If you go down to the woods today you’re sure of a lavish musical number. Southern Oxfordshire drama group AmEgos is celebrating the 85th birthday of composer Stephen Sondheim by producing his award-winning musical Into the Woods.

The show runs from today Wednesday, April 22 to Saturday at King Alfred’s Academy, Wantage, at 7.30pm each night.

The show, first performed in 1986, revolves around a childless baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family.

They discover a witch placed a curse on them and in their quest to escape it end up meeting a host of fairytale characters who all wish for something different in their lives.

The show is being directed by AmEgos founder Lesley Phillips, who plays Red Riding Hood.

Ms Phillips, from Faringdon, said: “We try to challenge ourselves with each show that we take on, and working on Sondheim’s score has certainly been a stretch.

"Coached, calmed and comforted by Chris Fletcher-Campbell, we have had such fun mastering the lyrics and timings of the songs, that our rehearsal weeks have flown by and now we’re all ready to get the costumes on, get the band in place and get on stage.”

The show is sponsored by Webbs Wood of Longcot, Richmond Village care home, Letcombe Regis, Bennett and Kerr Books, Mel Taylor Photography, the King Alfred’s Head pub in Wantage and Wildwood Kitchen in Wantage.

A donation for the King Alfred Guild of Players covered the cost of the performing licence and hire of musical scores.

Tickets are £12 and available from Umami Deli in Wantage, Hare in the Woods Deli in Faringdon and wegottickets.com/AmEgos.