Dame Judi and Eunice Gayson Share A Role

'MoonThunder' has been kind enough to send in this report about a forthcoming production of the musical Into the Woods and it's relation to an older production of the same musical.

Dame Judi Dench has scored a role in the 2002 Broadway Revival of Stephen Sondheim’s best, and damn funniest, musical Into the Woods. It is a musical-comedy about childrens fairy-tale characters (Little Red, Jack, 3 little pigs, Cinderella, etc…) who all want their wishes granted, as it revolves around the Baker and the Baker’s Wife trying to lift a spell preventing them from having a child. The Baker must travel into the woods to lift the spell that the witch who, ironically, lives next door had placed on his lost, mischievous father. The first act has the cast getting their wishes granted, while the second act takes a much darker turn for the worse. It shows the side effects of their wishes, as a female giant has reeked havoc on their village and forced them all back into the woods so that she can seek revenge on Jack for killing her Husband. The lady giant, of course, is played by the voice of Judi Dench.

But what really caught my eye was that Eunice Gayson, AKA Sylvia Trench, played the same role in the 1990’s London production! This makes me wonder if Stephen Sondheim is a fan of James Bond, just like us…

Thanks for sending that report in MoonThunder!