Bare Productions brought a large cast and accompanying orchestra to the Edinburgh Fringe 2024 with their superb musical production of Into The Woods performed in the Paradise Green venue. The almost three-hour-long performance is possibly the longest production shown at the Fringe this year.

The practically bare stage setting for Into The Woods consists of two ladders covered in Ivy at either side of the stage. However, with the size of the stage combined with the larger Edinburgh Fringe cast there wouldn’t be room for anything else. The costumes are stunning and the adorable puppet Milky White created by designer Andrew Layton makes up for it. The cow owned by Jack is one of the stars of the show for me.

The storyline combines many fairytale characters into one tale who in the normal roles in their fairy-tale world never meet one another. From Jack and the Beanstalk, Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and Rapunzel. Paths cross, storyline entwined and to return them to normal the performance takes us through the challenges presented to The Baker and his Wife who desperately want a baby.

The cleverly interwoven fairytale storylines organically switch between the characters and the majority are really working well together for traditional happy ever after. Although Prince Charming from Cinderella isn’t destined to live out his typical happy ever after with his womanizing attitude. Thankfully Cinderella sees through him and decides that he isn’t her future.

Dominic Lewis has directed an excellent musical that would fit in perfectly with the West End musical scene in London. It would be interesting to hear the singing and voices in a venue with the correct acoustics to see what would be added to the overall musical production. I shall keep a lookout and see if it does and try to see it again.

For more information and cast lists about Into the Woods and Bare Productions please use the links below.

Five Stars

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/into-the-woods

https://www.bareproductionsedinburgh.com/current-productions

Production Team

Director – Dominic Lewis

Musical Director – Finlay Turnbull

Head of Production Logistics – Scott D Whitefield

Set and Costume Designer – Andrew Layton

Lx Design – Eoin Beaton

Sound Design – Sean Quinn

Stage Manager – Abi Wilson

Costume Assistant – Eilidh Todd