{
  "id": 13111233,
  "title": "Into the Woods, London review: Magical, overwhelming meta musical",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/into-the-woods-london-review-magical-overwhelming-meta-musical",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-09T11:58:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "City AM",
    "slug": "city-am",
    "url": "https://www.cityam.com/into-the-woods-london-review-magical-overwhelming-meta-musical/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Into the Woods, a Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine musical, takes audiences on a self-referential journey through a series of fairy tales, with a focus on the challenges faced by Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack, and the Baker and his Wife. The production, currently playing at the Noël Coward Theatre until 9 January 2027, boasts technically brilliant staging and a lush, escapist set, as well as a magical atmosphere.\n\nHowever, this meta-musical can feel overwhelming at times, with characters venturing into the woods to retrieve four magical items to break a curse. The narrative is often verbose and character-driven, leading to moments where everything feels a little too convoluted. The first act delivers a fun, heartwarming journey, but by the time the second act arrives, the plot unravels with the introduction of a vengeful giant. This second act feels like a misstep, as it lacks a satisfying climax and seems to drag on longer than necessary.\n\nOne issue with Into the Woods is the lack of conventional pop songs, which can make the musical feel a bit stagnant. While the repeated chant \"into the wooooooodsssssss\" is catchy, it doesn't quite hit the mark as effectively as a more tuneful melody would. The metaness of the production bleeds through its staging and ballads, where characters belt their lines for the sake of musical theatre rather than the story itself. This can make the performances feel somewhat hollow at times.\n\nDespite its flaws, Into the Woods remains an innovative and magical experience. The visual spectacle and imaginative world-building transport audiences to a fairytale realm, even if the story itself sometimes feels a little overstuffed. However, this show may leave some feeling exhausted by the end, as it demands a certain level of engagement and patience to appreciate its brilliance fully.",
  "summary": "Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim review and star rating: ★★★ Musical theatre can be self-referential, didn’t you know? Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine certainly do. Their Into The Woods maxes out on meta gameplay in this technically brilliant but at times baseless musical that can be terribly proud of itself. A baker and his [...]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}