MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Reviews

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 12:19am

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 8:01am

Deadline: ‘Merrily We Roll Along’ Broadway Review: Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff & Lindsay Mendez Polish A Flawed Gem

https://deadline.com/2023/10/merrily-we-roll-along-broadway-review-1235567197/

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 8:03am

NYT Critics Pick from Green

Review: ‘Merrily We Roll Along,’ Finally Found in the Dark

Jonathan Groff, supported by Daniel Radcliffe and Lindsay Mendez, is thrillingly fierce in the first convincing revival of the cult flop Sondheim musical.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/10/theater/merrily-we-roll-along-review.html

"Radcliffe’s wit and modesty, combined with Mendez’s zing and luster, provide perfect settings for what is now (as it has never been previously) the inarguably central performance. Groff, always a compelling actor, here steps up to an unmissable one. With his immense charisma turned in on itself, he seems to sweat emotion: ambition, disappointment and, most frighteningly, a terrible frozen disgust."

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 8:04am

Theatrely: MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, A Spectacular Broadway Feast — Review

https://www.theatrely.com/post/merrily-we-roll-along-a-spectacular-broadway-feast-review

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 8:06am

Holden in Vulture is a rave

https://www.vulture.com/2023/10/theater-review-merrily-we-roll-along-sondheim-radcliffe-groff-mendez.html

"Friedman understands something crucial about Merrily, one of those elusive things that seems so simple when we actually, at last, see it happen: We need to love the three aspiring hearts who begin the play middle-age — suffering, compromised, hating each other — and end it as 20-year-old music-makers and dreamers of dreams. I mean, really love them — enough that, as we watch their story reassemble itself, like a rewound film of a shattered vase, our hearts can’t help cracking, in an inverse relationship to the thing we’re seeing be repaired, the thing we know, in real time, is still broken. Love them enough that our knowing — the structural inevitability of the play — is neither a flaw nor, in fact, the point. And we need to see that they really love each other. Furth’s book — with its quippishness and its lack of deep character background — can’t be solely depended on for this, nor, even, can Sondheim’s inimitable lyrics and often ravishing music. You need actors, and not just anyone. Enter, as a gloriously playful and supportive trio, Lindsay Mendez, Jonathan Groff, and Daniel Radcliffe."

 

"Friedman’s great insight — perhaps owing to her own long career onstage — is to have sought out actors she, and we, can entirely trust, and to trust them. (It sounds simple. It’s not.) She locates the play’s potential to be caring rather than callous not on the page but in the specific human beings who are here, doing this thing, right now. A central trio as sensitive and superb as this one doesn’t just make Merrily more moving; it makes it much more fun. It even adds a faint glimmer of something resembling hope. If Frank can reconsider, then he may yet change. Or he may not. But either way, an actor must show us, as Groff does, a true encounter with the mirror. With their irresistible energy and chemistry, Mendez, Groff, and Radcliffe lift Merrily up, yet keep it grounded with real, apparent affection and emotional heft. They are the ones reviving the play, by revealing and jump-starting its heart."

 

[chanel]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 8:10am

A rave by Michael Musto in the Village Voice:

Says that, like the show itself, Friedman and company have gone back in time to see what went wrong.

https://www.villagevoice.com/review-merrily-we-roll-along-finally-has-its-moment-in-time/

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 8:11am

Daily Beast:

Review: ‘Merrily We Roll Along’ on Broadway Is Almost-Perfect Sondheim

OLD FRIENDS

The terrific chemistry and performances of Lindsay Mendez, Daniel Radcliffe, and Jonathan Groff transform the tricky “Merrily We Roll Along” into piercing musical drama and comedy.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/review-merrily-we-roll-along-on-broadway-is-almost-perfect-sondheim

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 8:12am

The Wrap

‘Merrily We Roll Along’ Broadway Review: Daniel Radcliffe and Jonathan Groff Lead a Riveting Revival

The troubled Stephen Sondheim musical finally finds its perfect cast

https://www.thewrap.com/merrily-we-roll-along-broadway-review-daniel-radcliffe-jonathan-groff-lindsay-mendez/

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 8:13am

USA Today

Review: Daniel Radcliffe’s ‘Merrily We Roll Along’ is as close to perfect as Broadway gets

https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2023/10/10/merrily-we-roll-along-broadway-review/71115620007/

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 8:14am

Chicago Tribune:

Review: ‘Merrily We Roll Along’ on Broadway has a cast that’s wonderful to watch

https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/broadway/ct-ent-merrily-we-roll-along-broadway-review-radcliffe-20231010-plf5izps4zc25gpzvf6mcsuqoa-story.html

"Broadway never saw a better triple-act than Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez and Daniel Radcliffe, the triumphant triumvirate at the heart of the gorgeous new revival of “Merrily We Roll Along” directed by the famed British musical theater star Maria Friedman. What a delight they are to watch as life kicks their ever-hopeful characters in the teeth."

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 8:15am

NY Stage Review:

Now You Know; or, How to Make ‘Merrily’ Roll Along

By Steven Suskin

★★★★★ Led by Daniel Radcliffe, Lindsay Mendez, and Jonathan Groff, the onetime Sondheim failure is now—finally—a palpable Broadway hit

https://nystagereview.com/2023/10/10/now-you-know-or-how-to-make-merrily-roll-along/

Merrily We Roll Along: Feel the Flow, Hear What’s Happening

By Melissa Rose Bernardo

★★★★★ More than 40 years after its debut, the infamous Sondheim-Furth flop gets Broadway redemption

https://nystagereview.com/2023/10/10/merrily-we-roll-along-feel-the-flow-hear-whats-happening/

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 8:42am

Washington Post:

‘Merrily We Roll Along’ gets the stunning Broadway revival it deserves

Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez breathe new life into Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s 1981 musical

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater/2023/10/10/merrily-sondheim-radcliffe-groff-broadway/

"Director Maria Friedman, in league with stars Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez and Daniel Radcliffe, burrow down to the musical’s theatrical core and discover not a shallow pool of glibness but a deep wellspring of emotionality. Friedman’s poignant Broadway revival, officially opening Tuesday night at the Hudson Theatre, is a marvelous marriage of Sondheim’s stupendously satisfying music and lyrics with Friedman’s seminal insights."

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 8:43am

Forbes

‘Merrily We Roll Along’ Breaks The Heart (And Fills It Up) On Broadway

https://www.forbes.com/sites/darrynking/2023/10/10/merrily-we-roll-along-breaks-the-heart-and-fills-it-up-on-broadway/

[JasonC3]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 9:02am

Guess we may not see that $500 top ticket price (or the overall pricing structure) coming down much after these very well-deserved rave reviews. 

Updated On: 10/10/23 at 09:02 AM

[yyys]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 9:04am

will they refund if either Jonathan or Daniel are not on?

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 9:08am

Here's my review. It's long, but I hope you all enjoy it!

Review: “Hey, Old Friend!” Merrily We Roll Along is Back and Better Than Ever!

Maria Friedman has brought Stephen Sondheim’s 1981 flop home to Broadway, and is a Theatrical Triumph!

★★★★★

You know how there are some friendships that last forever and some that fade away and become forgotten? Well, Merrily We Roll reminds us of that.

The show, which opened at the Hudson Theatre today, revolves around one man’s poor, selfish choices in life and how he drives his two lifelong friends away. However, you would think that’s how the story ends, right? Not quite. Merrily is a show that tells its story in reverse. It’s almost like what decisions could be made to help fix a relationship so it doesn’t become history. 

This production is directed by British actress Maria Friedman. With this new interpretation, Friedman does something the original production failed to do. That is to not focus entirely on Franklin. Here, Friedman equally focuses on Franklin (Jonathan Groff), Charley (Daniel Radcliffe), and Mary (Lindsay Mendez). Because of that, we can really see the true chemistry between these actors. Along with Friedman’s magnificent staging, it would not be complete without fascinating choreography by Tim Jackson. The movement Jackson brings to the stage, especially to the ensemble, really helps with the storytelling, particularly with the transitions between time periods. 

While Friedman took the approach to shine the spotlight on the three leads equally, each performance stood out in its own way. Radcliffe delivered what some would say is the ultimate humiliation to another human being in “Franklin Shepard Inc.” I, for one, would not wanna be on the other end of a roasting moment, particularly this one! If there’s someone with an incredible voice, of course, I’m talking about Lindsey Mendez’s performance as Mary and her beautiful rendition of “Like It Was.” Lastly, Central PA native Jonathan Groff brought what I would call a masterful performance as Franklin! The whole reason why we are here is because of his actions, which led to some severe consequences. 

When it comes to the story, most go forward, but George Furth’s book goes in reverse. To be honest, it works! If we go forward, the story doesn’t have a happy ending. If we go backward, we can see how great things were in the past, but maybe that’s how the story should end. Starting at the beginning.

Even though this musical’s original production was a flop, the songs by the late Stephen Sondheim have remained iconic over the years and have been given a new life in this revival!

While the set by Soutra Gilmour basically pictures a suburban California home, little elements here and there can help describe where we are at the present moment but not have to change the entire scenery from top to bottom. For example, the windows that are meant to resemble a stunning view are quickly changed into studio windows and a green wall that appears for “Franklin Sheppard Inc.” They can help resemble the time period for costumes, also by Gilmour, but Groff, Mendez, and Radcliffe hardly change costumes. I personally feel it helps them stand out among the rest of the ensemble and supporting characters. Frankly, I would do anything to have the pajamas Radcliffe was wearing in the final scene of Act II. For lighting, the one thing that will stay with me forever is Amith Chandrashaker’s design in the final moments of Act II, where the three are gazing in amazement as they watch Sputnik go by, and then leads to Groff standing all alone on stage just like the beginning but the stars just explode into the audience. Truly an effect I won’t ever forget (Our Time). 

We all have our friends in life, but if you get a chance to see this remarkable production, just remember that as long as you make the right decisions in life and be there for the people who care about you, you can truly have friendships that will last a lifetime, if they fade, just know that they will never truly leave you!

Updated On: 10/10/23 at 09:08 AM

[barcelona20]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 9:22am

Any chance this gets filmed?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 10:28am

Truly warms the heart to read MERRILY reviews this strong…and quite the rave for Groff by Jesse Green.

It could be Groff vs Redmayne come Tony time. 

[Jumpin_J]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 10:35am

barcelona20 said: "Any chance this gets filmed?"

There's a film version already in production with Ben Platt and Beanie Feldstein so it's unlikely this one will.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrily_We_Roll_Along_(film)

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 10:35am

barcelona20 said: "Any chance this gets filmed?"

Anything is possible -- though I wouldn't bet on any show being filmed :)

A streaming service might actually see money potential in this because of Radcliffe & Groff (separate from the filmed London production).

[ElephantLoveMedley]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 10:37am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "It could be Groff vs Redmayne come Tony time."

Definitely feels that way. These are love letters to Groff. Right now, Redmayne feels like the only other major threat this season.

[Jumpin_J]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 10:40am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Truly warms the heart to read MERRILY reviews this strong…and quite the rave for Groff by Jesse Green.

It could be Groff vs Redmayne come Tony time."

Eddie might get nominated for just being him which would be wrong, but I HATED Cabaret. The director blew it. The MC is constantly angry which contradicts his opening monologue of "In here, everything is beautiful". Sally is constantly hysterical so she has nowhere to go when she has her breakdown, and Cliff has all the enthusiasm of watching paint dry until he yells at Sally near the end. I've spoken to at least three other people who saw the same production with different casts and said the same thing, so these are directorial decisions. I'll reserve judgement on Merrily when I see it tomorrow. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 10:50am

ElephantLoveMedley said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "It could be Groff vs Redmayne come Tony time."

Definitely feels that way. These are love letters to Groff. Right now, Redmayne feels like the only other major threat this season."

My thesis about MERRILY has long been that the original was primarily doomed because they could never crack Frank (and that was a combination of Prince, Furth, Weissenbach/Walton, Sondheim). His arc wasn't right and the audience disengaged. Finally, Frank has been cracked and guess what? The show works! And IMHO it works much better with Groff & the current cast than with the gents from London.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 10:54am

Jumpin_J said: "barcelona20 said: "Any chance this gets filmed?"
There's a film version already in production with Ben Platt and Beanie Feldstein so it's unlikely this one will.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrily_We_Roll_Along_(film)"

I don't know how the rights would work for this, but my assumption is the rightsholders would not have prevented a stage production from being filmed/release, since the Linklater film is such a long undertaking where 1,000 things could go wrong. It's more of a thought experiment than a traditional film, at this point. It is being financed independently and doesn't have a distributor. The company that distributes it in fifteen years might not even exist yet!

[binau]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 11:05am

Jumpin_J said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Truly warms the heart to read MERRILY reviews this strong…and quite the rave for Groff by Jesse Green.

It could be Groff vs Redmayne come Tony time."

Eddie might get nominated for just being him which would be wrong, but I HATED Cabaret. The director blew it. The MC is constantly angry which contradicts his opening monologue of "In here, everything is beautiful". Sally is constantly hysterical so she has nowhere to go when she has her breakdown, and Cliff has all the enthusiasm of watching paint dry until he yells at Sally near the end. I've spoken to at least three other people who saw the same production with different casts and said the same thing, so these are directorial decisions. I'll reserve judgement on Merrily when I see it tomorrow."

When I saw Eddie Redmayne in Cabaret, it felt like I was really watching the Director's hand whereas in Merrily it really felt like it was Groff's talent that made all the difference (as much as Maria Friedman I'm sure has helped though clearly based on the filmed London Merrily she herself cannot always find the magic answer for everyone and Groff is doing something special). Hopefully the buzz starts to build behind Groff - I do think Merrily will need to extend though or it would be very unusual to aware a Best Actor Musical Tony to someone in a closed show when there are viable alternatives from open shows.