MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Reviews- Page 4

[Jarethan]

Posted: 10/11/23 at 10:54pm

Matt Rogers said: "inception said: "Yikes, just looked at current prices & they are ridiculous. The last row in the Balcony is over $150 now.
"
No, sorry. They fixed it. As pretty much every review says, it is an amazing production. Pure Broadway magic l. However, I completely agree that the pricing for this is criminal. The pure definition of producer greed. Seeing tickets priced higher than $500 is pretty pathetic. But it is selling out. I never knew there were so many rich theatre lovers. However, there are only SO many rich theatre goers. They will not be able to charge these ridiculous prices forever. The bottom will eventually drop off and some “reasonably” priced seats will be available."

I am the one who is always bitching about ticket prices.  The problem with this one is that, without charging those prices, the show would probably never have a chance of at least returning its investment.  Not only is it scheduled as a limited engagement...in a small theatre...but Sondheim has just never had long runs.  There is only one reason Sweeney is selling as well as it has, Josh Groban. 

Most Sondheim revivals can be happy for 6 - 9 months, even with glowing reviews.  I am thinking Company, ITW, Follies in recent years; the Doyle Company and ST further out, Assassins at Studio 54 (I don't think that came close to 6 months, but too lazy to look), the SITPWG at, I think, Studio 54 also.  Plus, they have all petered out before closing.  

I believe they need to charge those prices to have a chance of being a hit.  I do not think the solution is a bigger house with cheaper prices, because I just don't think the demand will be there indefinitely.  Of course, I am probably being too pessimistic, but I don't think so.

 

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 10/12/23 at 9:21am

I'm incredibly happy and not slightly surprised by these reviews, they deserve this!

I saw the first preview at NYWT and was blown away, does anything has changed at all? I paid $145 for a center orch ticket, so these Broadways prices are giving me chill LOL

I also think Lindsay may go featured, if she is up against Kelli O'Hara, I don't know if she can win.

Rooting for Groff more than anything, and Radcliffe is the easiet to get this award out of competition, but Brian and Redmayne will be trouble.

P.S.: ''Guttenberg'' is a revival?

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 10/12/23 at 10:05am

This is the reason to do a revival. For something to really get a second chance like this. 

 

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 10/12/23 at 5:06pm

A few days ago the front row seats on Halloween were a comparatively low $287--or maybe even $252--(less than any other day within a month of that date) for some reason. I thought maybe if I went to the box office I could avoid the fees and get one for an even lower price. Needed to wait until pay day tomorrow...and naturally they're up to $399 now (with a single $327). Sigh. Oh well. Snooze, lose, and all that.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 10/12/23 at 5:18pm

Jonathan Groff's Tony chances. Does it really matter if the show is still running then? If so, why?

For the awards to actually mean something, it shouldn't.

[BdwyFan]

Posted: 10/12/23 at 6:43pm

Grab what you can. That’s what I’ve been told.  I’ve a feeling Tickets are going to be gone soon. 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 10/12/23 at 7:04pm

BdwyFan said: "Grab what you can. That’s what I’ve been told. I’ve a feeling Tickets are going to be gone soon."

The Hudson color-coded indicators for ticket availability show most dates are red the next two weeks, turning to yellow/red in November.  Things go green for almost every date in late December and continue green through the 2024 dates.

Just bought some tickets for January. Lots of availability at $200 and under, mostly balcony, but some dress circle. The farther out you can buy, the better your pricing likely will be.

Updated On: 10/14/23 at 07:04 PM

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 10/12/23 at 7:30pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "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!"

Since the release date of the Linklater film would, assuming for the argument all goes according to plan, be 2039.

I'm not sure how this would work with the rights, but why couldn't we get both?  Couldn't a successful filming of this production actually be good for Linklater's film?  

 

[Zeppie2022]

Posted: 10/14/23 at 9:45am

Just got two tickets to see this in mid-November. Paying over $200 (with fees) for seats in balcony is expensive but my wife has not been this excited to see a particular show in a long time. I figured what I saved on airfare to NYC (frequent flyer miles) easily covered the cost of the ticket. Excited about seeing Jonathan Groff perform again and I have never seen Daniel Radcliffe in a show. 

[BJR]

Posted: 10/14/23 at 9:54am

Jay Lerner-Z said: "Jonathan Groff's Tony chances. Does it really matter if the show is still running then? If so, why?

For the awards to actually mean something, it shouldn't."

Oh they're aware of this. If he's in the show come Tony time, his (and all of their) chances go way up. But strike/TV commitments are gonna be a factor in possibly extending, of course.

[Zeppie2022]

Posted: 10/14/23 at 10:07am

"Oh they're aware of this. If he's in the show come Tony time, his (and all of their) chances go way up. But strike/TV commitments are gonna be a factor in possibly extending, of course."

Personally, I don't think it matters if Groff is still in the show come Tony time. The show and Groff got rave reviews and Groff is well known and liked Broadway performer.

[binau]

Posted: 10/14/23 at 10:20am

It shouldn't matter but it's very unusual for major Tony Awards to be handed out to closed shows - even if they should be. 

[MezzA101]

Posted: 10/14/23 at 2:25pm

Two-page splash of all the money quotes from the reviews in tomorrow's NYT Arts and Leisure section.

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 10/14/23 at 2:28pm

No actor from a closed show has won a Tony in a musical category since 1975. Groff won't be an exception. 

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 10/14/23 at 2:35pm

''It shouldn't matter but it's very unusual for major Tony Awards to be handed out to closed shows - even if they should be.''

It shouldn't matter, but it does for practical reasons. Of course, it's why so many shows open in the spring, so they'll be fresher in the minds of Tony voters. Even shows that have opened in the previous summer or fall sometimes reinvite the Tony voters during awards season. Plus, there are out-of-town Tony voters who come to NYC in May to binge on the shows they've missed earlier in the season.  

Closed shows sometimes win Best Play, like ''The Coast of Utopia'' and more recently ''The Lehman Trilogy'' and ''The Inheritance'' (due to COVID). ''Hallelujah, Baby!'' (1967) is the only closed show to win Best Musical. And it was a shocker when ''The Boys in the Band'' won Best Play Revival in 2019; it had opened in May 2018 and closed that August (as a limited engagement). I don't think any closed show has won the Tony for Best Musical Revival, but who knows?

Updated On: 10/14/23 at 02:35 PM

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 10/14/23 at 2:47pm

''No actor from a closed show has won a Tony in a musical category since 1975.''

I assume that's Angela Lansbury for Best Actress in ''Gypsy.''

Off the top of my head, there's also Martin Short. He won Best Actor in a Musical at the 1999 Tonys for a revival of ''Little Me,'' which closed earlier that season in February.

And a few years before that, at the 1993 Tonys, Andrea Martin won Best Featured Actress in a Musical for ''My Favorite Year,'' which closed in January 1993.

But is it rare? Yep. Meantime, maybe ''Merrily'' extends.

Updated On: 10/14/23 at 02:47 PM

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 10/14/23 at 2:52pm

Wayman_Wong said: "''No actor from a closed show has won a Tony in a musical category since 1975.''

I assume that's Angela Lansbury for Best Actress in ''Gypsy.''

Off the top of my head, there's also Martin Short. He won Best Actor in a Musical at the 1999 Tonys for a revival of ''Little Me,'' which closed earlier that season in February.

But is it rare? Yep. Meantime, maybe ''Merrily'' extends."

My bad! I think Barry Bostwick did it too in 1977. Still I don't think it has happened in this century yet, and if Jan Maxwell lost for Follies and Sara lost for Into the Woods, I think Groff's chances would be slim without an extension 

Updated On: 10/14/23 at 02:52 PM

[yyys]

Posted: 10/14/23 at 3:10pm

Groff's understudy on tonight? I saw his story on instagram.

[yyys]

Posted: 10/14/23 at 3:38pm

Nevermind, think it's just his first time performing.

https://www.instagram.com/iamevansmith/

Updated On: 10/14/23 at 03:38 PM

[Springtime]

Posted: 10/14/23 at 3:55pm

Evan Alexander Smith missed the opening due to Covid (three other ensemble members also currently have Covid). Corey Mach is Groff’s understudy.

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 10/14/23 at 3:58pm

Praying that everyone stays healthy. Going on Tuesday and if this is a show that finally works because of its cast, I wouldn’t want to see it with anyone else.

[Fordham2015]

Posted: 10/14/23 at 8:35pm

I was at today's matinee. Three ensemble members were out, but all principals were in. FYI the cast doesn't stage door between shows, especially in the rain.

This was in many ways a new show to me because I've watched Best Worst Thing but never listened to any of the cast albums.

That said, I loved the show. The main trio is perfect. Franklin Shepherd Inc brought down the house, as did Old Friends. The JFK number was a hoot and Frank Jr was adorable. 

The "final" version of the book works well and shows the passage of time very powerfully. My one issue was 
 

 

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the Roe v Wade joke, which I guess is supposed to be "topical" but took me out of the show for a few seconds.

Another pleasant surprise was that the Hudson sells Schmackary's cookies now.

[mshalo18]

Posted: 10/14/23 at 9:42pm

Couldn’t agree more with your review. I was at today’s matinee as well, and this show is as close to perfection as anything I’ve seen. I wasn’t familiar with Daniel Radcliffe’s stage work, and I blown away. Lindsey Mendez was perfectly cast, and Groff- well, I loved every second of his performance, spittle and all. Well worth every overpriced dollar I spent. 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 10/15/23 at 12:51am

Fordham2015 said: "The "final" version of the book works well and shows the passage of time very powerfully. My one issue was

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

the Roe v Wade joke, which I guess is supposed to be "topical" but took me out of the show for a few seconds.

"

FWIW, that joke has been in at least since the inception of this production in 2012, possibly earlier. Definitely an awkward reaction at the performance I saw, though. 

[Jumpin_J]

Posted: 10/16/23 at 11:32am

As I posted elsewhere, I saw it and it's the same production that London's Menier Chocolate Company did in 2012. Same director, same set, everything the same except for the cast. People are raving about this like this is Sondheim's greatest show of all time which is simply baffling to me. I'm not saying the emperor has no clothes. I mean it's fine. It's still Merrily which has always been a flawed show. Maybe they tweaked the book a tad to focus on Frank's story, but aside from that, I didn't see any difference. One of the show's main problems is the second act is really ballad heavy and slows the pace a lot. Radcliffe is, well, fine. Not a great voice but serviceable. Groff didn't start off well but got better as the show progressed. The women are the real standouts especially Mendez and Brown. But was it worth waiting 10 years just to get Radcliffe and Groff to market the show? Maybe, but I don't feel it benefited the art of the show. I wasn't knocked out like everyone else seems to be, and at $140 for the cheapest seats on sale at the box office (which I got to avoid nearly $25 in "service fees", it's a fine show. Nothing more, nothing less. 7 out of 10.