It's sad that friendships fall out...

Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, and Lindsay Mendez discuss friendship and loss in their roles in a new filmed stage version of Stephen Sondheim's musical Merrily We Roll Along. By LYNN RUSK

- LYNN RUSK

STEPHEN Sondheim is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in musical theatre, creating works such as Sweeney Todd, Company, and Follies.

The American composer and lyricist who died in 2021, aged 91, often created work that addressed the darker elements of the human experience.

His musical Merrily We Roll Along traces the complex and sometimes heartbreaking unravelling of a once-unbreakable friendship between three friends.

Based on the 1934 play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, Sondheim's adaptation premiered on Broadway in 1981.

The show has been extensively rewritten and adapted over the years. A 2023 Broadway revival starring Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe and Lindsay Mendez won four Tony Awards and has also been filmed for a cinematic experience.

Directed by Maria Friedman, the filmed production places viewers on stage and within the action, offering an immersive take on the musical's emotional core.

Meanwhile, a separate film adaptation directed by Richard Linklater and starring Paul Mescal, Beanie Feldstein, and Ben Platt is currently in production, set to be filmed over 20 years.

The story follows Franklin Shepard, played by Jonathan and his closest friends, Charley Kringas, played by Daniel and Mary Flynn, portrayed by Lindsay, over two decades.

It focuses on Franklin's journey from a talented musical composer to a Hollywood producer, as he drifts away from both his friends and his original passion for songwriting.

Daniel, who won his first Tony Award in 2024 for his performance as Charley, says the show made him reevaluate his own friendships.