Into the Woods

Arguably one of the world's finest musicals, 'Into the Woods' takes iconic fairy tale characters and stories - Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella - and concocts a tale of each one's journey into the woods, a magical place where wishes are granted.

But what happens when those wishes come true? Is it always happily ever after?

Not so in Sondheim's glorious work, full of fantastic songs, fascinating insight and great characters.

At once it's a great family fairy tale, a stunning dissection of our expectation of 'Disneyesque' stories, an AIDS parable and a great night out at the theatre.

It's a perfect Christmas show for anyone not wanting a panto dame. And if the Exchange does half as good a job as it did with Sondheim's 'Sweeney Todd' a while back, (great to see the return of Gillian Bevan who played Mrs Lovitt), then we are in for a real Christmas cracker.