I'm sure there were many who found it charming. To me, it felt like the director was hitting me over the head. I understand Children Will Listen. I don't need to see it literalized.
One aspect I forgot to mention, was that this production seemed to downplay the comedy a bit and heighten the emotional aspects. For the most part, that worked for me. The only comedic loss I felt was that Little Red Riding Hood was played more sweetly and less sardonic than I am used to.
