Sondheim's Flop Once Again Rolling Along, Smoother Than Ever

http://theater.nytimes.com/2012/02/10/theater/reviews/sondheims-merrily-we-roll-along-in-encores-staging.html?pagewanted=2

This article "Time Traveling with Old Friends" by Ben Brantley was a review of the "Encores" revival of "Merrily We Roll Along," a show that in the original production ran for 16 performances. His 2nd biggest Broadway flop, next to "Anyone Can Whistle." In February, "Encores" revived it for a limited 2-week run. "Encores" is group that revives old shows for limited runs often to save a flawed show. The show is about three friends, Mary, Charley, and Frank. It is mainly centered around Frank. Frank is a hit Broadway composer who has become cold and greedy over time. Charley is his best friend, who writes the lyrics to his music. Charley is frustrated with Frank because of Franks greed. Mary is their best friend, a alcoholic writer, who holds them all together and is in love with Frank as she sees him go through marriage, divorce and another marriage. The experimental part of "Merrily" is that it is told backwards. Starting at Frank's party where they are all successful but Mary is drunk, Frank is secretly unhappy and Charley isn't even there because he and Frank hate each other. Then it goes through scenes going backwards in time to when the trio met. It is famous for songs like "Our Time" and "Not a Day Goes By."

The reviewer is saying that "Merrily We Roll Along" is desperately flawed, the show itself and this production, but has things in it making it worth trying to save. He compares "Merrily" to "many a problem child, to possess both glorious potential and a heartbreaking tendency to sabotage itself." He means that it is like a "problem child"in that it has possibilities but often ends up badly, it's own material "sabotaging" itself. He later explains that "Mr. Sondheim’s book writers have never been able to match the textured subtlety of his music, and the disparity is especially glaring in 'Merrily.'" He is saying that the dialogue in "Merrily" just can't keep up with Sondheim's complex lyrics. He quotes lines from the show like "Is Frank the only person in the world who doesn’t know you’re in love with him?" Which isn't a awful line, though very cheesy. Compared to songs with complex, conflicting emotions "Franklin Shepard Inc" and "Rich and Happy" the book looks lame.

I agree with Ben Brantely on somethings but not on others. I agree about the book not meeting the music's standards. I don't agree with his comments on casting. Having seen the show I think that the three main characters are incredibly complex due to the music and plot. However Ben Brantely thinks that Frank is a stereo-type producer. I think that "Merrily" can be confusing at times but Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of "In the Heights" who played Charley had the best version of "Franklin Shepard Inc" I have ever seen. Personally my biggest complaints were that the 1st act was a bit confusing and that the set was distracting in the overture, the song "Merrily We Roll Along" and now and then through out the show so I couldn't fully enjoy everything. The beauty of Sondheim's music will always draw theater people back to "Merrily" despite it's flaws. "Our Time" and "Not a Day Goes By" are just too beautiful to pass up.

"Luka" A Nothing Broken, Nothing Thrown Child

http://www.lyricstime.com/suzanne-vega-my-name-is-luca-lyrics.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZt7J0iaUD0

The song "Luka" by Suzanne Vega is about a child named Luca who is abused by his parents. He is talking to his downstairs neighbor begging him/her to leave Luca alone about it. It is told in the 1st person. I think Suzanne Vega is saying children who are abused might not want you to say anything about them being abused but that makes it all the more important to speak up.

"Luka" has lyrics with images of violence said in a very "I'm-fine-mind-your-own-business" almost positive sort of way. The speaker says "Yes I think I'm okay/ walked into the door again/ if you ask that's what I'll say/ and it's not your business anyway/ I'd guess I'd like to be alone/ nothing broken nothing thrown". The first two lines shown in denial but that he is obviously hurt if he has to make the excuse that he walked into the door. The next two lines show that that is not the real story because he says that "walked into the door" is what he'll say. However that implys that that is just what he is saying, but he thinks it's not the neighbors business. Then Luka says that he wants to be alone and that he didn't break anything and nothing was thrown at him. If he has to say that nothing was thrown at him then that means someone has done something to make the neighbor think that. This makes me think that things have been thrown at Luka before, but Luka is saying it isn't that bad this time because nothing was thrown or broken. The music is a bit upbeat with a catchy melody. This is a metaphor for Luka trying to make things at home seem happy and upbeat when with the violent lyrics they are obviously not.

I think that Suzanne Vega brings up a issue that is not given enough attention and puts it in a digestible way. Issues like this are often put in a depressing way. Suzanne Vega's song became popular because it, like similar songs such as  "Pumped Up Kicks" are songs people want to sing along to and doing so think about issues when they may not have otherwise. I remember when I was little, like 7, my mom would listen to this song because she loves songs with deep lyrics and I would listen and hum the song for days after words. I listened to it again recently and looked at the lyrics and started wondering about the fun song I hummed in 2nd grade.