‘Merrily We Roll Along’ review
‘impossible to leave the theatre feeling the same way about life as you came in…a motivator for the arts, connection and passion’
There’s certainly a reason that Sondheim is considered one of the greatest musical composers of all time, and Collingwood Woodplayers’ Merrily We Roll Along serves him such unequivocal justice. This musical transcends all the boundaries of theatre in ways that cannot be put into words, all owed to the phenomenal direction of Hannah Thomas (assisted by Estelle Pollard-Cox). What can only be described as the pièce de résistance of the modern stage sent me rolling along back home in the rain, feeling every emotion all at once. Quite rarely can a production touch the lives of all those within its audience, but this show drives a stunning connection between every person in the room. The musical follows the lives of three friends over the course of twenty years in reverse chronology. The primary focus is on Frank Shepard, a talented songwriter who abandons his friends and his career for the opportunity of living in the limelight.
The set design (led by Eli Chiu and Sanchit Garg) makes up the heart of this show. The way set pieces are reused and motioned around between scenes is wonderfully coordinated, making the Mark Hillery Arts Centre the perfect choice. Credit must be given to the lighting designer, Valerie Devereux (assisted by Brooke Donnell), who channels such intense heaps of symbolism through lighting alone. The brutalist reds combined with the richer purples pool the stage in radiant flurries of colour, a masterful work of art. A particular highlight is the final scene, wherein the stage is backlit by white speckles of light emulating the starry night – if the collective “ooo”s by the audience are indicative of anything, it is that the ethereal execution of this final moment is constructed magnificently.
It is safe to say that this show would not have been so perfect if not for its three leads: Joe Price (Frank), Charlie Holliday (Mary) and Tom Carroll (Charley). Endless bouts of energy and life radiated through their performance as a trio (especially in their number “Old Friends”), creating their inevitable downfall into something much more tragic. Price stunned as the show’s primary lead; his ability to convey Frank’s descent was beyond astounding. Furthermore, the struggle he portrays not only in Frank’s relationship with others, but also with his self-identity, is a heart-wrenching watch that could not have been performed in any finer way. The role of Mary was made for Holliday; she swallows up the theatre with every scene she is in and is frankly one of the most astounding performers I’ve seen onstage. Her chemistry with Price is particularly relentless, and the agonising depiction of her unreciprocated love would leave Eponine of Les Miserables questioning if her love for Marius reaches such a harrowing extent. Tom Carroll perfectly channels the youthful and comedic radiance of Charley, and I was left especially impressed by his rendition of “Franklin Shepard, Inc.”, one of the pinnacles of Sondheim’s musical complexities that is handled exceptionally well by vocal musical director, Carl Murta.
Molly Bell’s performance as Gussie is remarkable and flawless. She shines vocally in her act two opener, absolutely deserving of the tremendous applause she received. The emotion drawn out by Cora Frith-Fletcher (Beth) cannot be understated for its terrific intensity – the guilt felt on her behalf remains present throughout the show, a tremendous marker of her impact on the energy circulating the room. Lewis Naylor’s presence onstage as Joe plays well into Bell’s almost disturbingly faithless tendencies, portraying him as humorously pathetic by comparison to those around him. Naylor excels at embodying this and forms a necessary part of this wider narrative. Most importantly, the ensemble is outstanding in accompaniment to the show’s leads, weaving in complicated harmonies and melodic lines superbly. They make the final number, “Our Time”, so incredibly poignant – the production is owed principally to their efforts as a cohort. Additionally, the choreography (led by Felicity Rickard) is orchestrated in a manner that feels entirely natural; every individual movement emulates the emotion of each scene perfectly.
Well, what can I say except: ‘It’s a Hit!’ Never have I been more impressed by the execution of a piece of theatre; Collingwood Woodplayers’ Merrily We Roll Along embodies everything I hope to see in a performance and cannot be missed. Through the exploration of the self and the relationships formed with others, this production reminisces on humanely natural experiences, played out by an exceptionally talented cast and supported by an unwavering crew. It is impossible to leave the theatre feeling the same way about life as you came in. Merrily We Roll Along is a motivator for the arts, connection and passion – why not take a small break from your summatives for the opportunity to share this experience amongst others?
By Arthur Hamilton.