Question
A Review of “Into the Woods” by Stephen Sondheim
1.Introduction. Tell your reader what you saw, where and when. Tell your reader
what your general response to the production was. Did you find it an enjoyable
experience? Why exactly? Did it give you food for thought? About what and why?
What did you learn about modern theatre practices?
2. The Direction. The director
is the person who, in the end, is responsible for what you see on stage. What
meanings in this play were emphasised. How did the design, staging, and
character and acting style choices draw attention to these? Were these choices
successful in creating the impact on the audience you thought the director and
creative team intended? Did the theatre itself and the playing area suit the
production? Why or why not? Were the stage pictures interesting and/or
attractive as well as meaningful? Was there an interesting and varied use of
stage space? Was the focus generally where it should be? What did you
think about the pace of the production?
3. The Acting. Discuss the acting. Was it of a particular kind? Stylised in some way, using masks, very physical, reminded you of circus perfomers, very melodramatic, realistic or ‘fourth wall’ (these are only a few of the possibilities). What can you say about the kind of acting in this production compared with the kind of work you’ve seen in other productions and done yourself? Was the style of acting appropriate to the kind of play and style of production? Why or why not? Which performances did you particularly admire? Be very specific in saying why.
4. {The Music. How did the
music contribute to the overall production? Was the style of music appropriate
to the rest of the “action”? Were the songs sung well? Could you hear and
understand the words to the songs? Was the orchestra playing in tune, and
together?}*
5. The Design. How did the design contribute
to the production’s meanings? Describe the sets, lights and costumes. What kind
of a statement did each of these make.
6. Conclusion. You might want to elaborate on your production. What did you particularly like about the production? How did it illumine your understanding of life?
Expert Solution
"Into the Woods" is
a creatively written story by Stephen Sondheim that features familiar
characters from previous shows such as Snow White, Rapunzel, and Cinderella, as
well as newly created and introduced characters by the directors. In my opinion,
the expertise of the actors and our familiarity with some of them, the
synchrony of the show with the orchestra, and the stage setup have created such
flow, allowing the audience to follow and be engrossed in the story intended by
the scriptwriters. The play inspired my introspection on the existence of happy
endings for stories. I thought about the possibility of happiness, an ideal
state, without subsequent consequences in the future. Particularly, is it
possible to be truly happy, making choices in sync with our absolute joy
without the assurance of future consequences that are detrimental and could
shrink the previous joy experienced when making those choices? Using symbols of
the witch, the woof, the giant, and the woods, there's a contrast of the joys
and beautiful experiences in life, as well as the shadows that lurk, waiting to
attack when we are engrossed in the simple pleasures of life. Throughout the
play, I have observed the inclusion of narrator-like characters, humor, and
tonal variations of the characters, which enable the audience to understand the
play better.
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