Shadows on the Wall | Merrily We Roll Along

Merrily We Roll Along

dir Maria Friedman
scr George Furth
prd David Babani, Patrick Catullo, Sonia Friedman, Jon Kamen, F Richard Pappas, Dave Sirulnick
with Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, Lindsay Mendez, Katie Rose Clarke, Krystal Joy Brown, Reg Rogers, Max Rackenberg, Natalie Wachen, Jacob Keith Watson, Sherz Aletaha, Corey Mach, Coby Getzug
release US/UK 5.Dec.25
25/US Sony 2h30

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Maria Friedman's films her own award-winning revival of Stephen Sondheim's ambitious 1981 musical about writers and composers trying to make it in show business. Covering 30 years, the story runs backwards through time, tracing decisions and events that lead the characters to where they are in the opening scene. It's a beautiful show, and the clever use of intimate cinematography brings out the emotional power in the performances.

In 1977, successful movie producer Frank (Groff) hosts a fabulous Hollywood party attended by his disgruntled wife Gussie (Brown) and cynical author friend Mary (Mendez), who criticises him for selling out and losing their best pal Charley (Radcliffe) after a brutally honest live TV interview four years earlier. Before that, Mary and Charley support Frank through his contentious divorce from Beth (Clarke), who helped launch their first show in 1960. Earlier, they meet producer Joe (Rogers), then married to Gussie. Finally, we see these impatient, bright-eyed artists in 1957, sure that their time has come.

Shot with multiple cameras (over several performances), including some hand-held camerawork, the film inventively adapts the stage's lighting and sets while offering extreme closeups of the actors. This brings us right into the actors' thoughts and feelings, which of course are also revealed through Sondheim's wonderfully introspective songs. Thankfully, it's edited and signposted clearly enough to keep everything sharply in focus as the plot transitions backwards through its chapters.

Groff, Radcliffe and Mendez are superb as the central trio, skilfully revealing their closeness even before we see it. Indeed, we meet the characters as their friendship fractures, so it's lovely to see how they supported each other and shared their hopes for so many years. Clark, Brown and Rogers are also excellent in key supporting roles, and everyone gets a number of belting musical moments as well as quieter, deeper emotions.

As reflected in the song Old Friends, the main question asks what it takes to remain friends over a long period of time. The story structure offers unusual insight, perceptively highlighting specific decisions along the way. And weaving through this is an even more pungent look at the nature of success, and whether it is measured by how much money we make, how much artistic integrity we maintain or how much love we have in our lives. Of course, there's a bit of all three involved in finding true happiness, and this show cleverly encourages us to ponder where the balance lies.

themes, language 11.Nov.25

NB. Richard Linklater is shooting another film adaptation of this musical over two decades. Filming began in 2019 with Paul Mescal, Ben Platt and Beanie Feldstein, who will be able to truly age into their scenes. The movie is expected to be released in 2040.

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