Radcliffe, Groff, and Mendez star in MERRILY - Reviews & News Thread- Page 2

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/7/22 at 3:06pm

So it's more so the book that makes it a unique production and not the design/direction?

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 3/7/22 at 3:12pm

I pulled the trigger and got a subscription because my anxiety over being able to get a ticket for this won out. I’m also very curious/excited about the new Rachel Chavkin work coming to NYTW next season. So it’s not a waste…I’ve just never had a subscription before so I’m not quite sure how it works hahahhaa 

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 3/7/22 at 3:14pm

I’m always on board for a first rate Sondheim revival, so count me in! With that said, I think people are a little too concerned about the difficulty in obtaining tickets. As a reminder, Privacy at the Public was not a sell-out hit in 2016. I saw it twice and each performance had ticket availability. Arguably, he was more popular 6 years ago. 
 

In either event, this and the announcement of Sanctuary City and the mounting of Three Sisters has me leaning towards a subscription. To be honest, I think Three Sisters will be the hot seat of next year more than Merrily. 

Updated On: 3/7/22 at 03:14 PM

[UrNotAMachine]

Posted: 3/7/22 at 3:28pm

I really liked Friedman's London production from a few years back, but while I was watching it I also caught myself thinking "The maximum potential for this material has been reached." People have said it so often that it's a cliche at this point, but Sondheim's score is just so far ahead of the show's book. Everything in this revival (and if you haven't seen the pro-shot of it, I really do recommend it) felt like it was working at 110% to try and overcome the obstacles and "fix" the show, and it still can't quite pull it off. It's like a car with an engine that's just not strong enough to make it up the hill. But, like Shakespeare's so-called Problem Plays, it seems that we're destined to see every musical theatre director for at least the next five centuries try to pull it off and prove to us the show just really needed X to work as intended.

Having said all that, I'm super excited to see Radcliffe attempt some Sondheim. I really do think he's a talented actor and I think his Franklin Shepard Inc. will be worth the price of admission alone for me. I also have to agree that their Broadway transfer chances will be stronger if they can bag another name as Frank or Mary. 

Updated On: 3/7/22 at 03:28 PM

[JBroadway]

Posted: 3/7/22 at 3:30pm

Play Esq. said: "Sanctuary City"

Sanctuary City already played this past fall. 

 

Ripped Man said: "So it's more so the book that makes it a unique production and not the design/direction?"

There might have been book changes; like I said I just don't personally recall what they were. Maybe someone else can provide insight on that.

I do think the direction played a big factor in it. Not because the production featured flashy staging or a brilliant concept, but because Friedman brought a more mature tone to the piece. At least that's how I remember it from the video. 

[binau]

Posted: 3/7/22 at 3:33pm

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint opening up in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at the Richard Rodgers theatre on Broadway in 2023. 

Updated On: 3/7/22 at 03:33 PM

[UrNotAMachine]

Posted: 3/7/22 at 3:34pm

JBroadway said: "

There might have been book changes; like I said I just don't personally recall what they were. Maybe someone else can provide insight on that.

The main change I recall was the addition of a subtle framing device that turned the show into Frank looking back on his entire life at a moment where he seems to be contemplating suicide. This wasn't a change in the book as it was staged wordlessly, but the show is bookended by Frank having a breakdown of sorts and, in the end, wordlessly deciding to try and recapture the lost promise of his youth following "Our Time."

I thought it was a pretty effective way of giving us a textual reason for the chronology of the show being the way it is.

Updated On: 3/7/22 at 03:34 PM

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 3/7/22 at 3:46pm

Play Esq. said: "Sanctuary City" Sanctuary City already played this past fall.

 

Aww damn it! Thought it was coming back next fall. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/7/22 at 3:46pm

Would love to see the pro shot

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 3/7/22 at 3:47pm

RippedMan said: "What makes her version so good?

And are we sure this is going to be such a hot ticket? Maybe if they stack the rest of the cast with notable Broadway vets, which I'm sure they will."

Honestly, what she brought to the piece was intimacy and sadness and the ability to care for these people whose lives just get worse and worse.

I mean at the center of why this show doesn't keep me is it's really sort of hopeless in ways but her direction made me empathize with the people more.

[UrNotAMachine]

Posted: 3/7/22 at 3:48pm

RippedMan said: "Would love to see the pro shot"

I'm pretty sure it's on YouTube if you're interested.

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 3/7/22 at 3:51pm

I think the science of the time gimmick works better in Last Five Years because when an audience sees things getting worse at the same time as time reversing knowing things WILL get worse, tonally it's less of a downer cause it's more intricate tonally. 

Merrily is- you as an audience member know we're heading toward a sad ending we've already seen, and each new pin spot in time reminds you of that and drives that knife deeper which is why the gimmick is more depressing. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/7/22 at 5:18pm

UrNotAMachine said: "RippedMan said: "Would love to see the pro shot"

I'm pretty sure it's on YouTube if you're interested."

Thank you!

 

[sng]

Posted: 3/7/22 at 8:32pm

binau said: "Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint opening up in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at the Richard Rodgers theatre on Broadway in 2023."

This would never happen but imagine if it did, the ticket sales I reckon would break every record in the history book. 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 3/7/22 at 9:12pm

ColorTheHours048 said: "Give it a rest. For that matter, give Sondheim a rest for a bit.."

I agree with some of what you say, but I think that to suggest giving Sondheim a rest (in the NYC theater world) is like suggesting that the Met give Mozart or Verdi or Wagner a rest.

[BJR]

Posted: 3/7/22 at 9:53pm

JBroadway said: "RippedMan said: "What makes her version so good?"

It's been 9 years since I watched the video of Friedman's production, so I don't really remember what book changes there were. But my memory is that the production felt really grounded and mature."

Easily the best production of the show I've seen.

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 3/7/22 at 9:59pm

binau said: "Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint opening up in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at the Richard Rodgers theatre on Broadway in 2023."

If they could sing... This would actually be remarkable.

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 3/7/22 at 11:48pm

Absolutely love this news and this casting. Friedman’s production is the one the material truly deserves. So happy more people get to experience this.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 3/8/22 at 1:00am

So I watched the YouTube of this production and… is it just that maybe this show doesn’t work? What were the reactions to the original play? Like, I get the idea is fun for a rewind. But that first scene is so heavy and it def feels like something that would happen after an 11 o’clock number so it’s interesting to open with it. I’m def on the fence about the show as a whole. Maybe the whole reverse thing just doesn’t work thematically?

[UWS10023]

Posted: 3/8/22 at 3:41am

I can’t wait to see this.

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 3/8/22 at 3:47am

I’m sorry, but when is this? I’ve combed a couple of the articles announcing this and the NYTW website and don’t see any time frame aside from it being part of the 2022-2023 season. I understand if the exact dates aren’t announced set/announced yet, but do we know the month? Time of year? Am I dumb?

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 3/8/22 at 7:11am

kdogg36 said: "ColorTheHours048 said: "Give it a rest. For that matter, give Sondheim a rest for a bit.."

I agree with some of what you say, but I think that to suggest giving Sondheim a rest (in the NYC theater world) is like suggesting that the Met give Mozart or Verdi or Wagner a rest."

If we got multiple productions of the same Mozart, Verdi, or Wagner pieces within a couple years of each other, I would probably advise the Met to take a look at their season planning too.

I’m not saying “stop performing Sondheim,” but I do think we’re a bit oversaturated at the moment. And with the same shows over and over. I’m not a fan of incessant Shakespeare either, no matter how brilliant the material, but at least Shakespeare has a deep canon to pull from. Sondheim has fewer shows to produce, and therefore, we see a lot of the same few shows repeatedly.

Updated On: 3/8/22 at 07:11 AM

[JasonC3]

Posted: 3/8/22 at 8:31am

In a just world at least one Sondheim show would always be running somewhere in NYC.

[Owen22]

Posted: 3/8/22 at 9:16am

I am actually unsure why this production works. I am an agnostic when it comes to this version of Merrily (by that I mean any subsequent version post the final original Broadway post-preview version, the original published version).  Meaning, I didn't think it could ever work. I miss "Hills of Tomorrow".  I don't like "That Frank" (mainly because I love "Rich and Happy" and hate that "Like It Was" and "Franklin Shepherd Inc" are in the same scene, making the resulting actions and ramifications seem rushed. However, I saw this Maria Friedman version at the Menier in London.  I had also seen the up-until-the-recent-Roundabout-revival last production of said original version in London (2001 Donmar) as well.  Which I had adored.  But I can say I liked the Menier edition almost as much!! The cast was perfection (Jenna Russell!!!) and everything I thought didn't work in this version, DID!  It doesn't carry as well on the You Tube video but I assure you, on stage it's wonderful.  But again, I don't really know why...

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 3/8/22 at 9:17am

NOWaWarning said: "I’m sorry, but when is this? I’ve combed a couple of the articles announcing this and the NYTW website and don’t see any time frame aside from it being part of the 2022-2023 season. I understand if the exact dates aren’t announced set/announced yet, but do we know the month? Time of year? Am I dumb?"

The original NYT article says “late this year.”