“Merrily We Roll Along” review: It's Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, and Lindsay Mendez's time

In the last 40 years since its Broadway debut, Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along — a musical about three bright-eyed and bushy-tailed dreamers told in reverse chronological order — has gone through almost as much love, loss, and growth as its protagonists.

Penned by book writer George Furth, Merrily is based on George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart's 1934 play of the same name and follows the 20-year-long friendship between power-hungry composer Franklin Shepard (Jonathan Groff), virtuous playwright Charley Kringas (Daniel Radcliffe), and yearning novelist-turned-theater-critic Mary Flynn (Lindsay Mendez). While its original 1981 Broadway run was promptly cut short after just 16 performances, subsequent rewrites, new song additions, and off-Broadway productions have solidified Merrily's status as a cult classic of sorts within the pantheon of Sondheim's works.

Now, spearheaded by director Maria Friedman, Merrily is rolling back onto Broadway for its first-ever revival at the Hudson Theatre following a sold-out Off-Broadway run last year. And although it still can't escape a plot hiccup or two, Friedman and her star-studded cast have succeeded in wrangling Merrily into a powerful hit filled with big laughs and equally big heartbreaks.

Matthew Murphy Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, and Lindsay Mendez in 'Merrily We Roll Along'

It's 1976, and, to quote the great Kesha, the party don't start until Franklin Shepard walks in. Dressed in a crisp white button down, black slacks, and a pair of aviators (all sourced by scenic and costume designer Soutra Gilmour), Frank is all high gloss and pompous swagger as he steps into his ritzy, mid-century modern home to an A-lister-filled bash in celebration of his recent smash hit at Paramount. The only ones in attendance who aren't there to curry favor or propel themselves further in the industry are Mary, now a disgruntled theater critic who lambasts Frank for selling out, and his wife Gussie Carnegie (Krystal Joy Brown). A round of explosive fights leads Frank to shatter his relationships with both women and despondently admit that, if given the chance, he'd throw away all his success if only to start over again.

From there, audiences tag along on Frank's walk down memory lane, hitting several life-altering events that often see him unabashedly stepping over loved ones in his race to the top. That includes a dreadful Today interview that sees an embittered Charley effectively blow up their successful musical partnership live on national television in 1973, and his gut-wrenching divorce from first wife Beth (Katie Rose Clarke) and separation from his son Frank Jr. (the adorable Brady Wagner) in 1967. With each roll back of the clock, the musical's main trio not only see their bonds become stronger, but also become progressively more and more idealistic about the change their art can make on the world. Theatergoers, however, are already privy to the tragic reality that awaits them.

Matthew Murphy Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, and Natalie Wachen in 'Merrily We Roll Along'

Merrily is undoubtedly a star vehicle for Groff, who is no stranger to having two pretty best friends after his Tony-nominated turn in Spring Awakening, and it's a challenge that he more than rises to in his stellar performance as Frank. His older version of the character spins through each scene like a mirrorball, sizing up each target and successfully winning them over with a perfectly tailored version of his personality under Amith Chandrashaker's spotlights. (It's that perfectionism that makes Frank's stone cold, unblinking fury during Charley's televised meltdown all that much more affecting.) As he wades toward his younger years, Groff allows Frank's true nature — or, perhaps, the one that his ambition has stolen away — to seep through, painting him as a starry-eyed composer who wholeheartedly loves music, his friends, and his first wife.

Mendez, who is returning to Broadway for the first time in five years following her Tony-winning performance in Carousel, wonderfully succeeds at carving out a space for Mary in a book that largely puts her character's dreams and desires on the back burner. Instead, Mendez makes Mary the glue that holds these friendships together, vacillating between placating the egotistical Frank, yearning over her character's unrequited love for Frank, and later commiserating with Charley about Frank. Her droll, perfectly timed deadpan delivery drew several large laughs from the crowd throughout the night, but it's the softer, lingering looks that Mendez directs toward Frank in their youth that stick long after the show ends. Her poignant performance in "Not A Day Goes By (Reprise)" is nothing short of heartbreaking.

Matthew Murphy Reg Rogers, Katie Rose Clarke, Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, and Lindsay Mendez in 'Merrily We Roll Along'

From his sweater vests to his Chuck Taylors, Radcliffe, who spent a decade as part of a famous wizarding trio, plays Charley as a quiet, introverted outsider with a natural buzzy charm that often explodes out of him — both in fear and in excitement. He deftly balances his character's frenetic energy with Charley's strong, principled nature that loathes the industry machine he's found himself trapped within alongside Frank. His zippy performance of "Franklin Shepard, Inc." is undoubtedly one of the absolute highlights of the evening. As time travels, Radcliffe's resentment slowly melts away into a promising partnership between Charley and Frank, one that sees both of them gleefully working in perfect tandem.

The trio's bond cannot be denied as they toe tap, sashay, and leap their way through sparkling performances like "Old Friends" and "Opening Doors," trade lighthearted back-and-forth barbs without hesitation, and often come together for three-way pinky links like true time-tested pals. Add in Brown's phenomenal turn as the grandiloquent secretary-turned-Broadway-veteran Gussie, Reg Rogers' natural charm as chummy theater producer Joe Josephson, Clarke's grief-stricken, then bubbly Beth, and theatergoers will find the full gamut of emotions displayed onstage by its talented ensemble.

Matthew Murphy Krystal Joy Brown and Jonathan Groff in 'Merrily We Roll Along'

Friedman, who previously played Mary onstage and directed a production of Merrily on London's West End, keeps the production moving at a relatively speedy clip throughout its two hour and 30 minute runtime, utilizing its repeating refrain to provide context as she rolls back the years and shifts its sets from theater back alleys to courthouses to New York City apartments. Tim Jackson's choreography is also fun and engaging, especially when it comes to poking fun at the absurdity of "The Blob," a group of '60s influencers, during one of the musical's many party scenes.

Matthew Murphy Lindsay Mendez, Jonathan Groff, and Daniel Radcliffe in 'Merrily We Roll Along'

Still, there are moments where Merrily's journey gets a bit bumpy. At times, the production does seem to drag, most noticeably during its "Bobby and Jackie and Jack" number, but it successfully kicks back into gear moments later — often with the help of its orchestra, who are perched in another portion of Frank's house, and Jonathan Tunick's splashy original orchestrations. General looming book problems, such as centering itself so squarely around Frank's purview — thus stifling Charley and Mary's contributions — and its overall ending, still, however, make the musical feel a bit scruffy.

But, when a previously referenced plot point suddenly clicks into place amongst the audience, or when its knockout trio are firing on all cylinders at its forefront, Merrily is truly a sight to behold. What a time to be alive, indeed. B+

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