Told in reverse chronological order, the musical follows three longtime friends as they navigate idealism, loyalty and disappointment over the course of twenty years. The successes and failures of their adulthoods unwind as the cynicism of age erases back to the glowing optimism of youth.
"...The poignant substance of Merrily We Roll Along comes through clearly in the performances, and in the ever-present irony inherent in the backward structure. Characters declare they’ll achieve goals that we’ve already seen them abandon, and vow never to do things we’ve already seen them do again and again."
"...The musical, based on a 1934 play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, was always known for the quality of its Sondheim score: Frank Sinatra recorded the song "Good Thing Going," an audio clip of which appears in one scene. The problems with the production were more structural because the action moves backward in time, as did the Kaufman and Hart original. As the show begins, two of the three lead characters are estranged from each other and the third has finally decided it's time to move on."
- Susan Berlin
Washington City Paper
- Recommended
"...It all adds up to a Merrily that rolls along in spite of itself. Maybe 45 years on, the lesson to be taken lies less with Frank, Mary, and Charley than theater-makers who know what they’re up against, but square their shoulders and try anyway. Perhaps, for them, the last lyric is not an affirmation, but an invitation: “It’s our heads on the block. Give us room and start the clock. Our dreams, coming true. Me and you, pal, me and you.”"
"...How do three talented, idealistic friends end up bitter, estranged from one another and far from the dreams of their youth? The reverse-chronology musical Merrily We Roll Along at Signature Theatre answers that question through glorious songs and electrifying performances. First produced at Signature nearly 20 years ago, the company brings it back to life with an outstanding cast, design team, and orchestra."
"...Sondheim is finally back at Signature Theatre with the team’s recent launch of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s “Merrily We Roll Along.” Thank goodness, because Signature Theatre does Sondheim very well, and under Matthew Gardiner’s visionary direction, no one does it better."
"...Merrily We Roll Along tackles these behemoth existentialisms at a granular level in the lives of three old friends. It's one of those shows that leaves you with something to ponder for days after the lights come up. In Signature Theatre's hands, Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's masterpiece is more intricate than ever before."
"...In Rizzo’s capable hands, Gussie has one of the most fascinating character arcs in the production. From her origin as a working-class secretary to producer Joe Josephson (James Whalen), to Josephson’s mistress, then wife, then brassy Broadway musical star, Gussie’s bottomless insecurity and ambition lead her to become a consummate manipulator. Her “Growing Up” is a masterclass in seduction as Gussie’s and Frank’s mutual attraction to success and show-biz prominence fuel the resulting affair and, ultimately, marriage."