'What is so frightening about a powerful woman?' Kate Fleetwood talks witches ahead of Into the Woods role
Into the Woods is set to begin previews in December.
Stephen Sondheim's magical classic Into the Woods is returning to the London stage this December for the first time in nearly a decade.
In some ways even Grimmer than the eponymous brothers intended, this musical delves into the lives and characters of classic fairy-tales like Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel and Cinderella.
The show was transfigured into a movie in 2014 starring the likes of Emily Blunt, James Corden, and Meryl Streep as the all-powerful Witch.
Famously, Streep spoke openly at the time about being initially reluctant to take on the Witch role, saying: "When I turned 40, I was offered three witches in one year and I realised this was the way my career was going to go. So I turned them down and I have said “no” to playing witches ever since. However, I changed my mind when this role came along because this witch is quite different."
But, what is so different about her? In Into the Woods, the Witch initiates the plot, sending off central character The Baker on a journey that leads him to the other fairy-tale heroes. In return for him finding a list of ingredients, she rewards The Baker's Wife with child and ultimately transforms herself from a crone to a beautiful young woman – and that's just act one!
Speaking to Kate Fleetwood, who will be taking on the role at the Bridge Theatre this winter – we decided to ask why the Sondheim version of the classic witch is so special.
Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, the Wheel of Time star said: "At the end of the day she's a gardener, she's a protector. And then she's betrayed and robbed."
She continued: "At the start when we meet her, I've got to be as disgusting as possible, and deliberately lean into that hag witch trope.
"Then she transforms, but her turning into a youthful beauty is not necessarily about the aesthetic of that, but the release. It's all about the release of that negative perception that was a drag on her. She's young and acceptably beautiful again, and so becomes more powerful.
"Getting into the role I started researching witches, and often they're just very powerful, single women. So I started to think about how that plays in socially, you know, what is so frightening about a powerful woman?"
Fleetwood said her inspiration for the role came from all sorts of places, from ancient witches to Katharine Hepburn. She also said the role had always been on her bucket list:
"It's an iconic role. So I'm feeling a mixture of fear and excitement. There's no other way of putting it. I'm not necessarily known for being in musicals, so I had to really go back to the drawing board vocally and I've been, you know, training my voice for it since the day I got the job."
Fleetwood added that for her, the role was still changing and growing: "I tend to paint my work in big strokes when I'm in rehearsal, and then I pick away. Some people do it the other way, where they dab at a role, but I get the paint pot and chuck it at the wall, and then pick away at the person.
"So I'm still in that part of the process. And actually, that never stops, even when in performance you write to the very last performance, you're still etching and crafting."
Now, just days away from the first preview, the look of the show is still very much under wraps. The Bridge Theatre is an immersive theatre known for being its daring set design, and while Kate couldn't confirm anything, she said it would definitely look "a million dollars."
"I promise that it's going to look incredible."
As for what else audiences can expect: "I think the need for community is something that we really want to focus on and to open yourself to the idea that we all mistakes, and that we have to forgive ourselves and forgive each other.
"I think that you can watch this play and feel very drawn to the warmth of it. You find yourself gulping emotionally one second, then laughing about milking a cow the next minute, and then suddenly you're fighting back tears because it's incredibly moving.
"You'll feel profound joy and profoundly moved by it."
When can I see Into the Woods in London?
Into The Woods will run from 2nd December to 18th April 2026 at The Bridge Theatre. It takes place on Tuesdays to Saturdays with a matinee every Thursday and Saturday.
How to get Into the Woods tickets?
Tickets are available at LOVETheatre or TodayTix with prices starting from £25. Availability is running low in December but there's plenty of space in 2026.
For more of the latest live entertainment, here's how you can get tickets to see Sadie Sink in Romeo and Juliet and Black Friday theatre ticket deals.
Authors
