I saw Grease on television when I was a child. I asked, "Why are they singing? People don't do that in real life." So began my wary tolerance of the musical.
There were exceptions, of course. The first play I ever saw was Camelot, and I was captivated by it. My grandma took me to see musicals every summer, and I liked them all.
Before long I was able to group musicals according to those I was sure to like and those I was sure to hate.
Sure to Like:
* Anything with another unrealistic element. For example, if a plant can talk, people can sing their way through life. Little Shop of Horrors.
* Anything where it made sense for the characters to sing. If they're performers, they're likely to sing and dance. So sing and dance. Chicago.
* Anything that's really funny or exaggerated. If I'm laughing, I'll excuse the songs. Once Upon a Mattress.
Sure to Hate:
* Anything else.
As I got older yet, more and more musicals started creeping into the Sure to Like category. Suddenly, all it took was good music. All it took was a moving story. Rent, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Les Miserables joined the group. Before I knew it, I was listening to the soundtracks in my car. And singing along. And I liked it.
Fast forward to the here and now. I was recently in London, paying to see musicals because I wanted to do so. Not only that, I fell in love with another one: Phantom of the Opera. The Sure to Like list is making me look like not such a musical-hater, after all.
Where does a person go from here?
2 comments:
I like musicals quite a bit myself, but occasionally I stumble upon some that make me wish the artform never existed. So... I'm the opposite of you. I love 'em, but hate a couple like I hate the plague.
You want to ever go back to "I-Hate-Musicals Land" watch CATS and WEST SIDE STORY. Good. God. Why?
-A
Just remember Nicole Kidman in that shotty production... I tried to watch it and I just had to stop! I rarely turn off a movie once I rent it... I sit through it thinking it might get better. That movie was a TURN THIS OFF NOW I AM SO BORED AND I WANT TO POKE MY EYES OUT AND STUFF THEM IN MY EARS!
So yes... for every good musical there are five not very good ones... take Seusical for instance...
I saw this in production on broadway tour... no animal cosutmes... just people dressed up in animal colored clothes.
Horton from Horton hears a Who... looked a lot like the Crocidile Hunter. Tan shorts, Tan shirt, Safari hat... viola... an elephant!
It sucked so bad... Dr. Seuss would have never approved!
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