INTO THE WOODS.. question that's been bugging me forever

Posted: 2/21/06 at 2:50pm

In INTO THE WOODS, the Baker and Rapunzel are siblings, correct? So besides the line from the witch that states this, why don't they do anything about it? There's never a hug, or even a hello.

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 2:52pm

I've wondered this, too! I didn't know if I'd just missed something, or it was actually never dealt with. Yes, I believe that they are siblings, and thought it was odd that it never seemed to be acknowledged.

[Kitzarina]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 2:55pm

"The witch refused to tell him anything more about his sister, not even that her name was Rapunzel."

There's your answer--they didn't know.

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 2:56pm

Well, all the baker knows is that he has a sister that was taken by the witch. After that, his mind is way too preoccupied to ever acknowledge that Rapunzel was his sister. Maybe he's not bright enough to put 2 and 2 together.

But, you're right, it IS a fault in the book. Does anyone know if the same is true for the source material? (A novel, I believe)

[Dgrav30]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 2:57pm

the narrator says that the witch tells him he has a sibling but she never tells him who his sister is. this is in the opening number

[DirtyRottenGirl]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 2:58pm

I think it's because the witch doesn't say your sister's name is Rapunzel. She says no you have a sister. So either he doesn't figure it out before she dies or I dont know. Rapunzel probably has no idea. They also have their own problems during this time.

Posted: 2/21/06 at 2:58pm

so there's NOT a fault in the book.

[Kringas]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 2:59pm

The Baker and his wife didn't come from source material. They were creations of Lapine and Sondheim.

[Kitzarina]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 3:03pm

I swear...did I not just directly quote from the script? Gah...

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 3:03pm

It is not a fault in the book, do you not read?

[My Fair Lady]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 3:21pm

I had the same question too!

[My Fair Lady]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 3:21pm

I had the same question too!

[children&art]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 3:22pm

and, dont rapunzel and her prince leave the kingdom at the end of act 1? and before that she's in a tower, so where would the hug or hello come from?

[Jon]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 3:23pm

There is no "source material" novel.

The characters of the Baker and his wife were inventer by James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim.

By the way, if you look really closely, you'll discover that the Mysterious Man might also be Jack's father.

[children&art]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 3:30pm

whoa! what logical reference point do you have that Mysterious Man is anyone's father other than the Baker's????

[BWAYboi_yes]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 3:47pm

I've actually once or twice thought the same thing. I have no evidence, but I did think it could be-- Mysterious man leaves the Baker's family, then wanders, meets Jack's mother, does the same "running away" as he did before. Thus him knowing the name, "Hello, Jack" or Jack's mother singing, "Your father's not back." He also finds the cow and gives it back to the Baker, "Looking for you cow... (Mooooo)" How did he find the cow when it ran away? Did the cow KNOW him? Hmmm....It's fun to think about.

[michelle4]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 3:56pm

The baker doesn't know who his sister is because the witch doesn't tell him her name. Rapunzel lives in the tower until she escapes, meets the prince marries him and lives in his kingdom. Rapunzel is then killed. I don't think that the Baker and Rapunzel every actually cross paths.

[Kitzarina]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 3:59pm

*headdesk*

[BWAYboi_yes]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 4:00pm

I used to refer to the twins as Hansel and Gretel. I know... I know...

[Kitzarina]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 4:25pm

*HEAD.DESK*

[children&art]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 4:29pm

kitz, is that the sound of your head smacking the top of your desk? if so, oww!

[Kitzarina]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 4:56pm

Yes it was. Methinks I need to change my signature to make it more inclusive.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 5:04pm

"The Baker and his wife didn't come from source material. They were creations of Lapine and Sondheim."

No, they came from a French story. The same story that Stephen Schwartz based his musical "The Baker's Wife" on. Lapine & Sondheim just tweeked the story so that the adulterous wife falls in love with a prince instead of a shepherd.

[children&art]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 5:11pm

and granny is actually the baker's wife's mother.

[Kitzarina]

Posted: 2/21/06 at 5:12pm

And the Witch is Little Red in disguise.