REVIEW; 'MERRILY' ROLLS ALONG, BUT UNEVENLY.

Byline: Julio Martinez Special to the Daily News

Based on the original 1930s stage play by George Kaufman and Moss Hart, Stephen Sondheim originally staged his musical version of ``Merrily We Roll Along'' in 1977 and personally took part in its La Jolla Playhouse revival in 1984.

The premise still doesn't work. This back-to-front chronicle of the angst-driven relationship of three monumentally selnvolved friends features one of Sondheim's more troublesome plots (the book is by George Furth) and one of his most enjoyable scores. Whatever their supposed ideals and/or talents, the trio of composer Franklin Shepard (Anthony Paul Meindl), writer Charley Kringas (Richard Israel) and their forever buddy Mary Flynn (Lisa Picotte) are not worthy enough for us to keep company with, let alone care about their problems.

Yet director Jules Aaron and an outstanding ensemble have infused such vitality into this jaundiced show biz tale that it is easy to overlook the plot's innate shortcomings. Beginning in 1976, the production introduces successful but oh-so-unhappy film producer Franklin as he and his oh-so-shallow Bel Air cronies celebrate the success of his latest oh-so-mediocre flick. Boozily tossing out barbs from the sidelines is the oh-so-tragic, overweight, alcoholic friend of his youth, Mary. After establishing the destruction of Franklin's career and marriage over cocktails, the production marches backward in time, each scene chronicling a momentous ``how did we get here from there?'' turning point in the intermingled lives of Franklin, Charley and Mary. The final scene, set on a Manhattan rooftop in 1957, finds the callow trio staring up at the circling Sputnik and vowing eternal co-dependency.

Director Aaron wisely guides the talented Meindl, Israel and Picotte into establishing such a fervently committed rapport that their characters' ongoing self-destruction comes off as sadly unfortunate rather than just stupid. In the first act, their binding anthem, ``Old Friends,'' evokes the yearning of life-battered souls who are desperately trying to stay connected.

At play's end, the trio's joyous ``Our Time'' communicates the zest of youth who have not yet become tarnished. Meindl instills a viable ambivalence in Franklin, who always appears to be making decisions that are not in his best interest (``Growing Up'').

Israel perfectly captures the essence of anxiety-ridden Charley and just sails through one of Sondheim's most virtuoso anthems, ``Franklin Shepard Inc.'' Together, Meindl and Israel are quite appealing in their cabaret turns with ``Good Thing Going'' and the satirical ``Bobby and Jackie and Jack'' (effectively choreographed by Larry Sousa). The latter number also features Melanie Winger as Franklin's short-suffering wife Beth, who also offers an exquisite rendition of one of Sondheim's finest ballads, ``Not a Day Goes By.''

Picotte makes plausible Mary's life-long unrequited love for Franklin. She evokes a tangible sadness as the rejected Mary echoes Franklin and Beth in the wedding ceremony reprise of ``Not a Day Goes By.'' One of the real pleasures of the production is Jan Sheldrick, who hilariously devours her way through the persona of self-absorbed Broadway star Gussie Carnegie. Complementing her is Stephen Einsphar as Gussie's adoring loser of a husband, Joe.

Much of the success and facile drive of this production can be attributed to the amazingly inventive, mobile set design of Don Gruber. Gruber's sliding panels immediately make viable every setting, whether it is the patio of a Bel Air mansion or the seedy stage of a low-rent Manhattan nightclub.

The facts

--What: ``Merrily We Roll Along.''

--Where: West Coast Ensemble, 522 N. La Brea Ave., Hollywood.

--When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday; through June 11.

--Tickets: $27.50 to $30.

--Our rating: Three stars.

CAPTION(S):

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Photo: Richard Israel, left, Anthony Paul Meindl and Lisa Picotte in ``Merrily We Roll Along.''