This February, Drama Troupe will be staging the musical Into The Woods by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. Directed by Lorraine Aquilina, with Musical Direction by Gillian Zammit, Into the Woods is no ordinary fairytale! Cast as the story’s witch, Isabel Warrington is spilling the beans to Gallarija on a role which goes well beyond crooked noses and nasty spells…

Which five words best describe you.

Short-fuse, creative, impulsive, dreamer, impatient.

From the roles that you’ve played, is there one which you’re particularly fond of and why?

It’s hard to say. I’ve been quite lucky with the roles I’ve been cast in. I often get to play the part of the baddie, which is good fun because there’s so much you can do with a character like that – ask any actor. I think the role I’ve enjoyed most was Velma Kelly in Chicago. She was tough and sassy on the outside but also vulnerable deep down. I also love the era the play is set in, especially the music.

So, what made you choose Into the Woods as your next project?

When I first read the play I thought it would be one hell of

a challenge for me as there’s a lot of singing! Besides, the witch is quite a character! On first meeting her, she’s your average ugly old crone with magical powers, a bad temper and badly in need of a make-over… However there’s a lot more to her than meets the eye as her more vulnerable qualities start to emerge as the story unfolds.

You’ve played a witch before – how different is this witch from the others that you have played?

The two other witches were both Panto witches so their characters didn’t go much further than the make-up, gorgeous costumes and colossal boobs. This witch is much more complex and multi-faceted which goes beyond casting spells and being generally unpleasant. She’s much more real than the other witches I’ve played.

Do you think witches exist only in fairytales?

If you mean the ones who dress badly and don’t take care of their personal hygiene and make strange brews and cast spells on people and screech all the time, then yes, of course they exist – I’ve got one living in the same block of flats as I do…

During the musical, your character goes through quite a bit of a transformation. Can you explain?

Well, Into The Woods is all about the way society works and people never being happy with what they have. The witch is no exception. In the first act we see her as a hideous ogre who keeps Rapunzel, her “daughter” locked in a tower (as the fairytale goes). She is a possessive mother, cynical and disillusioned with a world which has not been very kind to her. All she is concerned about is Rapunzel’s safety and happiness and she will go to any lengths to keep her from harm’s way. However, she longs to be restored to her former beauty which had been taken from her by her own mother through a spell. Eventually her wish is granted and the spell is undone, however, that doesn’t necessarily mean that all is well… (If you want to know more, come and watch the play – it’s a lot better than my explanation).

What are your characters strengths and weaknesses?

Her strengths – definitely not her looks! She’s practical and a realist and doesn’t see things through rose-tinted spectacles like everyone else. She is tough and courageous. Funnily enough, she is the most honest of all the characters - what you see is what you get. Her weaknesses – she’s over-protective of her daughter which leads her to be ruthless when it comes to her safety. She’s also very vain and selfish.

How do you prepare for such a role?

Well, first of all, you need to know the plot. It may sound obvious, but it’s only then that you can really start relating to the character and the circumstances she is in. Which then leads on to interpretation and drawing on your own experiences and the way you would react to them. Naturally there’s the more technical side to it which means rehearsing the songs and blocking the moves and the synergy among all the cast. There’s quite a roller coaster

ride of emotions in this part and I must admit some of the songs

give me a big lump in my throat (which plays havoc with trying to hold the notes!). But The Witch is growing on me as I get to know her more.

How important is the witch’s role in the musical?

I think she’s there as a mirror to society. Everyone is always pointing the finger at the witch, blaming her just because she’s the “usual culprit”, but what they don’t realise is they’re no different when it comes to the crunch. She’s the scapegoat whenever something doesn’t go to plan.

It involves fairytale characters but it is not a ‘lived happily ever after’ story. So what is Into The Woods really all about?

One of the main themes running throughout the plot is “the grass is always greener…” syndrome and the way people always wish for what they don’t have and are not necessarily content once they achieve it. The woods are a reflection of our journey through life and what it throws at us and how we deal with it – some of us run away, some of us face the music and others take advantage of it. I think it’s a very vivid and somewhat scary insight into human nature.

What’s next on your list?

I hope you’re only referring to drama, because otherwise the list is endless – I told you, I’m a dreamer. Well, regarding drama I don’t really know. I’m afraid I’m not the sort of person who plans far ahead. Things sort of happen as I go along. And anyway, if I did have plans I wouldn’t want to talk about them, I’d rather keep them to myself and let them brew for a bit, because if I spend too much energy talking about them they’ll fizzle into nothing.

Into the Woods is being

staged at the Manoel Theatre on 4, 5 and 6 February. The Junior version will be held on Friday 4 at 6.30pm and on Saturday 5 at 3.30pm. The full version will be held on Saturday 5 at 8pm and on Sunday 6 at 7.30pm. Booking is available online at www.teatrumanoel.com.mt or by email at [email protected]