St Mary's School Shaftesbury

'Into the Woods', Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Book by James Lapine, was performed as the Senior School Production on the 24th to the 26th of November 2005.

Congratulations to all those involved, it really was a splendid success!

The production had only 8 weeks of preparation time and so the rehearsing involved was intensive but proved to pay off with the outstanding finishing result.  The Drama and Music staff knew that attempting this production was definitely going to be a challenge but one that would bring out the best in everyone. As the cast was smaller than some main school productions (24), most performers were kept busy for most of the show.

The atmosphere created by all members of the production, whether it was the on-stage performers, the musicians, the wardrobe department, the technicians or the make up assistants, was constantly buzzing with excitement. Great enthusiasm was present at all times which became obvious when the lights dimmed and the show began.

The show brought laughter, sorrow, hysteria and even tears amongst those in the audience. Overall all the hard work truly paid off and they received praise and admiring comments from the sell-out audiences every night.  It really was an electric performance, with a wide range of lighting and video projection effects, the use of two different stages with a connecting walkway through the audience, amazingly detailed costumes and scenery setting each scene in the surreal world of Fairy Tales. All these aspects added to the show, making it the unique and highly entertaining performance that it was.

The characters were all familiar faces in the world of children’s fictional story books e.g. Little Red Riding Hood and her “Big Bad Wolf”, Cinderella, Jack (of beanstalk fame) and his Cow, two handsome princes, a Witch and even a monstrous giant, so the Juniors lower down the school were thoroughly entertained throughout whilst the more adult themes that lie underneath these old stories were brought out by the brilliant lyrics of Stephen Sondheim.

Every year, when a school production is put, on the real aim is to give the girls of the school an opportunity to show off their acting and performance skills and most of all to have fun!  ‘Into the Woods’ certainly achieved this aim!

'Into the Woods' really was an unforgettable magnificent performance.

Review by Lara (L6)