Why isn't Summer Holiday really considered a musical? (and other musical chat)

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

Just musing as I watch it. It never really appears on lists of musicals or CDs etc.

It has some very singable tunes: most people know the title song, a nice love song, a big ballad, and I'm noticing that the underscoring is really good. The storyline has a nice bit of drama etc.

Is it a bit of snobbishness? That it was almost a jukebox musical for teens, but by the band themselves?

I know it was never on stage, but arguably Grease and Annie (as examples) became more popular from the films. The other thing I've thought of is that it's a bit dated, which it is, but it's not the only one, and I'd have thought the music would have stood above that.

Also it's not often shown on television. Neither is The Young Ones. Guess if it had been attempted on stage, it might have made a difference.

That's a good point.

Mary Poppins is one where the musical didn't come out for ages afterwards, but it was Disney which helps with marketing, and I think it was sometimes on television. Actually, people are probably more nostalgic for that because they watch it when they're younger.

My whole family love The Slipper and the Rose, because it was our rainy afternoon film, but that's another one that doesn't get talked about much. It's the Sherman brothers, so really good music, but it just didn't quite hit the spot the way some others did.

Perhaps I should start an Underappreciated Musicals Society.

I think I saw it on stage at the Hammersmith Apollo in the early 90, but that might be a very specific and odd false memory.

I LOVE the Slipper & the Rose it's a lovely, yet seldom seen, musical!

'In a secret kingdom all our own...' we could watch these oft forgotten musicals to our heart's content 😁

The two kids who played Oliver and the Artful Dodger in Oliver! also did another musical called Melody. That hardly ever gets televised.

I wonder if it because Cliff Richard is in it, who is a singer? Or some hidden belief by tv bosses that he has some dubious past.

This is one of my very favourite musicals! But my understanding- from my parents who were teens when it came out and hence why I know and love it- is that it was seen as a bit of a pale imitation to the American equivalents and those Cliff Richard musicals were all seen as a bit hammy and uncool. Love it (and The Young Ones) though!

It’s definitely been done on stage, I’m pretty sure Darren Day played the Cliff part for a bit. I remember Summer Holiday was quite often on TV when I was growing up (80s). Vintage films aren’t much shown on mainstream channels these days, BBC 2 shows the odd one but you’d be hard pressed to find anything older than the 80s unless it was something huge like a James Bond or Grease or Mary Poppins.

I saw it in Manchester (possibly the Palace) with Darren day.

I actually love Summer Holiday. I used to watch it all the time as a kid then watched it with my DS a few years ago as he loves musicals. I had forgotten how much I loved the music. I loved watching it again.

I have never not thought of it as a musical but you're right it never really features on musicals CD etc.

When does a musical become a musical?

Mamma Mia is a musical.

I always forget which musicals have lots of 'spoken' lines in between songs or those which are basically all sung.

Anyway...Summer Holiday is great.

I love Summer Holiday. I want a double decker bus kitted out like a camper but DH is a spoilsport.

I was in a youth theatre (in my youth) and we did Summer Holiday and the The Young Ones. Great memories - fab tunes and a lot of laughs.

Keep your eyes on the Talking Pictures channel if you want seldom shown musicals. Melody, mentioned earlier, was on not that long ago.

It’s a perfectly acceptable musical. There are a lot worse musicals.