London Musicals - Help!!
Discussion
Visiting the village of London with the girlfriend and staying with her sister and they want go and see a musical.
Chicago was first suggestion but it's been seen by sister. Next choice is Lion King but I'm adamant that I will kill myself if taken to see this so we need some ideas...
By choice, I'd rather a more 'classic' style musical like Phantom of the Opera or so but any recommendations as to what's out there at the moment would be much appreciated...
Chicago was first suggestion but it's been seen by sister. Next choice is Lion King but I'm adamant that I will kill myself if taken to see this so we need some ideas...
By choice, I'd rather a more 'classic' style musical like Phantom of the Opera or so but any recommendations as to what's out there at the moment would be much appreciated...
There are currently two kinds of musical on in London. "Genuine" musicals such as "Phantom of the Opera" and "Les Miserables" and "derivative" musicals based on a Hollywood film or a collection of someone's "greatest hits". Examples of the latter are "Mama Mia", "We Will Rock You" and "Jersey Boys".
I'm not a great fan of "derivative" musicals but I have heard very good reports on "Jersey Boys" which essentially tells the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
I'm not a great fan of "derivative" musicals but I have heard very good reports on "Jersey Boys" which essentially tells the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
Woman In Black, not so much a musical.. But actually scary.. I never thought I could get scared in a theatre!
Blood Brothers is really good, abit of a musical.. But not full on musical, very good story though.
Wicked - It's the follow on to The Wizzard Of Oz, it follows on the story of the Wicked Witches Of The West and the good one and the bad one.. I'm going to see that very soon!
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, when it was on show up there was so good. The car came out of the stage and over the audience, but unfortunatly it's gone onto touring now.
Blood Brothers is really good, abit of a musical.. But not full on musical, very good story though.
Wicked - It's the follow on to The Wizzard Of Oz, it follows on the story of the Wicked Witches Of The West and the good one and the bad one.. I'm going to see that very soon!
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, when it was on show up there was so good. The car came out of the stage and over the audience, but unfortunatly it's gone onto touring now.
I think I prefer the more 'genuine' musicals. I'm not a fan of derivative type stuff although Jersey Boys does look good - though don't think the other half is much of a Four Seasons fan...
I absolutely hate and loathe Abba with a passion that I simply cannot describe in words. I went to see MammaMia (again, with my girlfriend) when it came to Glasgow so there is just no way I will go again. Wild Horses could not induce me to step foot in the theatre.
Interested to hear that the Lion King wasn't so bad...Is it the songs from the film because I hated it when I was 14 or so so it's unlikely to have grown on me...
What about sacking musicals and going to see the Mouse Trap or something?
I absolutely hate and loathe Abba with a passion that I simply cannot describe in words. I went to see MammaMia (again, with my girlfriend) when it came to Glasgow so there is just no way I will go again. Wild Horses could not induce me to step foot in the theatre.
Interested to hear that the Lion King wasn't so bad...Is it the songs from the film because I hated it when I was 14 or so so it's unlikely to have grown on me...
What about sacking musicals and going to see the Mouse Trap or something?
The number of ordinary plays has diminished in London as musicals have taken over. I am a big musical fan but much prefer singing and acting in them than watching them.
Are there any "classic" musicals on at the moment? You can't beat a musical from the golden era of Broadway/Hollywood.
What about "The Sound ofd Music"? I've never seen the original stage version but I have heard it is a bit grittier than the movie. It is actually surprisng how gritty and violent Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals can be. In "Carousel" there are at least two murders and in "Oklahoma" there's one killing and a reference to an arson attack in which a whole family was wiped out.
Are there any "classic" musicals on at the moment? You can't beat a musical from the golden era of Broadway/Hollywood.
What about "The Sound ofd Music"? I've never seen the original stage version but I have heard it is a bit grittier than the movie. It is actually surprisng how gritty and violent Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals can be. In "Carousel" there are at least two murders and in "Oklahoma" there's one killing and a reference to an arson attack in which a whole family was wiped out.
I have seen Jersey Boys. I loved it, brilliant.
Probably better if you are not a big fan as you don't know the story.
Better than 'We Will Rock You'!
Theatre Monkey is a good site. Has a top 5 chart.
http://www.theatremonkey.com/MonkeyCharts.htm
Probably better if you are not a big fan as you don't know the story.
Better than 'We Will Rock You'!
Theatre Monkey is a good site. Has a top 5 chart.
http://www.theatremonkey.com/MonkeyCharts.htm
Eric Mc said:
What about "The Sound ofd Music"? I've never seen the original stage version but I have heard it is a bit grittier than the movie. It is actually surprisng how gritty and violent Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals can be. In "Carousel" there are at least two murders and in "Oklahoma" there's one killing and a reference to an arson attack in which a whole family was wiped out.
The Sound Of Music was brilliant, and I saw that as a hetero and everyfink.Well worth it, i'd never seen the film but thoroughly enjoyed it.
Avenue Q isn't bad, basically an adult sesame street and very funny.
Wicked is awesome, I really enjoyed this. It's basically a follow on from the Wizard of Oz but from Elphaba's perspective and it's very well done!
The lion king is very good also.
Woman in black is not a musical but is very dark and you get sucked into the story. It creeped out a few of my mates when we went to see it!
My pick of the bunch would definatly be Wicked.
Wicked is awesome, I really enjoyed this. It's basically a follow on from the Wizard of Oz but from Elphaba's perspective and it's very well done!
The lion king is very good also.
Woman in black is not a musical but is very dark and you get sucked into the story. It creeped out a few of my mates when we went to see it!
My pick of the bunch would definatly be Wicked.
Gylen said:
I think I prefer the more 'genuine' musicals. I'm not a fan of derivative type stuff although Jersey Boys does look good - though don't think the other half is much of a Four Seasons fan...
Who doesn't like The Four Seasons? December 1963 (Oh What a Night), Sherry Baby, Big Girls Don't Cry, Walk Like a Man etcTo be fair to it, it is not in the same league as many of those 'jukebox' musicals, it has a decent story, decent music, massive Broadway hit, won a Tony Award for best musical etc. Slightly better than a Take That based musical.
Robatr0n said:
Avenue Q isn't bad, basically an adult sesame street and very funny.
Wicked is awesome, I really enjoyed this. It's basically a follow on from the Wizard of Oz but from Elphaba's perspective and it's very well done!
The lion king is very good also.
Woman in black is not a musical but is very dark and you get sucked into the story. It creeped out a few of my mates when we went to see it!
My pick of the bunch would definatly be Wicked.
I'm glad you've mentioned Wicked because i've been told to go, but havn't got round to it because I havn't been so bothered but i'll have to go soon now! Wicked is awesome, I really enjoyed this. It's basically a follow on from the Wizard of Oz but from Elphaba's perspective and it's very well done!
The lion king is very good also.
Woman in black is not a musical but is very dark and you get sucked into the story. It creeped out a few of my mates when we went to see it!
My pick of the bunch would definatly be Wicked.
Oh yes! Avenue Q.. Very funny! They've got a website with clips from it if you're not sure on going but that is very good.
pablo said:
saw blood brothers a month or so ago and it was absolutely brilliant! should be the same cast and its worth going for the narrators voice and presence alone.
is it still a guy with a kinda of yorkshire accent sounds like he's from sheffield?Edited by pablo on Tuesday 22 July 13:50
To the OP - The Lion King is superb - you wouldn't be disapointed by it.
I'd vote for either blood brothers or lion king - both excellant.
Whenever the topic of musicals comes up, you always get posters who say something along the lines of "I absolutely HATE musicals but I was dragged along to (place name of any musical you like) by the other half and I thought it was really good".
It just goes to show that you should never write off any sort of dramatic medium unless you have actually experienced it. There is a world of difference between watching a musical film (especially on TV) and experiencing a live musical or opera in a theatre with a real orchestra playing.
Even I don't like some musicals. We can't like every plot line or every song. But I do like them as an art form. Like any sort of drama, they can range from pure silliness (The Producers) to downright "heaviness" (Les Miserables") and cover every emotion ans style in between.
I have taken part in around 40 shows over the years and every single one of them was a very different experience.
It just goes to show that you should never write off any sort of dramatic medium unless you have actually experienced it. There is a world of difference between watching a musical film (especially on TV) and experiencing a live musical or opera in a theatre with a real orchestra playing.
Even I don't like some musicals. We can't like every plot line or every song. But I do like them as an art form. Like any sort of drama, they can range from pure silliness (The Producers) to downright "heaviness" (Les Miserables") and cover every emotion ans style in between.
I have taken part in around 40 shows over the years and every single one of them was a very different experience.
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