Review: Merrily We Roll Along, The Playground Theatre

Merrily We Roll Along is a Sondheim classic, a failure-turned-smash hit that has recently been in the public eye thanks to a successful 2023 run on Broadway. Associated Studios now presents its own production of the show, featuring an incredibly talented group of performers who marvellously tackle a story of friendship, love, and artistic integrity. 

Director Alex Sutton has designed the set and costumes with a very precise vision. The stage has nothing but black chairs and a white grand piano that are moved around to create the different environments in which the show takes place. It is simple and gives the show an intimate atmosphere that makes it easier to connect with the characters on stage. The costumes are the most delightful visual elements. Sparkles and shiny materials represent success in the industry, which is accompanied by a certain hollowness. Throughout the performance, the cast starts losing its shine, taking them back to simpler clothes that signify simple and true beginnings. Frank’s costumes are a particular favourite as they gradually change, always maintaining an element from the scene before, to accompany his slow transformation. 

A Sondheim musical is hard to perform, as he tended to include complex rhythms, vocal leaps and intricate harmonies in all he created. Merrily We Roll Along is no exception. From the very beginning, it is striking how well the whole cast manages to perform the complicated musical numbers, nailing every beat with complete confidence and imbuing their performance with all the necessary emotions. And never does that emotion take away from the quality of the singing. Their timing (something that Sondheim also liked to complicate) is exceptional. It is a testament to rigorous rehearsals and love for the material from not only the performers on stage, but the fantastic musicians behind the curtain as well. 

The characters go from cynical to hopeful, from jaded to dreamers, through the story’s reverse chronology. The main trio stands out as the heart of the production, as it is in them that the audience sees the change most clearly and smoothly, and it’s their chemistry that makes the show work. Calum McElroy’s Frank masters the smooth transition from beginning to end, carrying the majority of the emotional burden; Ilya Akinfiev’s Charley charms whenever he is on stage, presenting the perfect and righteous artist; but Clodagh Harrington’s Mary shines as the star, wearing her heart on her sleeve, able to express the character’s heartbreak and hope in simple gazes. The rest of the cast shines in memorable performances, with Anneketrien Van Wassenhove’s Gussie stealing the spotlight whenever she gets the chance. Frank, Charley, and Mary’s story is a difficult one to perform well, as the complex emotions, reverse timeline, and Sondheim music are all difficult burdens for any performer. Associated Studios’ production of Merrily We Roll Along balances it all and more, in an intimate and emotional rendition of the story that is deeply moving.

Director/Set & Costume Designer: Alex Sutton
Musical Director: Dean Austin
Choreographer: Aimee Leigh
Producer & Vocal Coach: Leontine Hass
Lighting Designer: Tyler Forward
Sound Designer: Findlay Claydon

Merrily We Roll Along runs at The Playground Theatre until Saturday 7 June