Because our recollections of the way things were are nothing more than well-worn dreams – – dreams of the way we wanted things to be; dreams of the way we thought things might turn out; dreams of all the wonderful things we hoped might lie ahead for us. But dreams are only that – – dreams. They’re ephemeral. They do not foretell reality. And this most heartfelt of Stephen Sondheim’s musicals is, at its core, a tuneful but nonetheless instructive homily about letting go of your dreams.
The other key takeaway from the story of Frank, Mary and Charley is this: if you want to reach the top; if you want to be really rich and famous; if you honestly want it all, you’d better be prepared to also let go of many of the people you encountered along the way, including people who’ve helped you and yes, treasured friends and loved ones as well.
At the end of this story, Frank’s life lies in shambles and Mary and Charley are left damaged from their relationship with him. He's toxic.
And this is a musical?
Damned right!
Indeed, this is one brilliant Sondheim musical with a book by George Furth adapted from then original George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart play of the same name. And, fortunately for this show, the action moves backwards from end to beginning so the whole thing unfolds almost as a series of consecutive flashbacks. That’s good news because, strangely enough, movings backwards makes it all palatable and at the end we still have our dreams and some semblance of hope
In 1981 when this musical debuted on Broadway audiences weren’t quite ready for it and frankly, the show itself wasn’t ready for the Big Time. It flopped.
It took all these years, lots of tinkering, workshops and later productions (mostly in the UK) to bring the show to where it is now. Under Maria Friedman’s superb direction and starring Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez, the show is reborn as a the cautionary tale of a man who gave up everything simply to discover that familiar truth: it’s lonely at the top — very lonely!
The narrative has been strengthened in this”new” Merrily. Consequently, it’s quite talky. But the dialogue is necessary to flesh out the three principals. Jonathan Groff’s Frank is appropriately conflicted before he’s hopelessly seduced. Groff is a perfect leading man here — compelling but illusive at the same time. Daniel Radcliffe’s Charley is a lovable lyricist who fights to hold onto his ideals and his artistic integrity. When he sings Franklin Shepard, Inc. it completely stops the show. It’s positively definitive. And Mary? Well, she’s sorta the preverbal third wheel but also a best selling author who’s harbored a lifelong crush on Frank. This is a classic case of unrequited love — enough to turn anyone (including Mary) into an alcoholic. Groff Radcliffe and Mendez own these roles.
And here’s the secret: they don’t oversell the songs. There’s no need to belt when the material is this good. And these three are nothing less than triumphant. Plus, the supporting cast (including Krystal Joy Brown, Katie Rose Clarke and Reg Rogers) is strong as well. Rogers’ version of Not A Day Goes By is heart wrenching.
Merrily We Roll Along has always been a treasure trove of great Sondheim songs tumbling forward like sparkling gems: Our Time, Opening Doors, Good Thing Going, Now You Know and It’s A Hit in addition to the aforementioned Like It Was, Franklin Shepard Inc and Not a Day Goes By. The score is dazzling in a way that no other show on the Great White Way can match.
If this show doesn’t scoop up a pocketful of Tony Awards (including Best Revival of a Musical) then you can hit the sack and go back to your childish dreams of what might have been.
On a scale of one to ten, this one is a solid 11!
