MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Reviews — Page 8

first time seeing any iteration of this show, and i'm left underwhelmed. i get that this is a production that finally makes it work (arguably), and so maybe if you saw prior drafts this final one comes out looking great but i just found the first act so incredibly uninspired. Frank is horrible. HIs motivations are basic and human, but uninteresting. The novelty of telling the story backwards hurts the show because for the first 40 minutes I found it hard to care why this protagonist shouldn't just be ditched by all those around him so we can all go home. (The best example of this is Not A Day Goes By, which I thought landed like a lead balloon in Act 1 when a total stranger shows up to sing it about a total jackass of a character, but was then very moving in Act 2 when characters we know better sing it).

and i think part of the problem might be how adorable/funny/interesting the two supporting characters are (and yes in this production, Frank is the leading man). Radcliffe is FANTASTIC in every single scene he has (far too few), and nails the humor, the songs, the whole charisma of a nerdy earnest writer. And while the backward story hurts the show, Radcliffe gets to stop it pretty early on, so we fall in love with him immediately. But then HIS life is barely explored, except in the context of Frank. Ditto the character of Mary: Jamila Sabares Klemm is doing fine, fine work here (mimicking Mendez, it feels like, in some of her deliveries) and her Mary is a beautifully sung, beautiful delight. Again, I wanted MORE of her, about why she seems to have thrown her life away for this Frank creep, but we only get any insight into her in the context of Frank (for reasons not even explored) rejecting her.

Which brings me to the opinion that will crucify me here but deep breath: I dont get what all the fuss is about re Groff. Who I have loved in everything he's ever done, who sings great, who is fully committed and believable for 2.5 hours. But hes committed and believable as this totally uninteresting, totally unappealing, totally callous jerk. So the center of the show (indeed the very reason for every other character's existence) was an empty hole for me. Why is Charley so committed to him? Why is Mary in love with him? Why was Beth?

The only character that made any sense was Gussie, because shes craven and selfish, and she spotted those very qualitie in Frank from the outset. Why is SHE more of a villain than he is? Krystal Joy Brown is doing her best in an impossible role (and boy can she sing) but I thought the story felt like a tale of two people desperate to climb to the top of the heap--only shes smart enough to realize thats what shes doing from the jump and he isnt. This made Groff's frank feel dumb/oblivious on top of being empty and selfish. And that made it hard to care.

The show stlll has its moments. The Blob was hilarious. Opening Doors was perfect. Reg Rogers has found his umpteenth role where being Reg Rogers somehow works perfectly for it. I hope Radcliffe is remembered heavily in the spring, and I hope this is the start of quite a career for Sabares-Klemm. I'm glad I saw it, because it has its Sondheim genius throughout. And maybe it was the oppressively hot theater or the $$$ we spent (on center dress circle seats, Row E-- perfect view, and I'd imagine front balcony would be fine, too), but my disappointment puts me firmly in the minority--on these boards, amongst the critics, and the audience I saw it with.

Lindsay remains out, and during the BCEFA speech, when Groff tried to hand Jamila the little notecard so she could continue the shpiel (before Radcliffe took over the entire proceeding like a total master auctioneer), she said "Oh, no need, I'm off book" ie shes been doing this pretty regularly by this point. Hope Mendez is OK.

PipingHotPiccolo said: "Lindsay remains out, and during the BCEFA speech, when Groff tried to hand Jamila the little notecard so she could continue the shpiel (before Radcliffe took over the entire proceeding like a total master auctioneer), she said "Oh, no need, I'm off book" ie shes been doing this pretty regularly by this point. Hope Mendez is OK."


The night I saw it, Mendez said the same thing. So while the sentiment may be true, it’s a scripted patter they use.

I agree — I think Rich and happy is far superior to That Frank as a song and in the show. Plus it has one of the worst Sondheim lyrics - he has a son who’s straight .

Voter said: "Springtime said: "Voter said: "Is Lindsay back yet?"

No. She has now been out for the last two weeks (and has missed a total of 23 shows in the Broadway run)."

Damn. I’m sending family on expensive tix this week. They paid and planned to see all three. Sadly if she’s not back I’ll be exchanging their tix. It’s too much damn $$ to be out for two weeks, regardless. I wonder if now that the SAG strike is over she got whisked back to a set? I’m surprised we’re not hearing more about that actually"

Given that the transfer was announced way before the SAG strike, I doubt she double-booked herself (or was even able to, contractually).

My god, I can only imagine her singing ‘now you know’ each night to be like therapy.


re: ‘son whose straight’ lyric. What’s the problem with this? This is what people genuinely think sometimes. It’s not actually suggesting this is a genuine good thing. The entire song is satirical.

"A son who's straight"

is so. so. funny. Especially when this is mocking Hollywood people.

People still think like this. Also, in a world of burgeoning queerness it's absolutely something a straight person would say like "Oh thank god, for some variety we have a straight one."

dramamama611 said: "My take: why does anyone look back? He's unhappy and unfulfilled. Despite his professional success, he is a personal failure. His own son didn't ask him to come to his graduation. He has nothing but $ and ass kissers around him."

I appreciate this, thanks. The version of the show I know didn't even contain his son, so I didn't realize his son didn't invite him to his graduation. That's a pretty big deal, and certainly something that might get one thinking "Where did I go wrong?"

It is one line in a song that goes by in seconds. Does it merit this much scrutiny?

Astonishing how one of Sondheim's largest flops has now grossed over 2 million dollars on Broadway with 100% of seats sold.

Bravi tutti to this entire production and creative team! An absolute triumph.

joevitus said: "JasonC3 said: "It is one line in a song that goes by in seconds. Does it merit this much scrutiny?"

Of course it does. For two reasons: 1) for some of us, it sticks out like a sore thumb, and 2) lines in Sondheim's lyrics are always worth analyzing."

I'll just enjoy the recording and the show as I see nothing about the line that merits deep review nor do I think it "stands out like a sore thumb." But for those who do, happy analyzing!

AnythingYouDo said: "My problem with the "son who's straight" line is that it muddles Frank and his son's estrangement. The party guests wouldn't know that Frank Jr. is straight, nor would they really even mention him; all they care about is Frank and his success.

Overall, "Rich and Happy" is a better song for that place in the show because it allows the older, cynical Frank to speak (or sing) for himself; "That Frank" isaboutFrank, but mostly from the perspective of his superficial hangers-on, so it doesn't really help us understand him."

The line always gets a laugh and I think it accomplishes showing how superficial the "friends" of Frank by this point are (even if in the revised version apparently his movie is actually good, not terrible like in Rich and Happy.) What always bugged me is... how old is his son by this point? Would even vapid scenesters just assume he was straight?

I will say I *get* why Sondheim felt he had to change Rich and Happy. Rich and Happy is still the kids from the old high school graduation framework acting out what they imagine a Hollywood party to be (complete with a timed to the music group cocaine snort.) What was never clear in Hal Prince's production (and I judge this from having read the 1981 script, and seen the not very good quality bootleg) is when is it no longer the kids telling Frank's story and switches to the story itself, if that makes any sense. Because by Franklin Shepherd Inc there's no way we're meant to imagine that the kids are still showing what they assume Frank's life is.

I saw the Michael Grandage production that the Donmar in 2000 with Julian Ovenden and Daniel Evans that was so lauded. I thought it was great--and famously while using mostly the revised book and songs (at least as revised as it was by that point--Growing Up, etc) they kept the high school graduation bookends AND Rich and Happy but did a pretty good job of showing when the transition from "High school grad teens showing what they assume Frank's life is" to the actual stuff. And of course, they somehow didn't think to get permission to include these elements, and the production was almost shut down but after Sondheim and Furth saw it in previews and loved it, they allowed it to run for its planned run, but with the promise it wouldn't transfer or be done again. But I was really happy with this (ending with "old Frank" at the grad now kinda realizing what he lost along the path of his life is a much more satisfying, even hopeful, ending for me.)

And regardless, Rich and Happy is musically a better song. I have no idea why Sondheim didn't just rewrite the lyrics--That Frank musically always sounds to me like it's going to break into Rich and Happy, but it holds back which I find frustrating.