How have critics been reacting to Jordan Fein’s revival of James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim’s musical?
Broadway World: ***** “A celebration of these twisted fairytales, this is a razor-sharp production full of heart, thoughtful design and wonderful performances. Pure theatrical magic.”
WhatsOnStage: ***** “It’s a great production of a terrific show. A fine way to end a year of musicals.”
The Guardian: **** “The actors are on blazing musical form too, hitting every difficult or dissonant note, and each performer finds a moment to excel. There is the operatic melodrama of the two posturing princes (Savile and Rhys Whitfield) in Agony, the pained drama of Children Will Listen and the wit of Your Fault. Fleetwood is phenomenal both in and out of song (including Witch’s Lament).”
The Independent: **** “A lavish production that plays to the musical’s strengths.”
All That Dazzles: *** “Very uneven in its approach, when it is good, it is extremely good, but other moments fail to match the standard and promise seen elsewhere. It feels as though something got lost halfway through the wood to create a production that doesn’t quite manage a happily ever after, but is anything but wooden itself.”
The Telegraph: **** “This beautiful production of Stephen Sondheim’s fairytale musical is good enough to outlive the festive season.”
Time Out: ***** “It’s just great, really, a sublime production of a sublime musical with a sublime cast. Fein doesn‘t try to reinvent the wheel, so much as he acknowledges the importance of the wheel’s function and then goes ahead and makes the best looking, best crafted wheel you’ve ever seen. Pure magic.”
The Arts Desk: “Sure songs like the Princes’ “Agony” have plenty of wit and “Children Will Listen” a heartfelt, if slightly overcooked, message, but in their wilful non-catchiness, they need time to breathe a little. The band, under Mark Aspinall, do a fine job, but I needed a bit of the space afforded by a show like A Little Night Music to appreciate fully one song before another, often sung by a different character following a different arc, burst forth from the stage. It’s seldom that you’ll hear a critic asking for a longer show, but ten minutes more would not have hurt this one.”
The Stage: *** “Visuals enchant in Jordan Fein’s revival of the Stephen Sondheim fairytale musical.”
Musical Theatre Review: ***** “This Into the Woods is a perfect introduction to a show that new theatre fans will want to see over and over again. For Sondheim-obsessives, it might be even more of a treat: a chance to see one of the great composer’s classic pieces produced well, produced honestly, and produced seemingly without ego.”
The Reviews Hub: **** 1/2 “For anyone yet to experience this iconic musical, this production honours the heart of Into the Woods while offering a subtle, cohesive and wholly absorbing version.”
London Theatre.co.uk: ***** “The sneakily profound existential themes come through potently: individual needs versus a collective society, how we make hard choices and process grief and guilt, the immense power of storytelling, and the values we pass down to our children. But this is also a transporting wonder – everything you could wish for and more.”
British Theatre Guide: “Into the Woods here gets a polished production full of fine performances, engaging songs and luscious music.”
Into the Woods continue to play at the Bridge Theatre until the 30th May 2026. To book tickets click here.