"Into the Woods" Revival Question

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 3:53pm

Does anyone know why they changed the lyrics of "Last Midnight" in the revival?

[sondhead]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 3:54pm

To help take away some of the confusion with her dissappearance... but it really just made it weird..

I really don't think you can go back and change little things about songs and expect them to work in a different way. It was just obvious that they didn't fit and had been written years and years later.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 4:07pm

One day during rehearsals, LaPine told Vanessa..."pick up the baby." She did, so to accomadate her singing to the baby, they canged some of the lyrcis to the song which, I think, turns out much better with the new version. the original version was confusing and bizare. They had her repeat thigns like boom and squish and splat and crunch. It wasn't very intriguing.

The new version pretty much says she's leaving them because she can't stand to see the world continue on its terrible path (ie...the baby will one day be like any other human).

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 4:19pm

Would someone be able to post the changed lyrics in "Last Midnight"? I only have the OBC, so I wasn't aware of this change. Thanks!

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 4:24pm

Last Midnight:
Witch: It's the last midnight, It's the last wish
It's thelast midnight, soon it will be Boom- Squish!
Told a little lie, stole a little gold, broke a little vow did you?
Had to get your Prince, had to get your cow, had to get you wish,
Doesn't matter how- anyway, it doesn't matter now.
It's the last midnight, it's the boom splat!
Nothing but a vast midnight, everybody smashed flat!
Nothing you can do- not exactly true.
You can always give her the boy!
No? No, of course what matters is the blame.
Someone you can blame. Fine, if that's the thing you enjoy,
Placing the blame, it that's the aim, give me the blame-
Just give me the boy.
Little Red Ridinghood, Cinderella: No!
Witch: No...
(to Baker's baby) You're so pure. But stay here, and in time you'll mature.
And grow up to be them so let's fly, you and I, far away.
I'm the hitch, I'm what no one believes, I'm the witch!
They're all liars and thieves like your father,
Just like you will be, too- Oh, why bother? They'll just do what they do.
It's the last midnight, so goodbye all.
Coming at you fast midnight, soon you'll see the sky fall.
Jack, you want a bean? Have another bean!
Beans were made for making you rich!
Plant them and they'll soar- here, you want some more?
listen to the roar: Giants by the score! Oh, well, you can blame another witch.
It's the last midnight, it's the last verse.
Now before it's past midnight, I'm leaving you my last curse:
I'm leaving you alone. Squirming the mess that you made. Fix it on your own.
Time for me to go, I'm afraid.
Back to what I know. Back to long ago, Safe inside the world that I'm from.
Better ugly and spurned with my powers returned-
And I fear midnight's here. Time to disappear.
Mother- here I come!

I just like the original. It reminds me of a mental break down.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 4:48pm

Thank you for the lyrics! Very interesting.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 4:52pm

The original was so exquisite and was written specifically for Bernadette Peters who gave a magnificent rendition of the song (judging from the sound recording and the filmed performance). The original version got the point across regarding the Baker's baby and it added even more:
You're so nice,
You're not good, you're not bad,
You're just nice.
I'm not good, I'm not nice,
I'm just right.
I'm the witch, you're the world.
I'm the hitch, I'm what no one believes, I'm the witch.
You're all liars and thieves like his father,
Like his son will be too
Oh, why bother? You'll just do what you do

When she says "you're the world," she says it with scorn, stating that she is not part of that world hence why she is throwing away the beings to be cursed again. I preferred the connection she made to the Baker's father tracing it down to his son, rather than focusing on the baby alone. It was definitely a breakdown, the Witch's "Rose's Turn" if you will. The change of lyrics took away from the song, not to mention the fact that Williams is no Peters but that's for a different thread. IMO, most of the changes in the revival were annoying at best; why did they came up with the idea of having Jack and Little Red Riding Hood sing at the end of "On The Steps of the Palace"? It ruined the song for me.

[MrAmySpanger]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 5:00pm

the change in on the steps of the palace was....bizzare. its kind of unfortunate too because laura was incredible, but then at the end it was kinda just "wtf was that?"

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 5:10pm

I actually kind of liked some of the lyrics they changed. The concept of singing to the baby still works with the old lyrics, but I prefer the "better ugly and spurned." The loss of "i'm not good, I'm not nice, I'm just right" was not worth it in the long run though.

[sondhead]

Posted: 12/10/06 at 5:20pm

'the change in on the steps of the palace was....bizzare. its kind of unfortunate too because laura was incredible, but then at the end it was kinda just "wtf was that?""

Yea.. it was also kind of patronizing to the audience. It seemed to assume we are too stupid to see the correllation between the two stories.

More than anything, it made a really great song have a really awkward ending.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 1:08pm

Some of the lyrics may be an improvement, but I agree that taking out them being nice, the witch being right, and especially "you're the world." So many ideas in there to chew on. I mean, I agree with the interpretation posted, but I also saw that "world" line as she's the witch, she's what we call evil and she's not real, but when she turns it on them, "you're the world," I got the feeling that she was showing them they're real and capable of being just as "evil" and witches. And I personally love the idea of a hypocrisy to the world, that people are nice but not necessarily good, but that's a bit personal as I really feel strongly about the idea that we're all extremely hypocritical.

I love this show.

And no one can sing that song like Bernadette.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 1:26pm

I definitely agree with your opinion about "you're the world," the way Peters sings the line, it seems like she is blaming them for being "the world." She calls herself a witch playing with the negative connotations of the word, but then her tone when she calls them "the world" shows how we're just as bad/good as the Witch might be, the difference is she accepts who she is instead of being hypocritical about it like the rest of the characters who see themselves as the "good" fairy tale-characters. This point is completely missed with the new lyrics, IMO.

[NightMusic]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 2:06pm

I thought it was obvious (or maybe you're all saying this) that from what she said to Rapunzel...

"Don't you know what's out there in the world?
Someone has to shield you from the world.
Stay with me"

I think that she's simply saying that she's not the problem, they are, and the 'Witch' isn't always what causes what's wrong, which is the point of the entire show. The new lyrics are just ridiculous.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 2:09pm

Other than the set, lighting, and Laura Benanti, I disliked the revival. HORRIBLE.

[defyingravity11]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 2:17pm

What I never understood is why the Witch is still beautiful during the finale if she threw the beans away again?

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 2:20pm

I've just heard a few selections from the revival's cast recording and I really didn't care for them. I like Vanessa Williams as a pop singer, but as The Witch her voice was just grating. It sounds like she was trying to snarl and be witchy rather than be a good singer. It just came off as migraine-inducing.

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 2:28pm

defyinggravity: At the end, Jack's Mother is also back and she died in the second act, so I don't consider The Witch showing up all hot that disturbing. That doesn't answer your question at all, I know. Just an observation.

[rosekwbp]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 2:31pm

I don't like the changed lyrics. The original lyrics get the point across. And I love the way Bernadette sings it.

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 2:51pm

I think singing "Last Midnight" works just as well sung to the baby with the original lyrics and looses none of it's meaning

My biggest gripe in the revivalwas the extended mini-scene after the Baker's Wife says "Will only a giant's footstep stop you" and the Baker then said something along the lines of "I'm the man, you stay here" and he left and the Baker's Wife tried to explain to Little Red why "grown-ups" fight

THAT was completely unnessary and did nothing but add time to an already long show.

[Julian2]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 3:03pm

I think of all the unnecessary changes made in revivals, I hate this one the most. To me, the witch has always represented the underbelly of society. Those who refuse to play societies games and are then criminalized for it. Completely lost in the new lyrics.

How much control does Sondheim have over this kind of stuff? Did he write these new lyrics, or have to approve them?

[mrcacou]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 4:39pm

At the end of "Last Midnight" the Witch does indeed start to be ugly again. She looses her hair and is truning old again.
I loved what they did with the revival even after a 9 hour flight and 6 hour jet lag.
The sets were great and it was fun to hear Dame Dench.

[DrunkyMcWasted]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 5:12pm

For once, I agree with Munk. Other than the set, the lighting, and Laura... I am not a fan of the revival.

Maybe it's because the original is one of my alltime favorite shows, but I thought the revival was just... bleh. None of the changed lyrics were necessary, and took away from the song in my opinion. And while the harmonies at the end of "Steps of the Palace" were pretty, I thought it took away from the moment. And Vanessa Williams was hideously miscast.

If it aint broke, dont fix it.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 5:44pm

"To me, the witch has always represented the underbelly of society. Those who refuse to play societies games and are then criminalized for it"

GREAT observation!

[andyf]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 5:46pm

They're going to revive Into the Woods??

Sweet.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 5:48pm

There was a point in time where I didn't care what changes were made so long as I saw a production of Into the Woods on Broadway. Since then, I have done a production of Into the Woods and have come to the conclusion that Into the Woods robbed Oklahoma of its Tony Award for Best Revival and that all of the changes made in the show were incredibly stupid.

And, no, andy, they're not reviving Into the Woods. They revived Into the Woods already. Looking back, it was pure crap.

Updated On: 12/11/06 at 05:48 PM