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Modern Musicals.

(120 Posts)
merlotgran Wed 25-Mar-26 10:43:03

I used to love going to a musical stage show. I was brought up on the likes of The King and I and My Fair Lady and played the LP soundtrack of South Pacific until I practically knew it backwards. Progressing to the many Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals and the marvellous Cameron Mackintosh productions was as effortless as moving on from Elvis to the Beatles in my teens.

Try as I might though, I just can’t seem to come to grips with the Modern Musical genre that captivates my DGCs.
The plots seem so complicated - unless they’re based on true life, in which case we can at least get the gist but everything seems distorted by the shouting/screeching delivery of the so called songs.
A simple plot is often over complicated to the point where I often have to rely on Wikipedia to help me out (not during the show, I hasten to add.)

Last night I went to see the excellent production of Operation Mincemeat. A review would take too long to write but the talented cast of five kept the show moving at such a pace that some of the humour didn’t hit the mark (for me) There was barely time for the audience to draw breath, let alone the cast.

My real sadness though was that on the way home, I couldn’t remember a single song and if I hadn’t already known the plot I wouldn’t have grasped what it was all about. 🤔

Is it just me?

Dottydots Wed 25-Mar-26 10:47:46

The idea of a good musical is to go away feeling happy and singing the songs on the way home. Sorry you didn't enjoy it merlotgran.

Usedtobeblonde Wed 25-Mar-26 11:08:20

I also loved musicals and like you merlotgran still have the LP’s of many of them, however the last musical I saw live was Blood Brothers in Manchester and although I enjoyed the evening I wasn’t tempted to buy the LP if indeed there was one.
My D who is 60 and my AGD just love any and every one they can get to see live.
They have 2/3 booked for later this year and will be checking for any new ones coming up.

Allira Wed 25-Mar-26 11:16:53

The last one I went to see, I think, was Miss Saigon.
I used to love going to see a musical and the films too; as teenagers my friends and I just lived (not a typo!) South Pacific.

When my DD and her friends loved Grease I realised things were changing 😁
But since then we've enjoyed other musicals such as Les Miserables, Chess, etc.

Hamilton, Wicked etc? They just don't appeal to me at all.

Nothing lives up to South Pacific!

Kate1949 Wed 25-Mar-26 11:20:21

We went to see Buddy again a couple of weeks ago and everyone was singing and dancing in the aisles.

Usedtobeblonde Wed 25-Mar-26 11:22:58

South Pacific, Oklahoma, The King and I, even Salad Days, they all bring back such memories of the Theatre Royal in Nottingham.
Such happy far off days😢

kittylester Wed 25-Mar-26 11:24:04

Nothing will ever be as good as West Side Story but I recently saw Six and thoroughly enjoyed it. And songs from the Greatest Show are quite 'singable'.

I do get where you are coming from though.

Basgetti Wed 25-Mar-26 11:50:59

There’s to be a Trainspotting musical, apparently……

Michael12 Wed 25-Mar-26 12:07:50

I have enjoyed seeing some of the West End stage musicals on organised coach trips to them .
I did see "Motown the Musical" about autobiography of the founder Berry Gordy , 5 at the Shaftesbury and 1 on tour at Oxford .
My first ever musical was back in 68 I went to London when in the RAF and payed 10/- in the gods at the Shaftesbury for "Hair" with some of the cast going onto other things after .
Film wise West Side story I have both versions ,and whether you would class ABBA Voyager as a musical is ?

hollysteers Wed 25-Mar-26 12:11:54

Can’t stand most modern musicals or the whiny singing that goes on nowadays, it’s horrible.
Yes to Rogers & Hammerstein, Bernstein and similar, but if I want something that’s not going to make my ears bleed, my preference is Puccini.

It’s a pity Noel Coward and Ivor Novello are out of fashion and that’s how old fashioned I am, even though I like pop music!

sodapop Wed 25-Mar-26 12:14:12

I love musicals too, unfortunately don't get to see any here in France. My absolute favourite is Les Miserables.

Luckygirl3 Wed 25-Mar-26 12:18:14

The whole family went together to see the Lion King a couple of years ago. It was so weak and the songs unmemorable. We were all agreed.

I took my children to all the greats when they were young and they loved them.

Kate1949 Wed 25-Mar-26 12:19:06

We saw Seven Drunken Nights, the songs of The Dubliners recently. We love Irish music. I'm from an Irish family. What a show that was. 🎻 🎵

merlotgran Wed 25-Mar-26 12:49:07

Allira

The last one I went to see, I think, was Miss Saigon.
I used to love going to see a musical and the films too; as teenagers my friends and I just lived (not a typo!) South Pacific.

When my DD and her friends loved Grease I realised things were changing 😁
But since then we've enjoyed other musicals such as Les Miserables, Chess, etc.

Hamilton, Wicked etc? They just don't appeal to me at all.

Nothing lives up to South Pacific!

I was taken to see Wicked last year as a birthday treat!!

It was torture! 😩😩

kittylester Wed 25-Mar-26 12:56:03

Forgotten Grease - loved it.

Magenta8 Wed 25-Mar-26 13:16:05

I actually prefer opera. Mozart's Don Giovanni is my all time favourite but I can't stand anything by Puccini.

Visgir1 Wed 25-Mar-26 13:28:27

I like both, but agree those older ones were fabulous.
I'm lucky we don't live far from Chichester Festival Theatre, and we frequently go. The Big Summer productions in the last few years have been Oklahoma - Sound of Music - Oliver - Fiddler on the Roof to name a few - last year Top Hat this year My Fair Lady. We take our DD she loves them, they all end up going up to the West End.
Occasionally we head up to London but I have been disappointed with some of those. I never rated Wicked or Hamilton the last one I saw in London was Legally Blonde, that was okay but nothing memorable. But you do get some fabulous ones, "Hello Dolly" recently was breathtaking.
Seeing a new one next week with my young GD, "The BFG" looking forward to that.

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Wed 25-Mar-26 13:29:43

Whereas I adore Puccini and am not a fan of musicals!

Norah Wed 25-Mar-26 13:42:04

Starlight Express is wonderful.

TerriBull Wed 25-Mar-26 13:53:58

Another big Puccini fan here.

I haven't been to a musical for a while, but have enjoyed, everything from the Rocky Horror Show to West Side Story and Shakin' Stevens as Elvis. Oliver where Fagin played by Omid Djalil. All a while ago now. We also took the children up to London to see Saturday Night Fever one year instead of a pantomime around Christmas time. Also a stage version of The Commitments we loved the film so much. I remember seeing The Sound of Music on stage, but I think I was about 11 at the time, so that's going back a good few years. I can't remember the last time I saw a musical.

Casdon Wed 25-Mar-26 14:04:24

Luckygirl3

The whole family went together to see the Lion King a couple of years ago. It was so weak and the songs unmemorable. We were all agreed.

I took my children to all the greats when they were young and they loved them.

Goodness, we loved The Lion King, we knew all the songs (I’m not even an Elton John fan, but he did surpass himself). I’ve also loved We will Rock You, and Billy Elliot. I’m not into schmaltzy productions, so things like South Pacific, Les Miserables, or The Greatest Showman don’t appeal to me.

TerriBull Wed 25-Mar-26 14:09:26

Forgot Billy Elliot saw that one too.

TerriBull Wed 25-Mar-26 14:10:57

...and The Jersey Boys which was really good.

Kate1949 Wed 25-Mar-26 14:30:07

I love
The King and I
Buddy
Blood Brothers
Jersey Boys
Miss Saigon
We Will Rock You
B

Kate1949 Wed 25-Mar-26 14:32:49

Oops
Billy Elliott
Sunny Afternoon (the Kinks musical)
Many more
I hated Cats and Les Mis

I like plays