“The good news is that three main characters present clearly, the bad news is that all the frailties of George Furth’s book are on plain display...This ‘Merrily’ not only moves faster than its predecessor but also transitions smoothly form scene to scene, from year to year...Brody introduces some nifty touches...Sometimes, Fiasco’s spare, inventive staging doesn’t get beyond gimmicky...Fiasco’s production doesn’t discover anything in 'Merrily' that hadn’t been plumbed before.”
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"Those three performers and three others comprise the entire cast, a compression that better served Fiasco’s 2015 reduction of Sondheim’s 'Into the Woods.' That show’s eleven singer/actor/musicians nailed both score and character; this one’s half-dozen illuminate neither. Even directed by the same Noah Brody, the piece is in soft focus...What survives the indifferent production is the Sondheim score."
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“The problem is, I didn’t identify with the characters in 1981 and I don’t in 2019, even with age-appropriate actors in the roles. Worse, I don’t find them interesting on any level...Cutting a good half hour out of 'Merrily' doesn’t solve the book’s problems. The cuts simply reduce each scene to a cliché...Brody’s direction doesn’t always make sense...Brody handles the time element with greater ease but little finesse.”
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"The staging is very creative. The acting is first-rate; the singing leaves a bit to be desired in a case or two...Brody’s direction is fluid and assured. While I doubt that I will ever include ‘Merrily’ among my favorite Broadway musicals, I grant that this production makes a strong case for it and provides an entertaining experience.”
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“Brody directed this revival with nice touches cleverly embracing and winking at the reverse chronology...The entire cast is solid but admittedly not all are virtuoso singers. This is first and foremost a storytelling production...In the end, the still imperfect ‘Merrily We Roll Along’ remains one of musical theater’s ‘Old Friends’ worth your time...The thoughtful Fiasco Theatre troupe has given us a reason to enjoy this score once again and reconsider this continually evolving piece.”
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