REVIEW: Into the Woods signals a promising way forward for musical theatre in Ottawa
iPhoto caption: Into the Woods production still by Curtis Perry.
Something magical is happening on Ottawa’s musical theatre scene: Local productions are giving talented artists their time in the spotlight, and I feel fortunate that I can attend solid musicals without leaving the city.
Ovation Productions’ Into the Woods, by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, brings an ensemble of skilled Canadians to the country’s capital. This hit musical combines multiple Brothers Grimm fairy tales into one bittersweet storyline, centred on the journey of a baker (Daniel Williston) and his wife (Rosie Callaghan) as they try to rid themselves of a curse placed on their family by an evil witch (Kirstyn Russelle).
Directed by Lauren Boyd, the story unfolds in a Scouts-inspired campground. The actors play campers and adult staff who in turn play characters, framing the whole production as a sort of end-of-summer talent show. We join them at a bonfire, and by the end of the tale are left with complicated feelings on how the decisions we make can affect the rest of our lives.
Karlie Christie’s design makes a strong first impression. Tall tree trunks tower over the stage in the Les Lye Studio Theatre in Nepean. The playing space expands into the seating, with one row about a third of the way up reserved for actors to slip into the audience. The eight-piece band flanks both sides of the stage, with music director Patrick Bowman bobbing his head to conduct while playing keys. The skills required to pull off this complicated Sondheim score are on full display, and it’s a pleasure seeing the musicians out in the open rather than hidden away in a pit or in the wings.
Christie’s costumes and props appear as though they’ve been sourced from the metatheatrical campsite and repurposed for the play-within-a-play. A tent represents Grandmother’s house, both Jack and Little Red Riding Hood sport scout badges, and a Canada goose ornament is used as a hen that lays golden eggs.
While the intentions are clear and playful, there are moments where I get a bit lost in the woods. The row of seats reserved as a playing space becomes overused, with actors flying through the audience so often it starts to feel like a marathon. And one of the objects the campers pull into the story is a large white cooler, which plays the part of the beloved cow Milky White.
When Lear deBessonet’s revival of Into the Woods came to Broadway in 2022, the puppet version of Milky White got a lot of attention. Historically the silent role had been played by inanimate objects, but turning it into an actor-controlled puppet imbued the character with some level of humanity. Here, the cooler was a letdown for me at first because it seemed unavoidably utilitarian. But thanks to Sofía Contal’s strong performance as Jack, I started to feel the spark of an emotional bond. It’s a good twist on puppetry, with Contal playing an authentic connection and helping the audience suspend their disbelief.
One of the many draws of this musical is its ability to present realistic and complicated human emotions within a magical world of fairy tales. In this production, the cast’s spellbinding performances put struggles of desire and crumbling relationships on display.
Ha’Keena Maneso’s Little Red Riding Hood is a joy to watch as she transforms from an innocent grandchild into a knife-wielding heroine. Emily Lukasik stuns as a firmly self-assured Cinderella, belting “On the Steps of the Palace” with great bravado. Mitch Wood and Tyler Pearse play Cinderella’s Prince and Rapunzel’s Prince as two modern bros, and their playful chemistry make “Agony” and “Agony Reprise” solid crowd pleasers.
The heart of this production is in the synergy between Williston and Callaghan. The two strike a chord of truth in their performances that resonates through the rest of the show. Callaghan is especially enchanting, with clear intention and subtle vocal nuances that made my heart sing along with her. Williston particularly shines in the latter half, when he plays a deep sorrow that continues to linger with me long after curtain.
Boyd’s direction also casts a spell. Act One ends with what seems like the most suitable conclusion, because there’s that “happily ever after” we might expect. But throughout the darker and more chaotic Act Two, the plot’s unraveling suggests a more realistic and heartfelt “complicated ever after.” Boyd allows space for this to happen at a natural pace. She blocks smart tableaus and intimate gestures that change how we might view the future of the characters without questioning our intelligence as an audience. She allows us to slowly piece the puzzle together ourselves.
There’s a short scene at the end, for example, where two people (unnamed to avoid spoilers) discuss grief. A small and unexpected display of affection sparks both a profound sense of loss and a comfort in knowing these characters’ lives will move forward.
Ottawa has been putting forward some promising musical theatre lately, and it’s wonderful to have companies like Ovation Productions bring in strong talent as well as highlight the great artists already living in our midst. I look forward to seeing what other sort of magic Ovation will conjure in the future.
Into the Woods runs at Meridian Theatre Centrepointe until November 3. Tickets are available here.
Intermission reviews are independent and unrelated to Intermission’s partnered content. Learn more about Intermission’s partnership model here.
Luke Brown
Luke (he/him) is a theatre artist and arts administrator based in Ottawa. After completing a master’s thesis exploring the intersection of theatre and queer theory, Luke has turned his academic curiosity into a vibrant career in arts philanthropy, championing the performing arts at the National Arts Centre Foundation as a philanthropy specialist. His creative work in Ottawa includes writing and directing Honey Dew Me at the undercurrents festival (2020) and Fresh Meat (2017), as well as directing the first production of Even Gilchrist’s Re:Construct at Ottawa Fringe (2018). Luke serves on the board of directors for the Canadian Improv Games.
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We had to leave halfway through. I understand artistic license and wanting to add your touch to a play, but the biggest draw of Into the Woods is the fairytale aspect. As someone who has seen the show a number of times and performed in the show almost two decades ago, I was really disappointed. Watching it was grating on the nerves, but maybe I’m too much of a purist.