Wednesday 18 – Saturday 21 February 2004

Merrily We Roll Along

Music and Lyrics By Stephen Sondheim, Book by George Furth
Directed by Roger Haines

The authors of the landmark "Company" reunite to turn the traditional showbiz musical on its head in this thrilling and compelling Broadway fable about friendship, compromise and the high price of success.

"Merrily We Roll Along" begins in the present and moves backwards, tracing the lives of wealthy, jaded composer Franklin Shepard and his two estranged friends through each milestone of their personal and professional lives (good and bad). The show ends with a touch of rueful irony, as the three best friends at the start of their careers face a bright future: young, talented and enthusiastic about the worlds waiting to be conquered.

Stephen Sondheim and George Furth expertly blend the excitement and energy of a backstage musical with a poignant and emotional contemporary story about the importance of staying true to one's ideals. "Merrily We Roll Along" is a show that crackles with the wit, humour and intensity that embody the spirit of New York City. With a brilliant "Broadway-style" score and that deep insight one expects from any Sondheim endeavour, "Merrily We Roll Along" is a spirited and moving cautionary tale for anyone who has ever pursued a dream.

Cast

FRANKLIN SHEPHERD - Ali Natkiel
CHARLEY KRINGAS - Lee Thorburn
MARY FLYNN - Ella Vale
GUSSIE CARNEGIE - Bethany Sheldon
JOE JOSEPHSON - Marc Groves
BETH - Johanne Webb K.T. - Freya Marshall
TYLER - Gareth Turtle
JEROME - Owain Rose
TERRY - Karl Dobby
SCOTTY - Buffy Hale
DORY - Anna Baatz
RU - Alan Neal
MR SPENCER - David Leverton
MRS SPENCER - Annie Wallace
MEG KINCAID - Cathy Shiel
BUNKER - David Golding
MAKE-UP ARTIST - Kate Trafford