Merrily We Roll Along at The Menier Chocolate Factory Onsale Now!

[ClapYo'Hands]

Have booked twice already, with what looks one of the most exciting casts in recent years!

Playing the lead roles are Damian Humbley (The Last 5 Years; Little Shop of Horrors) as Charley Kringas, Olivier award winner and Tony nominee Jenna Russell (Sunday in the Park with George) as Mary Flynn and Mark Umbers (Sweet Charity) as Franklin Shepard. Olivier nominee Josefina Gabrielle (Sweet Charity) returns to the Menier to play the role of Gussie Carnegie along with Glyn Kerslake (Road Show) who plays Joe Josephson.

We are also delighted to welcome to the Chocolate Factory Clare Foster (Crazy For You) playing Beth Spencer and Zizi Strallen (Rock of Ages) who will play Meg Kincaid.

[David Somerville]

Fantastic cast! Just booked and looking forward to it.

[rockyhorrorfan]

Booked a couple of days ago before the cast was announced.

[ClapYo'Hands]

I've had today's general onsale date in my diary since the spring.

This cast was such a magnificent bonus, though!

[rockyhorrorfan]

I decided to take out one of their new memberships so was able to book on Monday. Really looking forward to seeing Jenna Russell again after Into The Woods and Soho Cinders as well as Mark Umbers from Sweet Charity and My Fair Lady.

[zyx987]

Booked as well, but I will have a bit of a wait to see it as I can't get there till January.

[theatrepaul]

Am super excited by this. Great casting. Got my tickets for November :)

[lotiloti]

Just curious. Is it going to be the original or revised production?

[mallardo]

I hope they're doing the revised version used by Encores in New York last season and spectacularly recorded. I trust everyone here has the CD? If not, get it, it's amazing. A revelation.

[MusicalBoy]

They could do a lot worse than the Donmar version (in fact, since every revision, and there have been MANY, has added something of value, they could do a lot worse than to splice stuff together!). Also, it may bear similarities to the Haymarket production given that that's Maria Friedman's experience of it.

[abitoftap]

I was concerned the not inexpensive Menier membership schemes (when you also have to travel from Norwich!) would snag all the decent seats for future shows. Doesn't seem to be the case..even got a couple of meal deals (for the same price and next to the new "premium" seats).

[ClapYo'Hands]

The current licenced version is basically the Haymarket production. I can't imagine them veering too far from this. I do wonder, though, whether or not they will use the overture.

[Owen22]

The only Merrily I have ever liked was the Donmar version. Which was the only one that used the original book and score (with some slight interpolations). The new version is so bad Michael Grandage had to mislead Furth and Sondheim who (because of how hurt and paranoid they became after the original's reviews) only license the lesser Haymarket/York version, and let them think he was doing the approved Merrily.

The Encores version was abysmal. Bad to mediocrely cast and horribly staged (by the man who did a lot of the original early 90's Merrily editing, the once wonderful James Lapine), I can't imagine that cast CD would be any pleasure to listen to at all, but I don't know cause you'd have to pay me to listen to it.

[mallardo]

Why wouldn't they use the overture? There's also a wonderful entre'act newly fashioned and orchestrated by Jonathan Tunick on the new cast recording.

[Scripps2]

Tickets booked for later on in the run.

Thinking about how they like to theme the meal deal menu to the show I thought they'd be serving coffee, dessert, mains and then starters but apparently not. :-S

https://www.menierchocolatefactory.com/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=E6A88170-176E-4528-AF67-02D0221C2AF3&sessionlanguage=

[bob8rich]

Just booked for Merrily on December 8th! Really excited about seeing this. What an awesome cast!

[rockyhorrorfan]

Same date as me bob8rich.

[rockyhorrorfan]

Same date as me bob8rich.

[bob8rich]

That's cool, rockyhorrorfan - would be nice to get a chance to say hello. Have you booked for the matinee or evening? (I've booked for the evening)

[rockyhorrorfan]

Evening. Going to see Daddy Long Legs in the afternoon.

[bob8rich]

I will be seeing Daddy Long Legs on Friday 7th!

[rockyhorrorfan]

I'll be at 12th Night on 7th.

[Scripps2]

The Stephen Sondheim Society are in on December 8th as well, so it's obviously going to be a high calibre audience that day!!!

[rockyhorrorfan]

Never knew I was high calibre.

[rockyhorrorfan]

I'm not high calibre after all. Got my dates mixed up. I'm booked to see the show on 6th December.

[MusicalBoy]

I'm desperate for first preview thoughts, anybody seen this yet?