Never have the lyrics of “It’s a hit!” been sweeter than in this boffo Broadway revival of Old Friend Merrily We Roll Along, which already stands as a certified palpable hit. 

Based on the 2012 London production, which was filmed for cinema release in 2013, Merrily We Roll Along enjoys its first Broadway outing since its ill-fated, much-chronicled original 1982 production directed by Hal Prince. 

What has changed in the meantime? The Stephen Sondheim score is known and loved by musical theatre aficionados, the all-youth casting is long gone, but perhaps most simply and yet significantly, audiences raised on premium TV fare are perfectly capable of following the fractured timeline of George Furth’s book.

Director Maria Friedman, who once played Mary herself, returns to direct her 2012 London staging for Broadway, having re-tuned proceedings with a twelve week warm-up off-Broadway this time last year. The level of nuance and insight in Friedman’s direction is breathtaking. She clearly knows these characters inside out and has mined the text, with her superb cast, for every possible skerrick of meaning and connection. 

The casting of three huge stars in the lead roles appears to put the focus squarely on the central trio but watching the performance it is clear that this is Franklin Shepard’s story. The reverse-direction life reflection begins and ends from Frank’s perspective. The subject of multiple declarations of love, romantic and fraternal, Frank is the sun and the universe orbits around him. 

Friedman’s sharp direction ensures that all connections and “Easter eggs” are seen with satisfying clarity. Pathos of the drama is genuinely heartfelt, balanced neatly with welcome comic moments that land with similar flair. 

Production for Broadway is wisely understated, eschewing any sort of unnecessarily lavish or technical design elements to keep focus trained upon the multi-faceted lead characters. Soutra Gilmour recreates her single set design, the band positioned overhead and a couple of hidden glitter curtains ready to establish show-within-a-show scenes.

Similarly unshowy, Gilmour’s costumes are deliberately muted in brown, black, and white. The most striking costumes are the crisp black and white geometric outfits for the Gussie and Joe’s early 1960s party, as well as Gussie’s dazzling shimmery silver gown for “Gussie’s Opening Number.” In an interesting touch, the three leads, especially the two men, wear basically the same costume for the whole show, consolidating the idea that the memory is all in Franklin’s mind.

Music director Joel Fram ensures that Jonathan Tunick’s orchestrations of Sondheim’s score sound crisp and expressive, although the music could have sounded lusher with more than 13 musicians in the band. 

In arguably the best work of his career, Jonathan Groff sets aside his boyish breeziness to play a troubled and troubling man. Groff captures the entitlement and weakness around temptation that characterise Frank whilst always playing an affecting streak of vulnerability and self-doubt that makes him truly compelling. When Frank falls to the ground in tears outside the divorce court, so real is Groff’s performance that it is almost too painful to watch. A generous performer, his chemistry with all co-stars is warmly real.

Daniel Radcliffe furthers his terrific musical theatre performance in How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (2011) with this technical and exacting performance as Charley Kringas. His finely calibrated rendition of patter breakdown “Franklin Shepard, Inc” is an electric early showstopper. Radcliffe ensures that noble Charley is sweetly sympathetic and yet firmly determined when necessary. 

Lindsay Mendez appears born to play Mary, throwing herself into the prickly role with a disarming absence of vanity, Mendez scores every laugh from Mary’s snarky asides, with the character’s warmth and tenderness all the more appreciated when it is allowed to appear. 

In the very capable hands of Krystal Joy Brown, the depth of Gussie’s arc is keenly observed. Brown brings out a different look for each phase of the actress’ life, allowing the character’s status at each stage to inform her physical and vocal performance. 

Blessed with a highly characterful voice, Reg Rogers enlivens the supporting role of Broadway producer Joe Josephson. 

This season’s white hot ticket, Merrily We Roll Along is a production to be cherished by the legion of longtime fans of the musical. The mainstream popularity is sure to attract new comers, who are set to fall in love with the characters and music afresh. 

Merrily We Roll Along plays Hudson Theatre, New York. For tickets, click here. 

Photos: Matthew Murphy