Leighton Park, Reading

 

Once upon a time there was a downtrodden young maiden called Cinderella, a ravenous girl called Little Red Riding Hood, a cow obsessed boy named Jack and a childless Baker and his Wife. All wanted and wished for more in their lives.

The characters’ paths through the woods follow the Brothers Grimm’s fairy tales of Rapunzel, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Jack & the Beanstalk. However, it is the story of Rapunzel that sets off a chain of events for the Baker & his Wife, which might just help them all to live happily ever after, or not.

Following the unfortunate actions of the Baker’s father, who stole vegetables from a neighbouring witch’s garden, a curse has been put upon their family tree and doomed him to a childless life. The Witch sends the Baker on a quest to find ingredients for a potion to undo the curse, which forces him to journey into the woods and to cross paths with the other fairy tale characters.

In the first act we follow their paths through the woods, as their intertwining stories unfold and their wishes come true. The untold second half of their stories unfolds in Act 2. Although all are apparently happy, they still wish & want for more. The characters' wishes, quests and actions are, however, undone by a grieving Giant’s wife and all have to retread their steps through the woods, with mortal consequences. 

 

Cast:       
In order of appearance