The cast of John Paul College performance Into The Woods. Photo/Kerry Blakeny-Williams
The cast of John Paul College performance Into The Woods. Photo/Kerry Blakeny-Williams
When Stephen Sondheim penned Into the Woods could he, even with his vivid imagination, have pictured it being performed by a bunch of school kids in a tiny country at the globe's far end - provincial school kids at that?
But perform it they have and it's not just any bunch of school kids who have staged this complex show, it's our own John Paul College students who, time upon time, produce performances that leave more seasoned players in their dust.
Their latest venture has pure quality written all over it.
Prince's Cullen Smith and Gus Dube tear off their shirts in the John Paul College production Into the Woods. Photo/Kerry Blakeny-Williams
When production manager Candy Stevenson (Visser) chose the two-and-a-half hour long musical she knew she had a major ask on her hands, teasing its demands out of youngsters whose ages span the 12 to 17 bracket.
They have rewarded her, and their audiences, multi-times over.
What's all the more laudable is the way this youthful cast has grasped the complicated melding of the Brothers' Grimm fairy tale characters, Jack and the Bean Stalk, Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood, woven together by Rapunzel's tumbling locks, to do homage to Sondheim's fantasy about what follows the 'happy ever after'.
With stars of the calibre of Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and Johnny Depp the lynch pins of the 2014 movie, these young people have had scarily hard acts to follow.
So good are they it's unfair to single any out for individual applause. Each one's a winner be they Jack (Jonas Bird), Cinders (Lucy Pepper), Miss Red Riding Hood (Lulu Yarrall), baker (Justyce Moala), witch (Olivia Temm), wolf (Ollie Smyth) or those of lesser roles; together these are seriously talented performers.
(from left) Georgia Collins, Ruby Carter, Shannon Hayes and Mitchell Jones in Into The Woods. Photo/Kerry Blakeny-Williams
If this reviewer's arm was twisted she'd have to confess favouritism for Jack's cow, Milky White. Year 9 student Ethan Cameron must score extra points for spending his entire on-stage time hunched into an-all concealing costume, complete with teats in full working order. The commanding stage presence his unseen body generates is professionalism personified.
The small but perfectly formed musical ensemble kept the players pumping.
Settings and costumes are outstanding - as for the lighting, sound effects, especially the pyrotechnics, you'll go a long way from home to see better.
The greatest compliment that can be given this production is do go into the woods today, you're be sure of sure of surprise after surprise.
- Jill Nicholas
WHAT: Into The Woods WHERE: Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre WHEN: May 12-20
