Royal Central School - Merrily We Roll Along

March 2024

The Royal Central School’s Embassy Theatre staged a wonderful production of Merrily We Roll Along performed by the BA (Hons) Acting Musical Theatre students’ final year group.

Directed by Julia Locascio, this year’s mainstage musical performance showcased the students skills as they approach graduation in the spring and look to enter into the professional world of theatre and acting.

Merrily We Roll Along is a 1981 American musical directed by Hal Prince with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by George Furth, and is based on the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart.

The show tells the story of three friends - Frank, Charley and Mary - and how their lives and friendship change over the course of 25 years but is told in reverse chronology, beginning at the friends' lowest moment and ending at their youthful best. Although not a hit when it opened originally on Broadway, it has subsequently been performed with great success notably winning the Olivier award for Best New Musical in London in 2000.

Lynne and Land Foundation trustees Luke Rittner and Robert Meadmore came to see the students’ performance and particularly to see Foundation Scholar Calum Isaacs, who was superb in his portrayal of Charley - Calum can be seen in the photos below.

The week-long show was sold out and was a testament to the Central School’s students and the creative/production team, providing valuable experience for the final-year group as they approach graduation in the spring and future professional opportunities in the arts and entertainment world.

Calum Isaacs appearing as Charley Kringas in Royal Central School’s production of Merrily We Roll Along at the Embassy Theatre. The three friends and main characters in the show - Mary, Frank and Charley - played by Daisy-May Hinde, Christian Wood and Calum can be seen on the right.

Photographs: Patrick Baldwin