Merrily We Roll Along
Lindsay Mendez, Jonathan Groff and Daniel Radcliffe (Matthew Murphy)
(Posted Oct. 19, 2023) By Fern Siegel
Stephen Sondheim is gone, but his musicals live on.
An acclaimed revival of Into the Woods arrived on Broadway in July 2022, highlighting his gift for nuanced lyrics, as well as dark, sophisticated musical comedy. A tart, revamped gender-swamped version of Company opened in early December 2021. Last year, an off-Broadway version of Merrily We Roll Along debuted — and it proved so successful it was remounted on Broadway at the Hudson Theater, the first time since 1981.
When the show originally debuted, it was panned by critics. This round, under the direction of Maria Friedman, it is a stylish and thoughtful commentary that poignantly reveals, as Charley (Daniel Radcliffe) sings in the opening number: “how did you get to be here.”
It’s fair to say “Merrily” has arrived. It’s not just the amazing score, with songs like “Old Friends,” “Not a Day Goes By,” “Good Thing Going” and “Our Time.” It’s the 21st-century look at key themes.
The show takes three friends on a journey — composer Franklin (Jonathan Groff), playwright Charley and critic Mary (Lindsay Mendez) — and navigates turbulent waters: friendship, marriage, divorce, unrequited love, success, dreams and failures.
Based on the 1934 play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, “Merrily We Roll Along” begins in 1976 and moves back in time to 1957. Much occurs in those years, both in the nation and in the lives of the talented trio, who first connect as aspiring artists in the late Fifties. But as Franklin pursues lucrative but empty success in Hollywood, while eroding his moral center, helped by wife Gussie (Krystal Joy Brown), the bonds of friendship become frayed.
Because we see the musical in reverse, the tone is reflective and poignant. We know the ending before we learn the genesis. As the friends’ paths diverge, Merrily underscores the importance of work that matters. Compromises are inevitable, but success can sometimes corrupt — and it can prove costly to an artist. The superficial, insist Charley and Mary, can never trump substance.
Yet it’s Charley and Franklin who are deemed gifted. Mary is less blessed, defined largely by her unrequited love for Franklin. The men are more dimensional. Mary deserves better.
The totality of our lives is revealed over time. “Merrily we roll along” is our usual route. But too often, we’re either oblivious or self-absorbed. We don’t fully see the pain we cause or how our endings can stray so far from eager beginnings. Yet thanks to chemistry between the principals, and performances that neatly define the emotional roller-coaster they ride, the show moves at an insightful pace.
Tim Jackson’s enjoyable choreography, Soutra Gilmour’s spot-on set and costume design and Amith Chandrashaker’s nostalgic lighting design hit the right notes.
Merrily isn’t full-proof, some of the original flaws remain. But Friedman gets strong performances from her veteran Broadway cast. Each delivers the goods. Plus, she gives the ending a subtle, but meaningful tweak, nicely book-ending the show. Sondheim fans will love it.