It’s rare that we, as audience members, get to see a show from anywhere other than head on. Even with shows on thrust stages, in the round or immersive productions that invite us to wander through halls and rooms, we see the action from where we are supposed to see it.
So what a privilege it is to briefly take a look from someone else’s point of view. In the case of Merrily We Roll Along, the view of Company Manager Ben Delfont.
The latest musical hit to transfer from the Menier Chocolate Factory to the West End, Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along, which rewinds through three decades in the lives of three friends, boasts a raft of five star reviews.
Playing at the Harold Pinter theatre until 27 July, its cast features a host of seasoned musical theatre stars including Mark Umbers, Jenna Russell, Damian Humbley, Josefina Gabrielle and Clare Foster, directed by another leading lady, Maria Friedman, making an acclaimed directorial debut.
Delfont’s pictures from the wings and behind the scenes offer a chance to see this lauded production from a different perspective and glimpse what goes on backstage.
Images:
The cast of Merrily We Roll Along
Damian Humbley and Amy Ellen Richardson
Elana Martin
Clare Foster
Josefina Gabrielle
Zizi Strallen
Damian Humbley, Jenna Russell and Mark Umbers
Clare Foster at the curtain call
Mark Umbers and Jenna Russell
Josefina Gabrielle
Martin Callaghan and Amanda Minihan
Damian Humbley
Jenna Russell and Mark Umbers
Josefina Gabrielle
Matthew Barrow and Zizi Strallen
Clare Foster in her dressing room