I like Sondheim, I really do. I do not like this Sondheim.
The story is mostly fine. In fact, I think the premise of the story is pretty interesting. I like the idea of intertwining the various fairy tales into one larger, moderately cohesive story.
However.
I also think the story should end after Act I. Everything has been wrapped up nicely and everyone is seemingly happy. Act II is kind of like a fever dream and I just find it to be very unnecessary.
I’m also not a huge fan of the music. I like Sondheim’s music overall, even though it is on the difficult side. There are lovely numbers, such as “Agony,” but the majority of the music in this musical just doesn’t do it for me. It’s very repetitive and kind of drives me nuts.
Also, most productions that I’ve seen of this musical tend to be kind of dreary. I’m not sure if that’s just the luck of the draw, or if that’s a thing for this show. I find it overall kind of drab and underwhelming.
Have you ever seen this show? What are your feelings on it? I feel like I maybe haven’t given it the best review, but not every show is a winner for every person! It’s a personal opinion, and it’s totally fine if yours is different than mine.