalty, and their astute comedic timing only added to this nice performance.
Abby Lever proved to be truly excellent in their role as puppeteer, capturing the adoration of the audience through their sheer commitment and emphatic emotive displays with both cow face and human face. In really remarkable territory lie Katie Weller and Eve Catanach, who’s roles as the Baker’s Wife and The Witch respectively were performed brilliantly. Weller demonstrated a responsiveness and playfulness that was equally focussed as it was free and had an incredible voice to boot. There was a sense of deliberation in their work, and the result was a well-rounded performance that operated at a high level from beginning to end. Catanach’s character work as The Witch and (spoiler alert) slightly younger witch also demonstrated a really pervasive attention detail that rewards itself with an emphatic performance. Malleable yet certain, Catanach shows us how to commit to character, and by proxy commit to emotion, to story and to ensuring all of that is delivered to the audience – and deliver they, and this cast, did.
Technical aspects of the show were very strong, with an excellent score and musical accompaniment by Jack Wheatley and team. Lighting design was strong although there was some inconsistency, particularly with elevated scenes. Also, as strong as Stephens’ and Violet’s direction was, there was some scenes perhaps not as tightly wound as others, which resulted in a slight tonal dissonance as the scenes ensued. This clockwork-like intensity and great sense of timing that pervades the piece is so routine that when that routine is broken it feels noticeable, and an odd beat missed here or an actor’s eyes/body language/hesitation giving away the next cue kill the magic for us in that moment. The woods become a set again, and as nice as the set is, that’s not what we want to see. It can be forgiven, as to maintain this narrative synchronicity that also harbours the emotional maps of our characters for a full-length musical to the standard given, one must operate themselves and their crew of creatives at a very high level for large swathes of time. It can be accepted that a few moments of fatigue filter into the work. Of course, it also demands a concentration from performers that cannot always be imposed and retrieved. It is a testament to the strength of this work, however, that these imperfections are sparse.
Funny, emphatic and joyful, SUPAS production of Into the Woods is as strong as you’re likely to see in student theatre. It gives us a real insight into talent that is already beginning to have its own agency and maturity. This talent is ready to be identifiable beyond the framework of amateur theatre and I trust it will be.
Into the Woods is running until Saturday 3rd May at the University of Sheffield Drama Studio. Tickets available via @supashef
Reviewer: Louis Thompson
Reviewed: 30th April 2025
North West End UK Rating: