Digital Theatre's Into the Woods?

[matttaylorr021]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 10:45am

Has anyone ever seen this? How was it? The Witch sounds amazing! Also, does anyone know where I can find it online to watch?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES2ut6L_l7c

[Musicaldudepeter]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 10:52am

It's a lovely production, although I have to say Hannah Waddingham is the biggest weak link in the production as the Witch... She can't sing it, and her 'rap' falls flat in the Prologue. Jenna Russell (as usual) steals the show as the Baker's Wife, and Beverly Rudd's Red Riding Hood is commendable. The Rapunzel is also particularly good, whoever she is.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 10:54am

Ditto on everything Musicaldudepeter said. I love watching it and the direction is very inventive.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 10:59am

You can rent it or buy it from the Digital Theatre website...the link is in the description.

http://www.digitaltheatre.com/production/details/into-the-woods?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=IntoTheWoodsTrailer

[matttaylorr021]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 11:04am

That's a bummer. Her voice sounds strong in that preview.

[wicked1492]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 11:17am

I wholeheartedly disagree about Hannah Waddingham. I thought she was incredible and fully fleshed out the Witch's arc. Stunning, in my opinion.

Please rent it, form your own opinion and let us know what you thought!

Jenna Russell and the Jack are my personal highlights, but the direction and concept are the true stars of the show. Those Brits just understand how to treat and respect text.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 11:19am

Yes…and then Timothy Sheader went and second-guessed himself and what we got here stateside was a very uneven production sadly.

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 11:41am

Waddingham isn't bad, she makes a lot of bold, different choices. Many of which pay off, some don't.

As others have mentioned, Jenna Russell absolutely steals the production. I highly recommend buying it! Digital Theatre also just revamped their iPad/iPhone app, and you can now stream it from those devices whenever!

[Owen22]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 11:48am

This is the greatest production of "Into the Woods" I have ever seen or ever will see. It's concept is heartbreaking (though it seemed confusing to some who saw it, and seemed to be totally lost to the viewers in the Central Park version). And I know this version is good as Digital Theatre taped this at the very performance I attended.

[Musicaldudepeter]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 12:08pm

I think when Sondheim shows are revamped and reimagined (this Woods, and Doyle's 2005 Sweeney), they can a lot of the time only truly be appreciated by those audience members who know the shows well... some newcomers tend to be lost because they're distracted by the 'concepts'

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 12:29pm

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this production. You should definitely rent or buy it!

[finebydesign]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 12:32pm

I bought it a while back but can't figure out how to convert the file from their crappy player.

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 12:35pm

Conversion is possible, but it is a pain in the ass.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 12:40pm

I highly recommend it too. It won't replace the original DVD in my heart, but it's a great alternative, very well filmed.

I've downloaded a number of Digital Theatre productions of varying degrees (I think I own their ITW, Merrily, the anniversary production of Beautiful Thing, the Globe's Doctor Faustus, Far From the Madding Crowd and a particularly good All My Sons.) I hope they do more, and they seem to. Yeah, I'd prefer having them on Blu Ray, and I'm not savvy enough to convert them, however purchasing the HD versions and then simply using an HDMI cable from my laptop hooked up to my large HD TV they look, to my eyes, as good as a BR disc.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 1:00pm

Contrary to Wicked1492, I thought the concept and direction were the weakest parts of the show. I do admit that how they did things like the beanstalk and giant were clever, however the industrial feel of the show removed much of the magic for me. If they wanted to go steampunk, then they should have committed to it. I thought the cast was good (hated Cinderella's costume) and I did like the change they made by having the boy as the narrator, annoying as the actor was.

[Kad]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 1:11pm

"Yesand then Timothy Sheader went and second-guessed himself and what we got here stateside was a very uneven production sadly."

It wasn't entirely his doing- there was pressure from others.

I love the recorded production- aside from Cinderella, who I feel is truly the weak link in the cast.

Jenna Russell is the only actress who has come close to Joanna Gleason's greatness as the Baker's Wife.

[Musicaldudepeter]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 1:18pm

^ I agree re Russell... She had humor, pathos and heart.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 2/28/14 at 1:37pm

Agreed Kad. Although I would have loved to see Imelda Staunton's performance in the OLC in person.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/1/14 at 3:33pm

Aside from Woods and Merrily, I'd be interested to hear what other productions (if any) people have bought from Digital Theatre, and what they thought of them.

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 3/1/14 at 5:26pm

If the David Suchet and Zoe Wannamaker All My Sons is still on there id recommend that. I saw it in the theatre and it was a masterclass in acting. One of the best things I've seen

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/1/14 at 6:27pm

Yes, I mentioned how much I liked it and that I bought a copy. Great stuff. I'm glad they seem to be recording more and more theatre--I wish they had filmed last Summer's Sweet Bird of Youth as they initially announced.

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/1/14 at 8:59pm

Saw this when it was done here in the park. Would love to see the original production. Have been debating s to whether I want to rent it.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 3/1/14 at 9:51pm

If the David Tennant/Catherine Tate Much Ado About Nothing is still on there, I would highly recommend that. I saw it when I was in London 3 years ago and it was fantastic.

(Also, re: whoever said you have to know the shows really well to "get" some directors' interpretations of Sondheim, I disagree wholly with that. I saw the Doyle Sweeney almost completely cold and understood and loved it. But the Doyle conversation has been done to death here, and it seems people either love or hate his interpretations of Sondheim...I happen to love them.)

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 3/1/14 at 11:10pm

"It wasn't entirely his doing- there was pressure from others."

Eustis?

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 3/10/14 at 8:28pm

I've watched this production many times and I have always enjoyed it. I'm use the accents in both filmed versions of this musical. I don't mind Helen Dallimore as Cinderella. I will say that she makes an interesting choice for an important scene. When she confronts the Prince about straying from her, she is more disappointed rather than angry/upset like Kim Crosby was in the Broadway production. I think that puts her own stamp on the character.