Merrily We Roll Along’s themes of dreaming big, gaining and losing friends, and growing up may well account for why this musical has proved so popular in the Cambridge drama scene: the play may be rooted in a specific period of history, but its themes are universal. This is a show about all of us – an idea that is both exhilarating and terrifying, as we see the characters abandon their dreams and integrity, and are forced to question our own lives.

These themes are brought sharply into focus by director Joshua Stamp-Simon’s sensitive interpretation, and are successfully realised by fantastic performances throughout the cast. As the main character Franklin Sheppard, Ben Salter deserves a great deal of credit for his subtle take on the role. Salter’s performance expands emotionally as the show continues, taking us on a journey from dissatisfaction to idealism which is brilliantly poignant in the light of the play’s backward chronology. While many past audience members have disliked Frank and considered his tragedy self-inflicted, Stamp-Simon’s production clearly emphasises the external pressures upon Frank, particularly those from the seductive, manipulative Gussie (Sandra Mackenzie); their passionate dance created a tension-filled moment.

Mary (Ellie Nunn) is perhaps the real hero of the play. Her sarcastic wit is brought to life from the very first scene, in which Nunn perfectly captures the humiliation of her public argument with Frank. Nunn also consistently brings out Mary’s desperation to keep the three friends (Franklin, Mary and Charley) together. She is a unifying and reassuring presence, even if her reassurances are often hollow; ‘Now You Know’ fitting this description particularly well as she accompanies almost every statement with a “right?” which only highlights for the audience how far from “right” things are. Andrew Room as Charley perfectly complements Nunn’s performance, with Room’s hilarious but moving musical number ‘Franklin Sheppard, Inc’ a show-stealing moment.

However fantastic the main actors are, the musical would be nothing without its ensemble. Any fear that the big stage and minimalist set will prove a challenge for the cast is quickly wiped out as the chorus burst into life. Every role is explored and calculated for its maximum effect, whether comic or tragic, providing the perfect springboard for the principal roles to work with.

Merrily We Roll Along is a strong production on almost every level: rarely will you see a musical with so much bitterness and so many potent questions. At the end of the show, it is not so much merrily as thoughtfully that the audience roll out of the theatre.