Someday, executives will understand that those of us who adore live theatre would pay big money for the chance to see high-quality live recordings of our favorite Broadway shows. With the success of Hamilton and even Wicked, to a degree, it’s shocking that it took this long to get Merrily We Roll Along, and dare I ask, Hadestown, when?
I haven’t seen the stage production, so I can’t speak on the differences in the recorded version, but everything about Merrily We Roll Along is stirring, sparkling, and so sincere, it’s no surprise that it took home four Tony Awards for its revival. From the moment Jonathan Groff steps onto the screen, and we get a close-up look of the wonder in his eyes, it’s clear that the performance is about to be evocative. That’s Groff’s speciality in more ways than one, yes, but good lord, the sheer heart in every moment is everything, with the final number breaking you in a way that’s indescribable.
As a story, there’s something so painful about the concept of Merrily We Roll Along and how it delivers the story backward to show us the weight of the loss we witness in the first act. It’s an especially heartbreaking musical to watch when you’re in the creative space and know that matters like this aren’t just fictional, but they happen to so many people in the long run. And I appreciate that the story doesn’t try to deconstruct why it happens, only that it does, to almost leave that weight on the audience. It’s up to us to sit and sway with it. It’s up to us to feel all the feelings and try to find the right words.
As a recorded production, so much of the appeal lies in the directing and the performances. It’s a simple set, and a lot of the music is naturally and understandably the same. It’s the performances that ensure that they each feel different—more evocative than the one before, more painful, more carefree, more honest. And alongside Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, Lindsay Mendez, Talia Robinson, Katie Rose Clarke, and every key player who’s on stage shine so astoundingly that they breathe incomparable life to the story.
Stage-to-screen adaptations don’t sound tricky, but they are. A large part of the experience is the live act of watching something right in front of us, but Merrily We Roll Along captures the best of it all. Every essential movement, every exit, every entrance, and every gaze to the screen reminds us that we’re a part of this, too. It’s all done acutely well in the production, making it a show that’s worth watching for fans of creativity and theater.
The lighting and directorial decisions are what shine effectively alongside the performances to give us a production that feels momentarily transcendent. If you love the story, you’ll be grateful to have this version to always rewatch. If you aren’t familiar with it, the first few minutes are bound to grip you and never let go. Solid in every way, it’s well worth the wait.
Merrily We Roll Along is currently playing in select theaters.
First Featured Image Credit: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics