Merrily We Roll Along: John Doyle Watermill Production, Opening Night!

[BenKaye]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 6:15pm

I just want to start off by saying that John Doyle is the nicest man you'll ever meet. I had the great fortune of meeting him before the opening night performance of "Merrily," and he is just awesome!!!

And it shows, in this outstanding production, with an outstanding cast. It's a bit late in the evening in England, so unfortunately I can't give as much details as I would want to. I'm just hoping this show might possibly transfer to a higher stage, though it's possible that the lack of intimacy could ruin it.

Long story short, it was Amazing!!!

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 6:17pm

Is it the actor/musician concept again?

[BenKaye]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 6:20pm

Hells yea it was!

And it really works well. They also do this cool thing with film reel in the background thats really hard to explain, like, each scene is contained in a film reel, and each transition, they put a different reel in the back, and during scenes, they unravel the film.

It was really cool.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 6:24pm

Hopefully later you could go into more detail on the performances/concept?

[BenKaye]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 6:31pm

Fine, I'll do it now...

Sam Kenyon plays Frank Shephard, and he was amazing, as was the actress playing Beth (Joanna Hickman) Elizabeth Marsh (Mary) was better in the first half of the show, and Thomas Padden (Charley) just blew me away.

John told me that the whole show is about success, and how it ruins you and such. The set was very intimate, and the back wall had a large print of the sheet music for "Old Friends."

It didnt resemble the original B'Way production as such, as it contained the songs "The Blob" and "Growing Up."

[jewishboy]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 6:34pm

sounds good!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 6:43pm

I would love to hear more. I don't know the show well enough to ask specific questions, but anything else that stood out to you, especially about Doyle's staging, I'd really like to hear.

If anybody finds pictures of the production, please post them. I'm looking and can't find any.

[BenKaye]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 6:51pm

Well, as I previously stated, there's this whole Film reel thing going on. They hold up a box that has the year of the scene on it, ex 1959, and they take out a small film reel. On the back wall, is a machine at the back, and it spins for a little bit. Then, at certain points in the scene, the reels spin around rapidly, and then stop.

Also, there was an electric guitar in the orchestra, but it was barely used, so whatever.

[SahDu]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 8:18pm

Can we expect a cast recording or most likely not?

Jeff

[joshy]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 8:24pm

Thanks for the report, any more details? I hope this transfers to London so I can see it.


Didn't know Joanna Hickman was in it, want to see it even more now, as she was absolutely wonderful in the UK tour of Doyle's Sweeney.

[Liverpool]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 9:50pm

this show is so depressing, i love it so much.

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 9:56pm

How did the instrument concept work within the context of the show? i.e. which characters played which instruments, and did the leads stick to one instrument each or play multiple? I'd assume that Frank plays the piano. How many people are in the cast, and were the orchestrations updated or do they still have that '60s feel? I'm especially curious about the staging of "Opening Doors" and a few of the other numbers. Thanks so much for any details you could provide! Updated On: 1/21/08 at 09:56 PM

[alterego]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 11:08pm

I think John Doyle's gimmick of actor/musician is starting to wear out its welcome, don't you think?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 11:13pm

I don't. I think he always finds different layers for the use of the concept, and it's not like he applies it to all shows (A Catered Affair, etc). Did his Mack and Mabel use the concept?

[roseaddams]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 11:29pm

Yes, his Mack and Mable was actor/muso.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 11:34pm

"I think John Doyle's gimmick of actor/musician is starting to wear out its welcome, don't you think?"

Nope. Because its not just a gimmick. He uses the concept to illuminate certain aspects of the story/characters.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 11:40pm

To assume it's a gimmick is to miss its entire point.

That "gimmick" has provided the most powerful theater I have ever seen. Doyle understands how to tell a story, in a way that extends far, far beyond those instruments. Those who can't look past them miss out -- and it is nobody's loss but their own. His work rocked my perception of what I thought a musical could be, and the way I look at musical theater will never, ever be the same.

Updated On: 1/21/08 at 11:40 PM

[BenKaye]

Posted: 1/22/08 at 4:41am

Frank played piano, and the flute at times. Charley played violin, Mary played saxophone and flute. Beth played the cello, and I believe Joe played the flute.

Opening Doors was amazing. They all stood at the front of the stage, and when it got to the main theme, they sat down on a piano stool, and started to slowly rise up, it sounds weird, but it was cool.

I really hope there's a cast recording, but I don't know what the chances are.

It was a 12 person cast, and it didn't really have a 60's feel to it. The whole cast was wearing evening wear.

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 1/22/08 at 6:29am

I also had the great pleasure of mtg. Doyle during Company previews, when he snuck upstairs to the mezz, NOT looking at the show, but in the lounge area, w/back turned, ONLY listening...
I asked him later on what he was doing, and he was very sweet in describing his OWN, very diverse musical background, having played multiple instruments himself, and he had this idea that all humans are an instrument of sorts, and can play them to produce a fully realized characterS, in some creative way. I'm thinking, well, cool!!
Mr. Doyle is an exceedingly thoughtful, unassuming, talented man, who just happens to look like an accountant.

[spidey_88]

Posted: 1/22/08 at 8:01am

I love the idea that characters and personalities can be conveyed through signature instruments and themes. This show is a sentimental favorite of mine, so I am hoping that it does well enough to possibly make a transfer. (Pretty please?)

[folkyboy]

Posted: 1/22/08 at 11:05am

i don't think it's going to transfer as Roundabout has plans for this show as well. i doubt Roundabout is going to bring the London production over and i understood it was seperate.

i would love for this to be recorded, though. it's SO depressing and i'm all about it.

what were the costumes like?

[BenKaye]

Posted: 1/22/08 at 11:26am

Most of the actors, including Frank and Joe, were wearing suits. Marys dress was kinda exotic, like, blue and green and stuff, but not ridiculously exotic. Beth was wearing a long white dress, up to her knees, kinda resembling a napkin. If anyone knows Joanna Hickman, she's quite small, and adorable, and an amazing performer.

Charley was wearing a college professor-esque outfit, in a brown blazer. Gussie just had an evening dress, and had terrible hair, but I think that was intentional.

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 1/22/08 at 11:36am

I wouldn't care if Doyle had these actors playing the saw and spoons, I would eat up a production of Merrily in any form I could get it.

[BenKaye]

Posted: 1/22/08 at 1:08pm

Ooh, I also forgot to mention, Charley also played the oboe in some scenes as well.

Also, has anyone seen how "Bobby and Jackie and Jack" is performed. Does it usually sound like an Irish diddy at times? Cus here it did.

[misschung]

Posted: 1/22/08 at 1:32pm

Yeah, I think it does usually sound that way.

To the original poster - how did they handle the end?