Do you dare to take a trip Into The Woods?

If you go Into The Woods today,

You'd better go in disguise.

And forget all about Fractured Fairytales, let alone the Brothers Grimm et al, when you go to Into The Woods with Echuca-Moama Theatre Company – which opens at the Paramount tomorrow (Thursday) night.

Once upon a time, the fairytale was this wonderful little confection of fantasy rooted in folklore, and magic, a tale to light up little lives, of handsome princes on white chargers rescuing gorgeous damsels in distress.

But in EMTC’s woods, you get some seriously surprising value for money.

Not one fairytale, not even two, or three. Into The Woods is like some fantasy loop – Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella, Rapunzel and Little Red Riding Hood are the central themes, but even with a narrator helping out, you might be hard put to keep up.

Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Gretel (sans Hans) breeze by, in a seemingly endless cascade of characters, turns out Prince Charming and the Prince who rescues Rapunzel are brothers (who’d have thought that, but you know royalty) – and the cow Jack sold for five magic beans almost steals the show.

Into The Woods is a riot, a world where fantasy takes on a frightening edge, where pure love and pure lust get a little mixed up, and which helps explains its need for three directors, a huge cast, hidden army of supporters – from props and stagehands, hair/make-up and costumes – to the sound and lighting crews – and the biggest stage Echuca-Moama has to offer.

Who knows if the three directors agreed on everything, but the audience will have to agree their casting of every character was inspired.

So inspired it’s almost impossible to single out a single true star – except perhaps for Milky White.

Jack’s cow Milky was choreographed by Bec Kellett (in her 14th EMTC show) and her masterful management of a concertinaed cutout of a cow was a scene stealer all night long.

So skilful she tended to merge into the background while Milky reacted to the excitement and drama around her. An astonishing performance.

Sean O’Brien (the Baker), Tamara Cadd (his Wife) Juliana de Quilettes (the Witch – aka Gothel) and Georgia Armstrong (Rapunzel) dominated throughout. O’Brien’s voice and character – and occasional adlibbing – was a foil for Cadd’s familiar soaring, powerful voice while de Quilettes simply grew in presence and vocal strength as the show unfolded while Armstrong, trapped in her tower, provided a consistently haunting vocal backdrop.

Add Ivy Jensen in a gender-bending role as her Prince and you had a story of its own. Jensen has fantastic stagecraft and was a real plus to the performance.

Indi Gilmore (Red Riding Hood) and Gerry Oman (the Wolf and Prince Charming’s Steward) were a delight. Gilmore was a star with real stage presence and character while Oman’s impish personality proved the perfect fit for what could have been a howler in other hands.

Back with Jack (Luke Martin), his Mother (Honni Goulding) and Milky meant strong voices, great impact in key scenes, especially Goulding’s attack on the widow of the late giant from atop the beanstalk), and along with marvellous Milky added some real depth to the overall performance.

And then there was Cinderella, played by Megan Scott with her Princess Fiona role in the 2023 EMTC smash hit Shrek providing a seamless transition into another castle and another prince.

She commands attention every time she is on stage and delivers every time, without fail.

Dillon Shelley was a fabulous fop as her Prince Charming, galumphing across the stage as if on his horse, dashing hither and thither looking for the foot which would fit the now golden (as opposed to glass) slipper.

He played his character to the hilt and his later scenes with Jensen and Cadd, in particular, were a revelation.

But if he was the ultimate fop, Francie Finn (Cinder’s Stepmother) and Indra Hubble (Florinda) and Claire Colturi (Lucinda) were so devilishly delicious you simply could not take your eyes off them whenever they appeared.

Their evil cackling, their demeaning treatment of poor Cinderella, all exuded a seductively attractive arrogance, and their desperately bloody attempts to shove a foot into the magical slipper will bring the house down.

Tayla Jenkins (the Narrator) and Andrew Morom (Mysterious Man) were cleverly and repeatedly inserted into scenes to provide convenient segues as well as keeping the audience (and occasionally the cast) on track.

Into The Woods is a big production, which asks a lot from its players, and they have pretty well delivered on it all.

The Giant comes tumbling down, the Big Bad Wolf gets his just desserts (without ice-cream), Rapunzel rides off with her Prince and Prince Charming pledges his troth to his beloved Cinderella.

And they all lived happily ever after.

Or did they?

Is there ever a truly happy ever after? Act Two reveals all.

Brothers Grimm?

Bah, humbug.

Brothers Gruesome.

Into The Woods will run for five shows only from Thursday, May 30, to Sunday, June 2, at Echuca Paramount.

Tickets are available at www.echucaparamount.com/movie/emtc-presents-into-the-woods

— Review by Andrew Mole