Into The Hoods, a street dance/theatre version of Stephen Sondheim’s musical Into The Woods, comes to London this spring. A hit at two successive Edinburgh Fringe Festivals, ZooNation’s urban fairytale is booking at the Novello from 14 March to 10 May (press night 26 March).
Based on Sondheim and James Lapine’s darkly humorous musical, which centres on Red Riding Hood, Jack, Cinderella and other famous fairytale residents, Into The Hoods puts an urban spin on the story and sets it to a soundtrack of music by artists including Gorillaz, Basement Jaxx, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Black Eyes Peas and The Chemical Brothers.
The story follows two children who are lost in the hood. An evil landlord befriends them after they have played truant from school and they are offered a room in his tenement block on the condition they work for him. Reluctantly the children embark on their mission, which leads them to the flats occupied by Spinderella, where they discover gold Adidas trainers, Lil Red, the owner of a bright red hoodie, Rap-on-Zel, the producer of the finest quality long weave in the city and Jaxx (who lives in the basement), the owner of a white I pod.
Kate Prince, who has choreographed for stage and television, including the BBC series Strictly Dance Fever, directs and choreographs a cast of 28 actors and professional dancers, including nine children, in this energetic show.
ZooNation has previously shown off its trademark street dance/theatre style on television programmes including Blue Peter and Popworld. The company has appeared in London as part of West End Live and hip hop festival Breakin Convention at Sadler’s Wells.
Joining the company on stage as the nightly warm up act for Into The Hoods will be comedy rap poet Mister Gee.
CB