Throwback Thursday Into the Woods

I told you earlier about the American Buffalo programme booklet that has fun questions asked by fans and answered by Damian Lewis!

americanbuffaloprogramme

Here is another question from that booklet! Claire Bartlett asks: “I saw you playing the Wolf in Into the Woods at the Donmar in the late 1990s. Any more musicals on the horizon?”

Oh, yeah! Way earlier than being the big, bad wolf Henry inWolf Hall, Damian Lewis was the Wolf in Into the Woods

wolves

Damian was cast as the Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince in the 1998 London revival of Into the Woods, one of Stephen Sondheim’s greatest musicals. The revival opened at the Donmar Warehouse on 16 November 1998, and closed on 13 February 1999.

Here is a lovely pic along with his theater, TV and film credits from the 1998 London Playbill for the musical.

source: ebay.ca
source: ebay.ca

Into the Woods is a musical with an original story about a baker and his wife who want to start a family and their interaction with a witch that has placed a curse on them. This original story is tied beautifully to the plots from several Brothers Grimm fairy tales. The main characters are from “Little Red Riding Hood“, “Jack and the Beanstalk“, “Rapunzel“, and “Cinderella, and a few others. The baker and his wife interact with these storybook characters on their journey.

The production at Donmar was nominated for the Outstanding Musical Production at the Laurence Olivier Awards in 1999. Theater critic Kevin Wilson, in particular, raved about Damian Lewis as the Wolf: “The Wolf, in the hands of Damian Lewis, is a sexy, charismatic character whose death robs the piece one of its greatest assets at an early stage.”

intothewoods
source: londontheatrearchive.co.uk

Last year on Popcorn with Peter Travers, Damian Lewis sang “Agony” — the musical number he sang as Cinderella’s prince in Into the Woods. In this particular scene, Cinderella’s prince and Rapunzel’s prince, who are brothers, compare the misery that their new found and unobtainable loves give them.

(Cinderella’s Prince):

“Did I abuse her

or show her disdain?

Why does she run from me?

If I should lose her

How shall I regain

the heart she has won from me?

Agony!

Beyond power of speech

When the one thing you want

is the only thing out of your reach.”

Do you wanna hear Damian sing it? Oh, yes, you do! So…. ENJOY!

Into the Woods stays as the only musical Damian has done to date, and here’s his answer to Ms. Bartlett regarding any musical being on the horizon:

“Possibly, as long as it’s not too difficult a piece, because I discovered I sound much better in the shower than I do out of it! But I really like musicals so never say never.”

Given that he really loves to sing, and sings well, I would be thrilled to see Damian in a musical. And, Damian’s good friend Claire Danes seconds that, too!

source: EW.com
source: EW.com

She tells Digital Spy: “I don’t think most people know what a song-and-dance man he is. I suspect Damian’s dream gig would be a Broadway musical, and he would be amazing. He actually took tap-dancing lessons throughout the filming of Homeland‘s second season.”

And, just seeing him at the Ascot races made me think of one of my all-time favorite musicals, My Fair Lady! “Come on Dover! Move your bloomin’ arse!”

comeondoverWouldn’t Damian make a wonderful Professor Higgins? 🙂

Author: Damianista

Academic, Traveler, Blogger, Runner, Theatre Lover, Wine Snob, Part-time New Yorker, and Walking Damian Lewis Encyclopedia :D Procrastinated about a fan's diary on Damian Lewis for a while and the rest is history!

4 thoughts on “Throwback Thursday Into the Woods”

    1. Thank you! I really love to travel back in time just for an opportunity to think about dreams and aspirations of a 20 something Damian! How far he has come 🙂

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