First Impressions: Into the Woods // spoilers + honest reactions of original broadway production
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- Опубликовано: 2 сен 2021
- Back with another episode of the First impressions series! I was shocked watching Into the woods, and I don't hold back my honest reactions and opinions! Big spoilers throughout the video! It made me laugh and cringe, all the best things for a fairy-tale classic musical production! Join me in watching the original 1989 Broadway production with Bernadette Peters, and other amazing actors!
1989 Original Broadway Production: • Into The Woods
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I find it interesting that you were happy the wife was squished after cheating but you wanted the prince to stay with Cinderella.
It bothers me because the wife of the Baker had been telling her since the beginning that this is HIS problem and how he has to be the one to solve the childlessness, but then the moment that he has the child he keeps handing the baby off to his wife.
THEN after the prince and the wife have the affair, the only one to regret it was the wife.
...
Kinda interesting to see how certain ideals get instilled in us isn't it?
When you were saying Cinderella and the Prince should be honourable and stay together, their parting words to each other show why it wouldn't work.
"I shall always love the maiden who ran away"
"And I the far away prince."
As is so often the way with things you want (or people you develop crushes on), they loved the idea of each other and what they symbolise to each other, but the reality was too different.
I found it so interesting that you find yourself questioning if this is for parents or children, since that's one of the main themes. Particularly the progression of the melody from "Stay With Me" to "Lament" ending with "Children Will Listen."
Because she doesn't get it
The most interesting and somewhat depressing idea of the is the context of the show. In the 80’s, AIDS was larger than ever - the government were just ignoring the problem and people were dying left, right and centre. Nobody was listening to each other and parents were worried about their children and the world.
The show and the woods itself is a metaphor for life and how the woods show you want you really want, but also what matters in life.
The notes that played when the baker dropped the beans is called the “bean theme” it is played in the background of a bunch of the music to symbolize that what happened is happening because of the beans
Sideways dedicated an entire video to the "Bean Theme".
I love how the moral of the musical is that nobody is innocent. Everyone does messed up stuff and everyone tries to justify their actions and try to be the hero of their own storie but we're all human beings at the end of the day, we all make mistakes
The witch is played by legend Bernadette Peters, who is very familiar with the late great Stephen Sondheim. I hope you get to know her as you watch more musicals. She is extremely versatile and intelligent. The Baker's Wife is Joanna Gleason, who is not as well known as Peters, but who can be seen gracing movies in small supporting roles. Little Red Riding Hood (not Goldilocks) is Danielle Ferland, who you can also see in a televised production of "A Little Night Music", also by Sondheim.
The play is in two acts, not three.
Yes this was a live performance filmed before a live audience and broadcast on tv, the Public TV station. There was a series of these, which included "A Little Night Music", mentioned above, "Sweeney Todd" with Len Cariou and Angela Lansbury, and a hysterically funny rendtion of Shakespeare's "Comedy of Errors" with the juggling team called the Flying Karamazov Brothers.
The saying is about lightening never striking the same place twice.
Don't forget, she recently got back into Broadway and came out of retirement. I am so excited.
@@octogonSmuggler Neither of the actors mentioned ever retired
9:14 it's fitting that she brings attention to this leitmotif, because it seems pretty central to the musical. Sondheim in a musical breakdown explained that this is the "bean theme" that represents the force of mischief and mayhem that the characters sew throughout the show. He goes on to explain that in No One Is Alone, when the characters sing "people make mistakes" and "honor their mistakes" it is an inversion of the theme in a major chord. This symbolizes a breaking of the spell, or rather the pattern The characters are through scheming for their selfish ends, acknowledge their screw-ups, and finally band together to save the day.
Also, at 14:11 I could've sworn you said why does "this bitch"... And in fact I choose to believe that's what you did say
Bernadette Peters as the Witch is a cultural reset. Iconic!
You talk a lot through the plot. I hope you went back and rewatched it because you missed a lot!
If you were bothered by the blood in Into the Woods, probably shouldn't watch the Sweeney Todd proshoot.
Ha ha noted. It's more so the thought of have having her heel or toe cut off! Guess I was feeling squeamish that day lol
The film version of Sweeney Todd is worse than the theater recording. A lot more gore. The play is not unmanageable if you know the right moments to look away; but the... _thought_ may still be problematic.
Fun Fact: The song "At The Gala" from the season 1 finale of "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" was inspired by the song "Ever After" from "Into The Woods". And if you do "Sunday In the Park With George" also done by Stephen Sondheim, there is another MLP song + reprise that is inspired by a song from that. I'll tell you in the comments of that video if you do "Sunday In the Park With George", or if you want me to, I can wright another comment telling what those songs are.
That is so interesting! I actually was re-watching MLP recently and some of the songs reminded me of musical theatre songs! Like the song 'The Pony I want to be' from S5 Ep18 reminded me of 'I believe' from Book of Mormon. And yes, Sunday in the Park with George is on my list!
i immediately thought of that when i was watching the intro! especially when they were overlapping what they're going out into the woods to do
@@heidistevenson204 And don't forget that first time we see the Flim & Flam Brothers in MLP is with a song inspired by "Ya Got Trouble" from The Music Man.
27:16 The show (as in most Broadway shows) are geared towards adults (and teens). The use of Grimm tales, and the darker themes dictate this. The show has been adapted (without the 2nd act) for productions in schools, though. (With the necessary adult edges smoothed over).
9:37 The "Bean Theme" prevades throughout the score, starting with the very next song intro "I Guess This Is Goodbye" and inverted in "No one is alone" at "people make mistakes", of course Rapunzel's tune is this as well.
It shows up for the VERY FIRST time in the score, being played real high on the Violin together with the Viola at mid range, during the beginning of The Witch’s Rap, right as the Witch begins with "In the past.....".
Rapunzel's theme is all over the place, and it's directly from when the Witch sings to her. "You don't know what's out there in the world..."
13:44 Oh, almost forgot, if you listen to all of the "learning songs" (I Know Things Now, Giants in the Sky, On the Steps of the Palace), you'll notice that the accompaniment is basically the same.
This pro-shot was indeed produced to be aired on PBS, America's Public Broadcasting Service. Similar shoots were made for Sunday in the Park with George, Sweeney Todd, Pacific Overtures.
Fun fact! In the original production before it moved to Broadway the Baker & Cinderella sung a reprise of “It Takes Two” during the finale and kissed at the end of the show.
I’m really glad they didn’t do that. There’s no real reason for them to be together other than that it’s an adult man and adult woman lol
I saw it on Broadway and no, they didn’t.
@@rabidsamfan Correct they didn’t on Broadway. Hence me saying “before it moved to Broadway”. This was the ending at the Old Globe Theatre, pre-Broadway.
@@rabidsamfan poster literally said 'before it moved to Broadway'
7:16 Jack is a teenager, on the cusp of manhood.
In the original fairy tale of Rapunzel, it’s actually quite similar to the musical version, because her dad went into the garden of a witch to get his wife veggies - especially „rapunzel“, it’s the name of the plant that got stolen
The second act is were all the consequences of the character's actions catch up with them. Yes, everyone gets what they want in the first act but they don't necessarily earn those things or deserve them. They don't really go through any character development until the very end.
You don't go through character development at the end of the story. The characters are developing throughout, what you mean is the culmination of this development comes at the end. All of the leading characters have huge development before the end of the first act even
5:58 no, you just talked over the part where she explained what she was doing 😭
It is the job of great art to comfort the afflicted… and afflict the comfortable.
24:57 The guy in question is Robert Westerberg, who you'll be happy to know is married IRL to the actress Kim Crosby (who plays Cinderella) and have been married for the past 30-some years, currently residing in Springboro, Missouri.
Yawn.. who are u?what are ur background? It seems u miss the whole point of the show...
...just because of the blood??
LOL
😅 do they ever explain what happens to Rapunzel's twins cuz I think I might have a theory what if those twins are Gretel and Hansel cuz that would make for a great next story I mean they're betrayed is blonde they are twins I mean doesn't it fit perfectly what if they survived and they were adopted by two other parents and begs the question what if there's even more stories added to this than meets the eye 🤔☺️
It’s not textually explained, no.
However, there IS an outdoor production of this show by the Open Air Theater(and would later appear in Central Park’s Delacorte Theater, with Donna Murphy(Mother Gothel in Disney’s Tangled) playing the Witch, Amy Adams as The Baker’s Wife, and even Chip Zien(who played The Baker in this OBC recording) taking on the role of The Mysterious Man) that was professionally recorded, which actually tried to answer what happened to the twins VERY GRIMLY.
Basically, in act two, when the Witch sees her, Rapunzel is nonchalantly pulling the covered stroller with her kids inside while drinking from a bottle, and when she gets killed by the giant, the Witch sing’s her lament while going over to her now orphaned grandkids…………………
Only for them be finally be revealed to be tiny SKELETONS that crumble to dust in her arms, leaving her completely traumatized and frozen in shock!
This, thusly, highlights how badly the Witch went about caring for Rapunzel, that is ended up transferring into how even WORSE of a mother Rapunzel herself became with her own children.
It all comes to a head in this production when during Last Midnight, The Witch sings new lyrics(originally written for the 2002 Broadway revival of the show) as she carries The Baker’s baby in her arms, seemingly considering taking him away to raise herself all over again, before coming to the reality that it may turn out just as bad as it already did with Rapunzel and thus giving the baby back to the group.
You should just watch it repeatedly and read the lyrics. I saw this exact production live on Broadway and it was phenomenal. Watching it on RUclips does not compare.
I liked your reaction to the slipper scene./"Careful My Toe!"
When you referenced "We All Know Frogs Go La Dee Da" my australian heart soared
i love chip zien so much
I've always thought it fascinating that with the Sondheim/Lapine shows - this and _Sunday In the Park With George_ - the story that audiences remember and come to see is in Act 1, and then all the thematic stuff happens in Act 2. I can't really think of any other plays that work that way.
4:41 Bernadette Peters was in her late 30s when this was taped.
I don't know if you're only interested in Sondheim musicals, but there are some other really good ones by other authors you might be interested in, e.g. "Next to normal", "Hedwig and the angry inch" and "Spring Awakening".
i literally had the same reaction to the baker knowing his wife died like- the poor guy, at least he never found out she cheated*?
*well not really cheated more like tricked considering she said no multiple times and prince charming just didn't take no for an answer
Ha ha glad it's not just me
Sondheim was a genius
I wish they could turn Starlight Express into a movie, but it'd be tacky as heck, if they did. CGI trains would look tacky and too childish. The ONLY way Starlight Express would work as film is to re-write the story where the characters are human increasingly of trains trying to win the ultimate roller derby championship,xwgich would be a Silver Dollar. All songs could still be used on metaphor, even if they aren't trains. Pumping Iron can be a song about working out at the gym. Engine of Love -- I will just allow you to use your mind. The Silver Dollar is a 1987 Broadway concept that was used for the storys basis after the famous london 1984 story was ripped to shreds.
I love it
Please react to "Cats" (1998).
I saw the show 4/89 Bernadette Peters was not in it.
Great reaction. The actors who played Cinderella and her prince got married. Please react to the 1986 movie Little Shop of Horrors.
Did you fail to notice the beanstalk growing at the end of act 1?!?! That was the thing to bring you back, to find out what happens with that. Maybe if you were paying attention and spent less time yapping you coulda seen it
Ikr
Ikr
you should react to the movie because it's honestly amazing and the cast is incredible. Johnny depp is the best wolf i could have asked for and meryl streep is the best witch i could have asked for. I could not have wished for a better cast. It's so amazing i recommend reacting to it and i truly want to see your reaction.
No? It completely removes all of the humor and thematic depth.
@@legendaccount3247 its my opinion u don't have to agree but i don't appreciate you replying to my comment (ur clearly sensitive about it) just because its a different view than yours.
@@Mutatedcorpse I mean, think whatever you want, I don't really care either way. I promise I'm not "sensitive" about it. I was just expressing disagreement with your opinion.
@@legendaccount3247 i understand that but you didn't need to say it as if your opinion was a fact. It's called an opinion for a reason.
@@Mutatedcorpse I mean the movie does, quite literally, have much less humor and thematic depth than the original musical. Whether or not that matters to you, or if you think that makes the musical worse, is a different story.
I found it so interesting that you find yourself questioning if this is for parents or children, since that's one of the main themes. Particularly the progression of the melody from "Stay With Me" to "Lament" ending with "Children Will Listen."
And if you check out Sunday in the Park with George, it's also Sondheim and Lapine, plus you'll see a bunch of these same actors. And we're lucky enough to also have professional videos of Pacific Overtures, Follies, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, and Passion if you're looking for other Sondheim shows to react to.