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Culture/Arts

your favourite musical

(101 Posts)
TriciaF Fri 15-Apr-16 14:31:26

There don't seem to be so many new musicals these days.
Following a discussion elsewhere I wonder what your favourite musical is, or was. Mine is definitely West Side Story. I saw it as a stage show when it first came to London in the late '50s-60s. And again not long ago, also in London.
The song/dance I like best is "America!" :
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy6wo2wpT2k
And also Officer Krupke - the lyrics are brilliant.
How about you?

BlueBelle Mon 12-Sep-16 15:04:48

Les Mes and Blood brothers nothing else has come up to them for me
Was very disappointed with Cats didn't like it at all nor starlight express

Christinefrance Mon 12-Sep-16 15:00:50

It's got to be Les Mis for me every time. I do have a fondness for The Sound of Music, it's a happy memory thing I think.

Yane Mon 12-Sep-16 14:47:13

My favorite is Phantom of the Opera, seen it twice. Firstly I read a novel by Gaston Leroux on which the musical is based. Most musicals are rather boring, but this one is a mixture of thriller and detective story. The best performance for those who loves mysterious stories.

Alima Sat 07-May-16 08:28:16

We saw Kinky Boots last night, it was excellent and will be at the top of our favourites list. A very entertaining show and the cast are brilliant.

Lillie Sun 01-May-16 21:59:00

So glad you enjoyed it jinglbellsfrocks. My god-daughter's sister is one of the dancing girls!!

jinglbellsfrocks Sun 01-May-16 21:35:09

Jury Dench played Mrs Henderson in th film whitewave. . Tracy Bennet plays her in this (stage) version.

whitewave Sun 01-May-16 20:12:53

Is that the one with Judy Dench?

jinglbellsfrocks Sun 01-May-16 20:09:42

Lillie I saw Mrs Henderson Presents yesterday. It was lovely. We really enjoyed it. Thank you for the suggestion. smile

Judthepud2 Tue 26-Apr-16 21:02:26

Not a great musicals fan but a few years ago I got a present of 2 tickets to see 'Phantom of the Opera* in the West End which I had wanted to see ever since reading the original story in a first edition copy signed by the author. I had also visited l'Opéra in Paris where the story was set.
2 weeks before I was due to go, I ended up in hospital with pneumonia and was in for a week. Nothing was going to stop me though! As soon as I came out, I flew to London with a very concerned DH and stayed with DS and DIL who drove us to the door of the theatre and picked us up. It was worth it! So atmospheric! Such a tragic story! Loved every moment.

Was in bed for several days after though!

jinglbellsfrocks Tue 26-Apr-16 15:22:01

Yes. I think I want to see that one. There are some clips on you tube. Thanks Lillie.

Lillie Tue 26-Apr-16 08:08:11

It has to be a dance musical for me and I liked Chicago, Dirty Dancing, A Chorus Line, Grease, Cats etc. A current musical which may interest some of you is Mrs. Henderson Presents. It has a proper WW2 story, good music and lovely dancing too.

Elrel Mon 25-Apr-16 20:25:59

Londongirl, In the early 60s, with our salaries under £40 net a month, we often went up to the West End on spec and saw lots of great productions. The tickets never seemed a huge amount of money, much cheaper in relation to the income of a young teacher than would be the case now. Such a shame that young people are priced out of the theatre nowadays.

Solazure Mon 25-Apr-16 20:06:05

South Pacific. My mum was lucky enough to see it on the stage in London

Charleygirl Mon 18-Apr-16 17:58:06

I saw Chicago twice and loved it. I was lucky, a nephew was working in the theatre to help with his finances while he was at university so we were given free tickets. I went with his father and we thought it was great. Billy Elliot was another favourite of mine.

I used to go once a month but it is difficult finding somebody who wants to go to the theatre.

Londongirl Mon 18-Apr-16 15:53:37

If only ticket prices were a little more affordable!

The last show we saw was the Book of Mormon and loved it.
Also love Les Mis, Chicago, chorus line and all the old ones. Not that keen the current trend of recycling movies and pop charts

rosesarered Mon 18-Apr-16 15:38:45

Actually, I like Grease too, especially the film version.

Juggernaut Mon 18-Apr-16 10:53:50

1974cookie
I will definitely be heading to the cinema to see 'Florence Foster Jenkins'. I'm a huge fan of hers, I just love people who do things really, really badly, the world needs a lot more of them smile

gulligranny Sun 17-Apr-16 18:29:47

Just been privileged to see Glenn Close in Sunset Boulevard - sensational. My favourite musical of all time is South Pacific, then Les Miserables and Blood Brothers. Favourite song from any musical is "How To Handle A Woman" from Camelot, which I also liked a lot, saw it in the 1960s at Drury Lane (my office window overlooked the stage entrance!)

I loved Sunny Afternoon, absolutely loathed Billy Elliott, looking forward to seeing Chicago in July.

pompa Sun 17-Apr-16 18:06:01

The film version of West Side Story still excites me.

1974cookie Sun 17-Apr-16 17:24:23

There is a new film coming out in May called ' Florence Foster Jenkins' about the "worlds worst singer". For those of you have never heard of her, check out her screeching singing online and you are in for a real ear bashing treat.
Seriously, you have got to hear her to believe it, it is so bad that it is mesmerising grin.

TerriBull Sun 17-Apr-16 13:53:12

It would have to be Saturday Night Fever which we took the children to see on stage one Christmas time when they were a tad too old for the pantomime. In the past few years we have seen Jersey Boys, Oliver, Billy Elliot all good. As a child I was taken to see the Sound of Music on stage, I think before I saw the film, and loved it. A few years ago we were given tickets to see Les Mis at the theatre but due to gridlocked traffic missed the opportunity, a friend has seen it umpteen times and tells me it is fantastic, have only seen the film, OKish (not Russell Crow's singing though) Have also seen Hair, Jesus Christ Super Star, Evita, Rocky Horror Show - quite a long time ago. More recently Carmen and Madame Butterfly (love the arias worth sitting through the dross for those) I'd like to see the Kinks "Sunny Afternoon" in retrospect think they were a great band, loved Waterloo Sunset evokes being early teens.

felice Sun 17-Apr-16 13:29:38

South pacific, Rocky Horror Show and Shrek 2.

Maggiemaybe Sun 17-Apr-16 12:20:38

Anything with a good storyline and good tunes - West Side Story, South Pacific, Fiddler on the Roof, Blood Brothers, Billy Elliot, Jersey Boys. I detested Mama Mia (taking soppy to a whole new level), and Wicked, though everyone else in the theatre seemed to be having the time of their lives.

Back in the 80s, our local theatre sold the seats in the back row of the gods for £1. I used to wait for the programme to drop through the door and book us in for everything and anything. Which explains why we turned up to The Rocky Horror Show with three children under 8 (we had no idea what it was like). After some conflab, the management let us in and we all thoroughly enjoyed it blush

Juggernaut Sun 17-Apr-16 12:14:47

Les Mis, Calamity Jane, The King and I, West Side Story, Singin' in the Rain, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Oklahoma, Carousel, Chicago, Guys and Dolls, South Pacific, the list is pretty much endless!
My grandad appeared on stage with Howard Keel on many occasions, and I have a soft spot for him.

trisher Sun 17-Apr-16 11:50:31

Well I like Avenue Q it's quirky and funny. Quite like Gilbert and Sullivan but don't like musicals that use old pop songs- can't see the point. Rocky Horror Show and Tommy are different- originals!