A new revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Into the Woods opened at London's Bridge Theatre December 11, and the reviews are in. See what critics had to say below. The production is set to continue through April 18, 2026.
Two-time Olivier winner Katie Brayben, seen last season on Broadway in the title role of Tammy Faye, leads the cast as the Baker's Wife, opposite Olivier winner Jamie Parker (a veteran of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and The History Boys in London and on Broadway) as the Baker.
The cast also includes Valda Aviks (The Addams Family) as Grandmother/Giant, Geoffrey Aymer (The Wizard of Oz) as Cinderella’s Father, Bella Brown (Evita) as Rapunzel, Chumisa Dornford-May (Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812) as Cinderella, Kate Fleetwood (London Road) as the Witch, Jo Foster (Why Am I So Single?) as Jack, Michael Gould (Oedipus) as the Narrator/Mysterious Man, Jennifer Hepburn (Mamma Mia!) as Cinderella’s Stepmother, Hana Ichijo (The Baker’s Wife) as Lucinda, Julie Jupp (A Christmas Carol) as Jack’s Mother, Gabrielle Lewis-Dodson (42nd Street) as Florinda, Gracie McGonigal (The Little Big Things) as Little Red Ridinghood, Hughie O’Donnell (King Lear) as the Steward, Oliver Savile (Wicked) as Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf, and Rhys Whitfield (The Phantom of the Opera) as Rapunzel’s Prince.
Read the reviews below.
BroadwayWorld (Aliya Al-Hassan)
The Independent (Louis Chilton)
London Theatre (Marianka Swain)
The Telegraph (Dominic Cavendish)
TimeOut London (Andrzej Lukowski)
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Playbill will continue to update this list as reviews come in.
Standbys Taite-Elliot Drew, Jacob Fowler, Sophie Linder-Lee, and Chloe Saracco round out the company. Casting is by Stuart Burt.
Featuring a Tony-winning score by Sondheim and a Tony-winning book by Lapine, Into the Woods blends together the Grimm's Fairy Tales Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, and more. The title has become one of the most beloved in Sondheim's catalogue since it premiered on Broadway in 1988, and a mainstay at professional theatres and schools and amateur companies alike. This new revival is the show's first major London staging since 2016.
The production features scenic and costume design by Tom Scutt (Cabaret), music supervision and music direction by Mark Aspinall, sound design by Adam Fisher, lighting design by Aideen Malone, video design by Roland Horvath, movement direction by Jenny Ogilvie, wig, hair, and make-up design by Sam Cox, and puppetry design by Cheryl "Chuck" Brown, Max Humphries, and Tom Scutt.
The creative team also includes production manager Chris Hay; props supervisors Jonathan Hall and Chris Marcus; associate director Georgia Green; associate musical director Alex Beetschen; associate sound designer Ollie Durrant; associate lighting designer Lucy Adams; associate set designer David Allen; associate costume designer Lucy Martin; assistant costume supervisor Lydia McDonald; wigs, hair, and make-up supervisor Charlie Watson; costume associate Dan Campton; and orchestra managers Andy Barnwell and Richard Weeden for BW Musicians. London Theatre Company is producing.
Tickets are at BridgeTheatre.co.uk.
Jo Foster, Katie Brayben, Gracie McGonigal, Chumisa Dornford May, and Jamie Parker in Into The Woods
Gracie McGonigal in Into The Woods
Oliver Savile and Hughie O'Donnell in Into The Woods
Chumisa Dornford May in Into The Woods
Katie Brayben in Into The Woods
Jamie Parker and Katie Brayben in Into The Woods
Bella Brown and Kate Fleetwood in Into The Woods
