Sondheim / Lapine: Into the Woods (1991 Original London Cast)
Stephen Sondheim's Tony-winning take on fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm,Into the Woodsis probably his most accessible show, with beautiful music, a strong plot line, recognizable characters--including Red Riding Hood and Cinderella--and abundant humor (while not shying away from the occasional gruesomeness that Disney sanitized out of the original stories). This 1990 London production features a good cast headlined by stage veterans Imelda Staunton and Julia McKenzie, who are given the unenviable tasks of following Joanna Gleason and Bernadette Peters from theoriginal Broadway cast. Unlike some shows originating in the U.S.,Into the Woodsworks perfectly well with British accents due to the Old World subject matter, and this recording is noteworthy for a lovely duet between the Witch and Rapunzel, "Our Little World," that was not in the original production. All in all, a solid supplement to, but not a replacement for, the absolute rightness of the Broadway cast. The CD's 71 minutes are generously divided into 33 tracks, but lyrics are not included.--David Horiuchi