NI Opera brings the eccentric “Into The Woods” musical to Lyric Theater –

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In Actor Woods

This month NI Opera will release its latest play, Into The Woods, on stage at Lyric Theatre.

The musical is not only the band’s first major production since the release of Covid, but also the first production led by Cameron Menzies, NI’s newest artistic director. Originally from Australia, Cameron’s career includes opera, theatre, musical theater, nightclubs and directing, and his work has been seen throughout Australia, the United Kingdom, Europe, South Africa, Japan and China.

The selection of Into The Woods as the first post-blockchain product for NI Opera is heartbreaking because it comes just months after the death of composer and co-author Stephen Sondheim.

As we enter the main stage of the script, it is encouraging to see that it is full. After two years of intermittent closures and reopenings, the theater looks more popular than ever in Belfast.

As for the music itself, for those unfamiliar with Into The Woods – it’s part letter, part love note, part Frankenstein combined with some of the most iconic fairy tale characters and stories of all time. Knitted by Little Red Riding Hood, Jackie and Beans, Rapunzel and Cinderella. As such, the show itself is stunning, astounding, entertaining, self-referential, warning and sometimes unsettling in the nature of fairy tales and why they persist.



This stage of production is minimal. A staircase runs from the front center of the stage to the back, with small, escher-like staircases emerging from multiple angles, giving the characters more entry points. The staircase has a beautiful and striking circular wooden design that bears a striking resemblance to Locky Morris, a larger version of the Polestar statue on the Road to Letterken (here, for reference).



Conor Quinn as Jack

So things remain at stake because this is probably best for a great story like this where the story is inherently chaotic.

Imagination is the key and all the weight rests with the artists themselves. The actress consists of several illustrious domestic and international artists, including Season Cairns (the narrator), Kelly Matheson (Cinderella), Conor Quinn (Jackie), Wendy Ferguson (Jackie’s mother), Alester Brookshaw (the baker), Sinead O’ Keefe (Baker’s wife) ), Catherine Degas (Cinderella’s stepmother), Joleen O’Hara (Florida), Bridget Shane (Don), Paddy Jenkins (Cinderella’s father), Samantha Gifford (Little Red Riding Hood), Alison Harding (Witch), Mary McCabe (Rapunzel) and P Cinderella “Prince”).



Alison Harding

Each character and each of their stories is inherently fascinating. Jack and his mother have a uniquely local charm that suits the Belfast crowd well; Baker and his wife are excellent conversation partners and something is going on in their desperation to start a family for themselves; Little Red Riding Hood has a repulsive innocence that makes it essential to her character; It brings mild dysfunction to the Cinderella family.

Alison Harding, who plays the witch, is one of the main locations of the show. Its first release, which forces the baker and his wife on a journey through the woods, truly captivates audiences, while his transformation from ugly vertigo to dazzling beauty shows just how prevalent he is. Another highlight is Mary McCabe (Rapunzel), whose epic sopranos will instantly amaze you. Northern Ireland’s Shawn Kearns plays a fierce role as both the narrator and the mystery man. Elsewhere, Peter Hannah is full of his portrayal of the prince, with plenty of humor and character, making him a public favorite. Finally, Kelly Mathison’s Cinderella is the defining star of the show: Kelly has proven to be the perfect actress, singer, and dancer in the role.



Kelly Mathison

The show is better when you’re singing the song, but it can be worse when it’s not. For the music that gains its dynamics and humor by blending different stories in unusual and complex ways, in this comedy it can sometimes feel like the real story is in the back seat, or the actors are in a hurry to understand the lines – or the narrator is in a hurry. View details – before reaching the next musical number.

Overall, it’s a fun show, with great actors, great music and of course a great staff (everything from dance to costumes, makeup, sound and lighting). We’re fortunate to have talents like Cameron Menzies working in Northern Ireland so it’s worth looking into if you can afford it.

Source: Belfastlive

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