★★★★★
A man stands before the red velvet curtain. Not the narrator, but Artistic Director Dane Lam himself. Presenting with casual charm, Lam offers three things to celebrate: last night marked the premiere of one of five new productions created in South Australia. Into The Woods features an entirely South Australian cast. And the score is performed by a live orchestra. The full house erupted with support and anticipation.
I am thrilled that one of Sondheim’s greatest musicals has been chosen for State Opera South Australia’s Golden Jubilee Season. Lam gave no apology for a musical taking over the opera stage. It is, he noted, “vocal storytelling of the highest order.”
A production of this ambition deserves recognition for the creative choices that make it truly exceptional. This review contains spoilers. I will be highlighting some of the production’s most distinctive moments, and the choices that elevate Into the Woods beyond a conventional staging of this beloved musical.
Ingeniously paired with opera Hansel and Gretel, which debuted the previous evening, both productions draw from well-known fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm. This German heritage is captured in Jonathon Oxlade’s set and costumes.
The centrepiece is the woods, a revolving stage of monstrous two-dimensional trees, reminiscent of a German Christmas pyramid. Snow cascades as though shaken by a snow globe. The characters appear caught within the mechanism of this children’s toy. Both magical and menacing, the turning of the stage transports them deeper into the woods, beyond their control.
Bernie Tan-Hayes allows the light to filter through mist and trees, casting shadows across faces. Backlighting forms silhouettes of characters, glowing in the darkness.
This is not a trip to Disneyland. We begin in the homes of Cinderella, the Baker and his wife, and Jack. They are bleak, grey, industrial. No warmth is provided for comfort; the characters earnestly wish for their heart’s desires.
Clothed in traditional outfits, each character wears vibrant splashes of bright colour against the sombre background. The Witch appears strikingly juxtaposed in her starry green velvet cloak, complete with power-woman shoulder pads, hot-pink headscarf and gloves. Her extended fingers creep and crawl as she threatens and casts spells, smoke pouring forth with every lash of her arm.
Costume and makeup draw equally on the grotesque and comical. The Wolf parades in a butcher’s apron, a knife tucked neatly into each pocket. The Steward, dressed in black like a runaway nun from the convent, prances particularly closely at the prince’s side.
A giant golden egg struts onto the stage and poses in all its glory. At times, the extremity of artistic choices provokes bursts of laughter from the audience.
My favourite is Jessica Mills as Cinderella’s Mother, draped in ropes of silver that emulate the radiating mirror of the tree. Each design is a dramatic and unforgettable creation of Oxlade’s imagination.
As we venture into the woods, there are many daring sights to be seen. Grandmother’s House is a fire-truck-red doll’s house, only a metre or so high. Smoke puffs from the chimney. Childlike in form, the unassuming house is painted the red of lust and death.
When opened, the Wolf lies alluringly inside, a cigar to his lips. The house closes for his inevitable slaughter, while the faces of Little Red Riding Hood and Grandmother pop out from small, head-sized windows.
The bringer of death herself, the Giant, is the all-seeing eye over this desperate world. Her hands reach tangibly towards her prey. When death prevails, the stage is momentarily bathed in red light, striking greater fear in the hearts of the audience. The visceral presence of the Giant brings a thrilling intensity to the billowing voice of the performer, creating a sense of terror rarely experienced in other productions.
Constantine Costi and Associate Director Shannon Burns understand this intelligent script and direct nuanced performances. Lines are delivered with sharp wit and weighted heartbreak. I found myself gaining new insights into this familiar piece of theatre.
Characters mysteriously appear and disappear into the shadows of the woods as the revolve moves them around the circular stage. We feel the passing of time and the desperation of characters as their time grows short.
Given the ensemble nature of the show, I cannot speak to every individual performer. All shine in their roles, bringing the magic and darkness of their characters to life.
We welcome Hugh Sheridan and Johanna Allen back to the Adelaide stage as The Baker and The Baker’s Wife. Their voices are beautifully rich, and their comical squabbles capture the playful warmth of this weathered couple. Sheridan sings No More with stunning conviction, bringing a rawness to the song that makes the Baker’s grief palpable.
There are many familiar State Opera South Australia regulars, including Rosie Hosking, Jessica Dean, Nicholas Cannon and Mark Oates. Hosking embodies the desperation and anger of the Witch, roaring The Last Midnight as her final number.
Dean presents a picture-perfect princess as Cinderella. Her multiple falls, leaving her bloomers exposed as her golden hoop dress lands over her face, are particularly adorable. She sings the role with warmth and a strong classical tone.
Cannon provides plenty of humour in the dual roles of Wolf and Prince Charming. The sexual tension between himself and Andrew Crispe as Rapunzel’s Prince allows for suggestive swordplay throughout the crowd-pleaser Agony.
Catherine Campbell delivers the biggest laughs with her portrayal of Jack’s Mother. Promising young performers Joey Haenen and Eliza Brill Reed make strong performances as Jack and Little Red Riding Hood.
Conductor Anthony Hunt expertly leads the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in this rich score. Jamie Mensforth balances the sound this precision, allowing audience members to hear every word. And there are many words with Sondheim. The sound of the foreboding footsteps of the Giant reverberate through the theatre.
This is a fairy tale for adults; we journey into the depths of the woods and are confronted by regret and the consequences of our actions. Sexual predation, child neglect, infertility, infidelity and death are among the darker themes lurking beneath its whimsical surface.
As the curtain falls, a spotlight shines on Cinderella’s final words, “I wish,” symbolising our never-ending desire for more. My wish is to see more South Australian musical theatre. The path through these woods may be hard and winding, but it is worth every step.
Into the Woods is presented by State Opera South Australia and runs to 29 August 2026 at Her Majesty’s Theatre. 58 Grote Street Adelaide SA 5000.
Tickets: https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=INTOWOOD26
Website: https://www.stateopera.com.au/productions/2026/into-the-woods
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/stateoperasouthaustralia/
Photo credits: Andrew Beveridge
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