Review: MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at ARTS Theatre

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Thursday 22nd May 2025.

The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of South Australia expanded its performances beyond the comic operettas by that duo long ago, embracing musical theatre as well. The latest production is Stephen Sondheim’s 1981 semi-autobiographical musical, Merrily We Roll Along, under the detailed direction of Matt Smith. In spite of the great music, this musical was a flop when it premiered, considered to be depressing, and has been considerably rewritten since that first 16-week run.

Based on the 1934 play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, this musical has music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by George Furth. It starts at the end, in 1976, with Franklin Shepard celebrating the premiere of a film for which he is the producer. It then goes back two decades, jumping several years at a time, to significant points in his past. Although Franklin now produces films in Hollywood, he left behind his early career as a composer, writing reviews and musicals, as well as his old friends and collaborators: lyricist and later theatre critic, Mary Flynn, and librettist, Charley Kringas. In the opening scene, he no longer has contact with Charley, and Mary is angry at how he has changed and abandoned all of his ideals from when they first met and began working together.

By the end of the musical, we see how they trio first got together, Franklin having returned from two years in the army, sharing an apartment with Charley, and waiting together on the roof of their building with binoculars in hand, hoping to see Russia’s Sputnik passing overhead, and being joined by Mary, another resident, and her flatmate, Evelyn.

The three primary characters are played by Nicholas Munday, as Franklin Shepard, Deon Martino-Williams, as Charley Kringas, and Serena Cann, as Mary Flynn. Although the focus is on Franklin and how he loses sight of his early ambitions and destroys his friendships with Charley and Mary, as well as his other relationships with those around him, it is the combination of these three characters that is important. Munday, Martino-Williams, and Cann each offer beautifully crafted characterisations, but it is the rapport between them that cements the performance. Between them, they convey with strongly emotional performances, the changes in each of them and in their relationships as Franklin sells out, and pursues money, leaving his friends behind.

The secondary trio are Danielle Greaves, as Beth Spencer, who becomes Franklin’s first wife, and mother to their son, Frankie Jnr., Bec Pynor, as Gussie Carnegie, Franklin’s second wife, and Ryan Ricci, as her Broadway producer ex-husband, Joe Josephson. Again, these three, whose characters are also greatly affected by their relationships with Franklin and his betrayals, turn in convincing performances filled with emotional highs and lows. The large cast of minor characters and chorus all contribute fine work to the production, too.

A highlight of the performance was the excellent orchestra, under Musical Director, Matthew Rumley. Choreographer, Lucy Newman, brought out plenty of movement, appropriate to the times, John McTier was responsible for all of the great period costumes, and Matt Smith and Matthew Rumley designed the effective multi-function set.

There were a few minor technical glitches on opening night, microphones turning on late a couple of times, occasional imbalance in the mix, with voices lost under the orchestra, and cast members sometimes standing in shadow, but these should be sorted out as the run continues.

Adelaide has a strong contingent of fans of Sondheim’s musicals who, I thought, would have rushed to see this production. I was rather surprised to see many empty seats.  Such a good production should be attracting much bigger audiences. Those who were there on opening night were very enthusiastic in their applause and cheering. It has been many years since this Sondheim musical was last performed in Adelaide, back in January 1993 at Scott Theatre before the University of Adelaide converted it to a lecture theatre, so take advantage of this rare opportunity to see this musical.

Photography, Matt Ralph.