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What's the worst musical you have ever been to?

647 replies

Sonolanona · 03/08/2023 21:52

I love musicals, and DS2 who has autism is obsessed so we go to as many as we can. We've seen Cats (not the film!) 7 times, JCSS 7 times, Blood Brothers, Les Mis, Evita, Chicago , Cabaret..and many others. (JCSS is my personal favourite)

Today we went to We Will Rock You.
OMG.
It was cringingly awful. Even if you love Queen, it was still so bad. Worst 'plot' and dialogue ever, the choreography was...interesting and it was played for cheap laughs and smutty out dated jokes, headed by Ben Elton who cannot..and should not..sing.
Never again!!!

OP posts:
Fredface1 · 04/08/2023 07:39

All of them

Vexxa · 04/08/2023 07:40

Urinetown. Unbelievably awful. Wish I'd had the confidence to leave in the interval but we were with a big group and I felt awkward admitting how much I hated it.

partystress · 04/08/2023 07:42

gah reply button 😭 that was for@tachetastic

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Theatre
EvenlyDetermined · 04/08/2023 07:43

I've only seen a school production of WWRY but it was absolutely dire. I have seen some amazing school/youth theatre productions over the years though.

I loved Wicked when I first saw it about 8 years ago, but saw it again recently and it was a bit meh, I can't put a finger on why.

Has anyone seen the new Wizard of Oz?

Justrolledmyeyesoutloud · 04/08/2023 07:43

Dull, depressing and long!!
I knew in the first 5 mins it wasn't for me!

ParadiseNotFound · 04/08/2023 07:48

EileenBrysonsTeabags · 04/08/2023 06:33

@Bsmirched someone turned Carrie into a musical?
OMG! Does Steven King know? Oh man I would love to see that so badly. Was it hilariously awful? Please please tell me more.
was Carrie at a full climax of a song, arms outstretched as the blood rains down?
Was there dancing too?

Im actually sat here giggling at the thought of it.

The original production was a notorious flop and I didn't see it.

There was a recent-ish production by the Southwark Playhouse and I went to see it despite hating horror and, from past experience, not thinking horror translates well into a musical. I wanted to see it because of its notoriety.

I loved it! The cast were fabulous, the score is beautiful. It really worked in the small venue - I don't think it would work at, say, The Palladium. Some of the lyrics weren't great. But I really felt for Carrie. I saw it as less horror, and more what happens if you bully someone to that extent. The scenes between Carrie and her Mom were particularly good.

I can imagine a bad production would be awful though.

fatherliamdeliverance · 04/08/2023 07:53

ParadiseNotFound · 03/08/2023 23:08

I loved Urinetown! The point of it would be lost if you missed the second half though. I did see one production of it which was gratuitously violent though.

Show quote history

Interesting!! I'll look it up now as I can't remember what happened throughout. If I'm honest, I was quite keen on the idea of a menacing and dystopian musical but seem to remember there not being much plot and it was a bit cartoony. Makes sense if it all came together at the end though.

calimali · 04/08/2023 07:59

A good cast will make or break a musical. I have seen Les Mis several times - it ranks from superb to dire, depending on the cast.

Two muicals I abolutely hated were Fame and Taboo. Fame has only one recoginsable song in it and the storyline is dreadful. Taboo was a Boy George production. We saw it in the Phonnix Theatre in London - small venue and the audience are very close to the stage. I felt uncomfortable throuout as they was 'audience participation' aka harrasment of anyone in the audience who didn't look like they were enjoying the play. Crap songs, crap acting and felt uncomfortable throughout.

I love musicals as a rule. My favourites are Blood Brothers, Bombay Dreams (amazing set, dancing and costumes), Evita.

SloaneRangers · 04/08/2023 08:03

Six and Hamilton
Don't get the hype at all 🤷

calimali · 04/08/2023 08:04

Just checked - not the Phoenix - it was in the Venue. It seems I saw it in it's first year. I can't believe it is still running.

swimminginthesun · 04/08/2023 08:06

@NewName122 I didn’t realise War Horse was a musical! Thought it was a play…

AngelinaFibres · 04/08/2023 08:07

boysmuminherts · 03/08/2023 22:02

Phantom of the Opera...really didn't get the hype. Fortunately haven't seen WWRY....

This. Totally spoilt by the audience ( not the fault of the musical). But then the musical itself was awful.

Crunchymum · 04/08/2023 08:07

Controversially I disliked every musical I've seen (Cats, Fame, Dirty Dancing, Lion King, We Will Rock You). I found Les Miserables beyond boring as well. Phantom was the only one I would say was okay.

Given the cost and the fact I seem to really dislike musicals it's put me off seeing more recent productions like JCSS, BOM and Hamilton.

Much prefer non musical theatre.

Kids are off to see Wicked this weekend..... without me.

mummyof2boys30 · 04/08/2023 08:10

Absolutley hated wicked and 9to5. Wasnt fussed on Matilda. Grease wasnt great either
All time favourites are kinky boots and back to the future. Tina turner also amazing

We saw bodyguard in Belfast and booked to go again as i loved it.

1406E · 04/08/2023 08:15

Definitely Wicked. Just couldn't get my head around it.

newfloorplease · 04/08/2023 08:17

Six. It wasn't what I was expecting at all.

Daffodilwoman · 04/08/2023 08:19

The only musical I thought was dreadful was Fiddler on the Roof. It wasn’t the cast, they did their best. It was so dull. My dcs didn’t like it either and they love musical theatre.
I saw Six, Waitress and The Heathers in the same month. Loved them all but The Heathers was outstanding. Watched the film which was meh but the musical- very very cleaver.
Dd goes to lots of productions, she raves about Newsies.

Daffodilwoman · 04/08/2023 08:21

Also recently saw Dirty Dancing on tour. I thought it was excellent. I’ve seen it years ago but this production was superior. Baby and Johnny were spot on. Probably helps that they are a couple in rl.

Madamecastafiore · 04/08/2023 08:21

Wicked was screechy ear splitting racket! DD asked to leave!

Doidontimmm · 04/08/2023 08:22

I hated Cats & Miss Saigon, all 3 of us fell asleep during MS!

Djchickpea · 04/08/2023 08:28

Agree, We Will Rock You absolutely the worst musical I've ever seen, storyline is absolute toilet. It must be the songs that keep people going. Others - Aspects of Love, Time. Awful

dancinfeet · 04/08/2023 08:30

I just came on to say we will rock you, an embarrassment of a musical.

Mrsjayy · 04/08/2023 08:41

Doidontimmm · 04/08/2023 08:22

I hated Cats & Miss Saigon, all 3 of us fell asleep during MS!

I've only seen Miss Siagon stage concert on sky arts, my friend raves about it I thought it was awful so dark and dismal..

99victoria · 04/08/2023 08:52

Cats - kept waiting for some kind of storyline or something to hold it together and it never came. Most of the songs were very mediocre too

VanGoghsDog · 04/08/2023 09:04

NewName122 · 04/08/2023 01:52

My favourite out of them all was surprisingly War Horse. It was so good. I've seen Lion King, wicked, Joseph, cats, west side story plus loads more. Mousetrap was absolute utter garbage along with Six.

War horse and the Mousetrap are not musicals.