Hey there,

I was speaking to a friend today and raving about how much I enjoyed my recent trip to London's West End, and seeing the shows "Joseph" and "Wicked" and she said that she hated musicals with a passion.

I was wondering if anyone else was against them so much and why?


thanks
Micky

Musicals cover such a wide range of styles, I don't think you can say you dislike ALL musicals!...

Generally, I prefer older musicals, but there are some more recent ones which I think are excellent. Chicago and Five Guys named Moe, to name but two.

I love almost all musicals... But my friend says that she can't get to grips with anything where people just suddenly stop in the middle of a tense/emotional scene and suddenly start singing. I don't understand it myself, because I adore musicals, but that's her rationale...

Yes, you see that was her point too, I have to say I love going to see musicals: I have performed in many (singing and playing) and saw many more.

I think my favourites would have to be "Les Mis" and "Wicked"

I love musicals

It is quite interesting because a lot of people I know expect me to be into musicals, being a musical type...

I'm actually not into them at all! I wouldn't go as far as to say I "hate" all musicals, but I wouldn't be fussed on them in general.

They just aren't my "thing", I suppose.

i really don't enjoy musicals. i find it really, really hard to concentrate on both words and music, which means that i miss out on one or the other. personally, i wouldn't express myself through singing, so i don't relate to it easily.

I hate musicals...

My daughter loves them.. I refused to go to Phantom of the Opera when we were in NY last year so her poor dad had to take her. heh heh..

Most of the time I find the songs puerile and irritating.

Also I find the fact that they're talking, then suddenly they start singing, really annoying.

Either have a play or have an opera not a bad mixture of the two.

Musicals are poor man's opera. [/snob]

I suppose someone has to say it - opera often has talking and singing. I think the difference is, in opera, when they start singing it's usually worth listening to.

Snob alert here too. Also they're over amplified and the audience rustle sweety bags (ah, that's why they're over amplified). Oh and don't get me started on Andrew Lloyd Webber.

I don't particularly care for them either I have to confess. It's strange because it's not the music that I don't like just can't get to grips with singing a story. When it's dialogue and then they burst into song it really puts me off.

I have seen quite a few of them though as a Mother there are times when you just have to do these things.

Quite the worst thing I have ever seen was a Ballet of Peter Pan It was bad..... The best thing Faustus with Ben Kingsley.

Pretty much how I feel too

I think the thing that made the Monty Python musical funny, was how it parodied the cliches associated with the 'art form'.

And that perhaps is part of the problems, there are too many features that all musicals have in common.

That said, I really enjoy seeing one, once in a while.

I absolutely LOVE musicals! I can't really see how anyone can hate them!!

I'm glad Im not alone, singerpianist. What are your favourites?

I would say though, I can't generally be doing with those musicals which take chart hits from a particular singer/group, and then shoehorning them into a storyline. I think you know the sorts of shows I mean...

Depends on the production and the performances. The "same" musical can be wonderful or awful. (In similar vein - see some awful recent remakes of great classic films). But you can't rely on the advertised cast list to help with your decision.

In New York many years ago I went to the Chicago musical, hoping to see Bebe Neuwirth (of Frazier fame) but had to make do with her understudy. The same happened in Beauty and the Beast when Debi Gibson ("Only in My Dreams") was replaced at short notice.

When I saw Chicago on Broadway, literally half the cast was different to what was printed in the programme. Luckily i hadn't gone hoping to see anyone in particular though, so it didnt matter, just seemed a bit odd.

I've enjoyed "Oliver", "Cabaret", "The Sound of Music" (almost blush to admit it) and "Fiddler on the Roof".
I've also a soft spot for some of the Berstein songs but generally I'm not a fan of the genre. It just isn't my taste. A friend of mine had a dentist who collected every musical under the sun and used them to sooth his patients nerves - playing them over the speaker system in the waiting room. After a while she changed her dentist.

I would LOVE that dentist! I always play songs from musicals when I'm plucking my eyebrows - gives me something to focus on other than the pain.

My friend works in the café at a garden centre, and they have a collection of soundtracks from musicals. The person who is working the longest shift gets to pick which they play. Recently, she's finished exams and practically gone full time, according to another friend at the same place, it's been nothing but Chicago over and over again.

I may lend her a few of my CDs to get her accustomed to some other good musicals.

I'm with others who say they can stand them once in a while. I even went to see Mamma Mia as a birthday treat last year! (being quite a fan of Abba)

But I have to say that I don't like musicals written by one famous person who we see regularly on the box selecting his next victim leading lady/man! Yuk! Give me his brother any day.

Yeah i do admit that those are absolutely terrible.