By Joe Szekeres
Varied shades and hues of these woods in Scarborough Music Theatre’s 58th season opener left me feeling extreme puzzlement and confusion with a tint of respect and dash of admiration.
Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Into the Woods’, a staple of the amateur and community theatre scene, is by no means an easy musical to stage for amateur/community groups and for the professional theatre circuit. Some of the famous Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault fairy tales are brought to life with elaborate costumes and intricate setting as we hearken back to a once upon a time of long ago. Sondheim’s music is a definite challenge to sing for its irregular rhythms. I can recall my participation in a production of ‘Sweeney Todd’ several years ago where I had to count in my head certain beats in timing before the singing started.
And yet, the community/professional musical theatre actor loves meeting this challenge in music. Personally, when these demands are met, Sondheim’s music is glorious to hear as the material has been meticulously rehearsed and the actor/performer is ready to share with an audience.
There were specific moments at this opening night of SMT’s production of ‘Into the Woods’ that hit all the right notes for me. There was even a moment where I could feel a tear in my eye, so the actors/singers had me at that point.
Unfortunately, I didn’t feel that much needed personal connection continually through this three-hour production. There was tremendous potential here because I could see so much effort from so many people listed in the programme especially in the area of set design and costumes; however, I’m puzzled by Director/Music Director Marion Abbot’s choice to set this production in the 1920s because it seemed out of place for me.
The posters and programme cover showcase some woods that are ‘lovely, dark and deep’ as Robert Frost once wrote. When I sat down and studied Bill Corcoran’s set design, I didn’t see any connection to any woods at all. Instead, it appears as if I’ve entered a 1920s speakeasy nightclub. I could hear twittering birds and sounds in the pre-show soundscape, but where are the woods?
Alex Amini and Carmen Amini’s costumes are gorgeous to behold as they have captured the essence of the 1920s – right from the flapper to the gangster. But it appears to me these costumes seem out of place in this story. These costumes have come right out either from a film noir police drama or one of Jay Gatsby’s palatial parties. This puzzled me tremendously. Two examples (but space doesn’t allow me to mention all) - The Baker’s Wife flapper’s costume does not reflect the world weariness she and her husband experience in not having a child. Instead, the cigarette smoking woman who shoos him away at her whim bugged me and reduced any sympathy for her. Tom Roedding’s G Man, Edward G. Robinson Wolf Costume during ‘Hello, Little Girl’, made me think Roedding would pull out a rifle to start shooting rather than show this is a song of seduction and temptation.
There are some good performances, nevertheless. Peter Pequegnat’s Narrator is clear. I liked how he moved around the auditorium at various points to maintain and sustain my interest. Christopher Martel-Fauteux and Michael Yaneff are solidly wonderful and comical as the conceited and pompous princes to Rapunzel and Cinderella. Michael Manning’s Steward also provided much laughter as he gallivants after his princes to ensure their safety from things going on in the woods.
A clever use of vaudevillian performers Esther Cabral, Jenise Fitzpatrick and Amy Sarjeant kept the plot moving through the repositioning of set pieces on the stage and providing some laughter in the first and second acts with their ‘sound effects’ cards. Isla Parekh and Daniel Charpentier as Little Red Riding Hood and Jack were delightful. Their costumes did match the characters they played. At times, during the second act, their diction and elocution in their dialogue and singing faded so they’ll have to be mindful in future performances. Chantel Kuli as Jack’s Mother is that robotic voice of reason for a young child who does not want to listen.
As the childless Baker and his wife, Martin Buote and Patricia Mongeon appeared uncomfortably disconnected to me at the top of the show. I didn’t see any world weariness between the two. As the story continued, yes, there was a definite character arc for both. The tear that was brought to my eye occurred in the second act when Ms. Mongeon tells Mr. Buote to calm their child as we hear ‘No One is Alone’. Mr. Buote nicely becomes that solid father figure who has grown and changed since life does not always turn out ‘happy ever after’ as the characters discover in the second act.
I had some initial trouble in accepting Hayley Finewax as the Witch since her apothecary like costume did not make me pay attention to her. Once she becomes who she is supposed to become, Ms. Finewax sings well especially in ‘Stay With Me’ to Rapunzel. As the long golden-haired daughter Rapunzel, Rachel Savlov’s yearning and singing from high in the tower amusedly became a tad wearisome for her intended in the second act.
Gabriella Farias as Cinderella has a nice singing voice especially in ‘No One is Alone’ which brought said tear to my eye. Her comical pratfalls, because she is uncomfortable in her shoes running in the woods (or speakeasy), never went over the top. Marianne Lannigan, Laura Currie and Callista Foti are appealing caricatures of Cinderella’s stepmother and stepsisters. I loved the sunglasses after the stepsisters lose their eyesight. As the voice of the Giant who terrorizes in the second act, Melissa Comstock never went over the top in this characterization.
Ms. Abbott certainly had her hands full both in directing the production, playing in the orchestra and being the music director. Once again, Sondheim’s stuff is a challenge to sing for its timing. The performers did well on this opening night. There were moments and glitches in the second act where I felt some of the actors’ voices were starting to show fatigue as there was strain and the odd off pitch singing. As performances continue, I’m positive this will tighten us.
FINAL COMMENTS: I’m always in complete admiration how amateur/community theatre groups want to tackle these grandiose musicals. My concern – are there strong singers whose voices can sustain a three-week intensive run just after a tech week where the entire company has rehearsed each night?
Despite some of the issues I might have had, the opening night audience appeared to enjoy the production. For community groups, hopefully, this is the focus for all of their work.
‘Into the Woods’ runs to November 16 at the Scarborough Village Theatre. For further information, visit the website.