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Favourite musicals

TimAddick
TimAddick Posts: 216
edited March 2023 in Not Sports Related
With the passing of Topol and myself isolating with covid (spouse has left and staying with girlfriend), I thought we could have post on Charlton Fans favourite musical's on stage or screen.
My top 5 are
Man of La Mancha, stage not the film
Blood Brothers
Wicked
Guys and Dolls
Phantom of the Opera

Honourable mentions to Mame, stage not film and Dusty.
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Comments

  • charlton4ever
    charlton4ever Posts: 1,716
    edited March 2023
     1961 West Side Story. 
  • RodneyCharltonTrotta
    RodneyCharltonTrotta Posts: 14,827
    edited March 2023
    .
  • TimAddick
    TimAddick Posts: 216
    edited March 2023
    Jessie said:
    Before commenting on this thread I must say musicals are definitely something for the minority here in China. But! I quite like a few famous musicals so absolutely pleased to see a thread like this. (Hope you get well soon Tim.)

    Les Miserables is my all-time favourite. I love the book and love the musical. The film starring Anne Hathaway is OK but not particularly special.

    I also like those well-known songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber. I've only watched one of his musicals in full (The Phantom of the Opera) but love quite a few songs. 'Memory' springs to mind.

    I recently watched the film version of The Producers and to my surprise I enjoyed it very much - I had watched bits of it about 10 years ago but was not interested. This time I found it very funny and the songs really good.

    After watching The Producers I discovered How to succeed in business without really trying - Matthew Broderick won a Tony Award for it but I couldn't find the full version of it anywhere so I downloaded the 1967 original film adaptation instead last week and Robert Morse has now become one of my favourite actors (R.I.P.). I liked his character Bert on Mad Men but never finished all 7 seasons of it. Despite being a big of Matthew Broderick I loved Robert Morse's portrayal so much more. The play is interesting even 6 decades later.

    There are a few musicals I simply can't get into though. Hamilton, The Music Man.
    Hi Jessie, you are the supporter who never seen us play. Hope you get your wish one day. So glad you have seen Robert Morse. It is such a great movie and brings back memories.I saw it at the cinema when it came out with my girlfriend who has been married to me 53 years this May. Have to agree on Hamilton, but my youngest daughter thinks it's the best ever. She is involved in amateur musical production
  • Blackheathen
    Blackheathen Posts: 6,655
    edited March 2023
    I’ve always enjoyed musicals going back to the good old Rodgers and Hammerstein Carousel, Oklahoma, South Pacific etc. which all seem corny now as films - great melodies though.  Other oldies include The Gene Krupa Story, The Eddy Duchin Story, White Christmas.

    High Society

    La la land (especially the night scene)

    A star is borne (Lady Gaga great)

    Saw Phantom of the Opera in Sydney as a special deal which included a glass of bubbly and box of choccies which went down a treat.

    And Hairspray in NY which was pretty good.
  • Stuart_the_Red
    Stuart_the_Red Posts: 1,851
    Stage:
    42nd Street
    Lion King
    Chicago
    Pal Joey

    Screen
    too many to mention, I grew up in a household where we watched every musical from about 1930 onwards to the present day. A special mention to James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy and, of course, Fred Astaire.
  • robinofottershaw
    robinofottershaw Posts: 1,921
    Les Mis, West Side Storey and also really enjoyed Hamilton.
  • McBobbin
    McBobbin Posts: 12,051
    Ones I have seen at the stage I'd go with Les Mis, Hamilton, Starlight Express, Chicago. On film I'd say Oliver! Bugsy Malone, Sister Act (that counts I'm telling you!). If opera counts I'll go with Tosca too.
  • Algarveaddick
    Algarveaddick Posts: 21,153
    High Society
    Little Shop of Horrors
    The Producers
    Rocky Horror Picture Show
    Grease
  • bobmunro
    bobmunro Posts: 20,843
    Les Mis my clear favourite
    Evita
    Lion King

  • Davo55
    Davo55 Posts: 7,836
    Evita
    Les Mis
    Oliver
    Sound of Music
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  • ForeverAddickted
    ForeverAddickted Posts: 94,318
    Les Miserables
    The Producers
    Phantom of the Opera
  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    The best five I have ever seen live, or been involved with, in no order are West Side Story, Les Miserables, Sweeney Todd, Oliver, Guys and Dolls.
  • CAFCTrev
    CAFCTrev Posts: 5,978
    I think Team America: World Police is my personal favourite. 
  • IdleHans
    IdleHans Posts: 10,966
    Little miss Idle loves this stuff and does a good number of amdram musicals herself. But I've sat through so many local girls' choir productions that my arse starts aching as soon as I hear any song from Cats
  • Davo55
    Davo55 Posts: 7,836
    Worst I've seen:

    Hair
    Phantom of the Opera
    Wicked
  • Richard J
    Richard J Posts: 8,032
    Jesus Christ Superstar is probably my favourite.

    I also enjoyed ALW / Rice's other works Joseph and Evita. Rice's collaboration with Abba Chess is also worth mentioning. In contrast I am lukewarm about ALW's subsequent works 

    Les Mis
    Chicago
    Cabaret ( on stage not the film)
    Fiddler on the Roof 

    I like most Sondheim works also. 
  • TimAddick
    TimAddick Posts: 216
    Jessie said:
    Thank you Tim. I hope one day I'll travel to London and go to a Home game.  :)

    Hamilton might be something for the younger generation I assume. It's great that your daughter is in amateur musical production. I read a few interviews with people working in the theatre in New York and it seems a tough business. But I'm always fascinated by the fact that in the Western countries children do plays and there are many relative social groups. I wish I had this kind of environment growing up. It must be a great experience to take part in one of your favourite plays and meet people with similar interest.
    My youngest daughter is 40 and is most like me in that we like to be challenged in what we watch. We see films out of the ordinary. She has done some amateur acting but does not have the confidence in her singing ability. She is backstage usually as props co-ordinator. It is big job and when she left home 4 years ago I got my garage back.
    Her theatre group is CLOC musical theatre and often their productions are as good as the pros google it and it shows history
    She has very outgoing personality and the people at CLOC are still trying to get her to audition
  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    Jessie said:
    Thank you Tim. I hope one day I'll travel to London and go to a Home game.  :)

    Hamilton might be something for the younger generation I assume. It's great that your daughter is in amateur musical production. I read a few interviews with people working in the theatre in New York and it seems a tough business. But I'm always fascinated by the fact that in the Western countries children do plays and there are many relative social groups. I wish I had this kind of environment growing up. It must be a great experience to take part in one of your favourite plays and meet people with similar interest.
    Hi Jessie.
    In the UK for many schools part of the curriculum is doing Drama.
    That isn’t to prepare youngsters for working in the field, any more than the purpose of doing Physical Education is to turn out Olympic quality athletes.
    Both of those school ‘subjects’ (and most others actually) are included because they are seen to have wider value than being narrowly utilitarian.
    I once visited an English class in a school in Xian and attempted to do a simple role play in English with a student pretending to buy an ice cream. The dialogue was brief, but I was rather shocked to find that the student really struggled to handle the pretend, and the minimal bit of imagination needed.
    China is already a strong country, and would be even stronger if it nurtured more creativity amongst the young.
  • robinofottershaw
    robinofottershaw Posts: 1,921
    Jessie said:
    Thank you Tim. I hope one day I'll travel to London and go to a Home game.  :)

    Hamilton might be something for the younger generation I assume. It's great that your daughter is in amateur musical production. I read a few interviews with people working in the theatre in New York and it seems a tough business. But I'm always fascinated by the fact that in the Western countries children do plays and there are many relative social groups. I wish I had this kind of environment growing up. It must be a great experience to take part in one of your favourite plays and meet people with similar interest.
    As ever, different strokes for different folks. Re Hamilton, I am well into my 60s and really enjoyed it. I had listened to the music quite a bit before seeing it on stage and just think Lin-Manuel Miranda is a clever songwriter.
  • TimAddick
    TimAddick Posts: 216
    seth plum said:
    Jessie said:
    Thank you Tim. I hope one day I'll travel to London and go to a Home game.  :)

    Hamilton might be something for the younger generation I assume. It's great that your daughter is in amateur musical production. I read a few interviews with people working in the theatre in New York and it seems a tough business. But I'm always fascinated by the fact that in the Western countries children do plays and there are many relative social groups. I wish I had this kind of environment growing up. It must be a great experience to take part in one of your favourite plays and meet people with similar interest.
    Hi Jessie.
    In the UK for many schools part of the curriculum is doing Drama.
    That isn’t to prepare youngsters for working in the field, any more than the purpose of doing Physical Education is to turn out Olympic quality athletes.
    Both of those school ‘subjects’ (and most others actually) are included because they are seen to have wider value than being narrowly utilitarian.
    I once visited an English class in a school in Xian and attempted to do a simple role play in English with a student pretending to buy an ice cream. The dialogue was brief, but I was rather shocked to find that the student really struggled to handle the pretend, and the minimal bit of imagination needed.
    China is already a strong country, and would be even stronger if it nurtured more creativity amongst the young.
    Good point Seth.i am in Oz. Whilst most high schools do drama, for some it is more token. I have 3 daughters. All went to same highschool with prioritised music. Youngest asked us to change schools because she felt that drama group was poor. We managed to get her into another which was well known for it's drama teachers.
    Outcome, oldest daughter tends to be very narrow minded and does not easily tolerate other views. Daughter 2, can be timid and easily overridden by those in authority.
    Youngest who is 40 can talk to people of any status. She works as an advocate for disabled and mentally ill people. Deals with wide group of govt people including courts.
    I know people have different personalities but I am convinced her drama education gave her the grounding for her career.

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  • usetobunkin
    usetobunkin Posts: 2,184
    The one about the elephant man, think it’s called 
    Put on a happy face 
  • TimAddick
    TimAddick Posts: 216
    edited March 2023
    usetobunkin said:
    The one about the elephant man, think it’s called 
    Put on a happy face 
    Is that the one when the applied lots of make up to Dick Van Dyke
  • ValleyGary
    ValleyGary Posts: 37,979
    I don’t mind a musical but only if it’s a song every now and then. Les Mis where everything is song makes my teeth itch. Have to walk out the room if the films on. 

    The Greatest Showman is my favourite musical film.
  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,348
    Oklahoma
    West Side Story
    My Fair Lady

    I'm sure I'll think of a few more
  • JamesSeed
    JamesSeed Posts: 17,380
    @aliwibble Please. My OCD. That apostrophe in the title will stop me sleeping. 😢
  • Mortimerwasgod
    Mortimerwasgod Posts: 551
    Phantom of the Opera - opening scene gets the hairs on my neck standing every time.
    Cabaret - brilliant and love the way it's set in the middle of the room like the actual club.
    Back to the Future - most nostalgia i suppose but loved the songs and cant believe how good the transfer to stage is.
    Wicked - saw it in NY and London and loved it, but again maybe as i love Wizard of Oz!
    Hairspray - saw it with Michael Ball in, was so funny as he kept ad libbing!

    Special mention to the worst musical i've ever seen. Spice Girls (yes there was one for a few months). Terrible songs, terrible acting and the ending was crap and sudden. 

  • TimAddick
    TimAddick Posts: 216
    My bad. Hate google for doing that. Should of checked. My Mac died and using phone. At present do not full site use.
  • JamesSeed
    JamesSeed Posts: 17,380
    edited March 2023
    Also, in grumpy mode, don't like musicals other than the old film classics like Singin' in the Rain and West Side Story etc.
    The only theatrical musical I've seen recently was Sunny Afternoon, which was about the early days of the Kinks. Even then I thought it was ruined when they burst into song. I would have preferred it if the only music was them playing their early hits, say in rehearsal, or a mock up of a pub gig.
    But this is very much a case of different strokes for different folks.
    And, to be fair, people keep recommending Hamilton, so I might go and see that.
  • TimAddick
    TimAddick Posts: 216
    Hi James, I have fixed title.
  • bobmunro
    bobmunro Posts: 20,843
    Jessie said:
    robinofottershaw said:
    Jessie said:
    Thank you Tim. I hope one day I'll travel to London and go to a Home game.  :)

    Hamilton might be something for the younger generation I assume. It's great that your daughter is in amateur musical production. I read a few interviews with people working in the theatre in New York and it seems a tough business. But I'm always fascinated by the fact that in the Western countries children do plays and there are many relative social groups. I wish I had this kind of environment growing up. It must be a great experience to take part in one of your favourite plays and meet people with similar interest.
    As ever, different strokes for different folks. Re Hamilton, I am well into my 60s and really enjoyed it. I had listened to the music quite a bit before seeing it on stage and just think Lin-Manuel Miranda is a clever songwriter.
    Yes that bit is quite essential I think. Maybe if I had got familiar with some of the songs beforehand I would find it interesting.

    Yes essential.

    First and foremost I love music - and for me a staged production of a musical is just about a setting for the music. I don't particularly like musicals from a drama perspective, the sight of people talking normally and then breaking out in song is somewhat bizarre, which is why I refer 'all sung musicals'. Every musical I have been to see, and opera as well (which I adore), I have always extensively listened to the music beforehand.


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