When Women Go 'Into the Woods'

   I watched 'Into the Woods' on DVD last week and again last night with Everardo. Such a great musical and I really enjoyed the movie. Even though they changed some of the 2nd half, the critics were lukewarm and lots of people hated it, I really liked it. The first half tells the story of four fairy tales merged together and the second half looks under the hood to all the grey areas and presents the characters with the consequences of their actions. Stephen Sondheim's music and brilliant lyrics are on full display and I loved the children's fairy tale set.
   One of the consequences in the second half is that several people die including the Baker's Wife. She falls off a cliff after a dalliance with The Prince. On the surface this is just a plot twist, but I was reminded of Susan Sarandon talking about her part in 'Bull Durham' and how that role was one of the few offered to women where the character is able to fully express herself without paying a severe, even fatal, price for it.
   Take for instance 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice': a curious lad looking to turn hard work into lazy play takes a tool he doesn't fully understand and causes an environmental disaster. His consequences; a swat on the rump and the flood just disappears.
   Now compare that to 'The Red Shoes': a female dancer forsakes the domestic roles expected of her, follows her passion, and dies. I've long been aware that gay characters had to meet disaster in order for the book to get published up until not too many years ago. I'm just starting to become aware how often women get the same treatment.
   So ladies; ignore the cautionary tale of 'The Red Shoes', follow your curiosities and your passions, make room for other parts of your life or not, as you wish. And you won't die from exhaustion or be pushed off a cliff for it. But don't cause any more environmental disasters. We boys have already done too much of that.