We spoke to Matt Bund, who is starring as Frank in Rickmansworth Players' production of Merrily We Roll Along at the Pump House this May.
Tell us a little bit about your character and why you like him?
I like Frank as a character and the way the story is told. I think you really learn how he became who he is at the start of the show.
Frank has made mistakes like we all have in life and at the start of the show is thinking about the choices he has made to get him where he is now.
Frank is someone who has faults but he is someone who seems to not be able to say no to anyone he cares for. A people pleaser who forgets the things important to him. He ends up upsetting people although he never does anything to purposely hurt anyone, and by the "end" of the show wishes he could go back and fix those mistakes.
Tell us a little bit about the show and why it is so clever?
The show works in an interesting way of going backwards through time. This gives us the ability as an audience to see the characters in a new light. We see how they became the people they are and how the choices in their lives affected them. We get to learn how the tiniest incident can impact you massively later in life.
I think this method of story telling is a great way to look at a story as it brings new insights to look at characters and how we view people without the context .
The show starts in your 40s, and goes back to your 20s. Looking back on your life, does the show resonate and why?
The show does resonate as I think we all look back over our lives and think about the roads not taken and choices we made.
You can see how different things might have been if we had said no instead of yes.
If you were a potential theatre go-er but knew nothing of Sondheim, why would you go?
The show is full of great songs and great scenes with a lot of compelling characters. I think the way the show is set makes its very different to other shows as you learn about the characters in a different way to normal. You might misjudge a character and learn to love them after hearing more about them.
This gritty, exciting musical will capture you from the onset and really make you think about the life choices and paths you have taken- it’s a great test of your unconscious bias.
Pump House Theatre, 5 Local Board Road, Watford, Tuesday, May 1, to Saturday, May 5. Details: 01923 467269 pumphouse.info
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