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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:
hattie43 · 05/08/2023 06:23

Cats. Never known a show where people left the theatre

Mothership4two · 05/08/2023 06:31

Saw Children of Eden at the West End in the 90's and it was so bad that we (and others) left during the interval. Apparently it closed shortly after.

Not awful, but Blood Brothers left me cold - I know some people love it.

Saverage · 05/08/2023 06:36

I didn't like Wicked. Partly because of the enormous cold theatre. It's more for kids though isn't it?

Was ok about Book of Mormon, though it was overhyped. .

Really enjoyed Groundhog Day, Oklahoma, operation Mincemeat. Saw Cats as a teenager, liked it then (wouldn't now probably).

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Theatre
Saverage · 05/08/2023 06:37

craglow · 05/08/2023 05:51

As a musical theatre performer, I can tell you that the general consensus amongst musical theatre people is that anything by Andrew Lloyd Webber is insufferable, especially Cats! So it really shocks me when people say that they like it.
Reading some of the comments on here, people defo need to see more theatre before making such brash judgements - can't believe people despise Wicked and The Lion King so much... if you don't like them then I think maybe theatre just isn't for you.

If you don't like Wicked then theatre isn't for you? Don't be ridiculous.

Sleepyteach · 05/08/2023 08:16

American Idiot was the worst musical I’ve seen, I loved the songs and green day are my absolute favourite band in the world but the storyline was so hard to follow. Didn’t love Wicked but didn’t hate it either. I really liked we will rock you and my all time favourite musical is Frozen, it completely blew me away.

FlamingoQueen · 05/08/2023 08:49

I love Musicals but in the last few years some of the standards / quality have really fallen.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was so boring - just sang the same bloody song over and over.
Miss Saigon we nearly left in the interval - that was 3 hours of my life I'm not getting back!
Bat out of Hell - loved the music but the actual show was rubbish (absolutely love Meatloaf).
I was bored watching Cats for the first time (just wanted Mr Mistofolees to be sung) but watched it a second time when I was a bit older and loved it.
The Lion King - great voices but god a miserable musical!

Loved - The Band (now the Greatest Day, I believe), The Wizard of Oz, Mamma Mia, Hamilton and pretty much all of the others!

AppleDumplingWithCustard · 05/08/2023 09:04

Les Mis. I was bored witless, it went on for ages and the seats were bloody uncomfortable.

gabsdot45 · 05/08/2023 09:04

Shrek the musical. Ugh. It was terrible.
Worse than that is that my friend is in an amateur production next week and I have to go and see it again. I am not excited.

Glockamorra · 05/08/2023 09:06

craglow · 05/08/2023 05:51

As a musical theatre performer, I can tell you that the general consensus amongst musical theatre people is that anything by Andrew Lloyd Webber is insufferable, especially Cats! So it really shocks me when people say that they like it.
Reading some of the comments on here, people defo need to see more theatre before making such brash judgements - can't believe people despise Wicked and The Lion King so much... if you don't like them then I think maybe theatre just isn't for you.

I’m interested in why you think perforners’ judgements have greater significance than theatregoers? I teach Eng Lit at a university and recognise that there are literary texts that are effective and enjoyable to teach from a teacher’s POV, without necessarily being good works of art to simply read. I go to the theatre a lot, and to the opera, and I hear a lot of singing. I’ve not seen The Lion King, but saw Wicked years ago, and hold to my opinion that the music is unmemorable, apart from ‘Popular’, ‘For Good’ and ‘Defying Gravity’, and the plotting and characterisation are pedestrian, a sort of Wizard of Oz fan fiction prequel mashed up with a high school popular/nerd plot.

Minimooncat · 05/08/2023 09:17

Sweeny Todd was terrible and I will get bashed for this but I didn't like mamma Mia, the songs are forced in at odd times and I was disappointed with the whole thing. Other musicals are so much better.

fatherliamdeliverance · 05/08/2023 09:22

craglow · 05/08/2023 05:51

As a musical theatre performer, I can tell you that the general consensus amongst musical theatre people is that anything by Andrew Lloyd Webber is insufferable, especially Cats! So it really shocks me when people say that they like it.
Reading some of the comments on here, people defo need to see more theatre before making such brash judgements - can't believe people despise Wicked and The Lion King so much... if you don't like them then I think maybe theatre just isn't for you.

What the hell have I just read? If you don't like Wicked or the Lion King, theatre isn't for you?!! Wow. You've heard people have different tastes? Because they do.

And why does your role give you the authority to dictate what people should like? Why those two productions, out of interest?

Brainstorm23 · 05/08/2023 09:23

Lovelace..a musical about Linda Lovelace. I booked to see at the Edinburgh Fringe on the basis that it was something different. It was absolutely terrible. If anyone knows Edinburgh it was in the McEwan Hall which is bloody massive. I got there early and sat in the third row assuming it would fill up. It didn't! There were about 10 people there. During the show they came out into the audience and started singing at people. I couldn't even look at thr singer I was so mortified. They were an American company and apparently nobody came for the entire run which was for a month.

Zanatdy · 05/08/2023 09:24

MontyDontysLinenTrousers · 03/08/2023 22:03

Genuine question but did you just not hear of it beforehand, or do a tiny bit of research?

It’s meant to be offensive. That’s its sthick. The writers (Trey Parker and Matt Stone) are known for creating offensive things for the reaction- South Park, Team America. etc.

To answer the question- Jerry Springer The Musical. It was boring, badly written, and songs were shite.

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Agree with all of this. Of course Book of Mormon is offensive. I loved it. Didn’t enjoy Jerry Springer either. I have seen loads as I live near London and enjoyed most.

WeetabixTowels · 05/08/2023 09:49

Ooh I forgot I saw Chicago when Marti Pellow was in it.

Awful. Sorry, but what a boring play with songs that are all the same and actors and actresses who couldn’t do an American accent between them!

WeetabixTowels · 05/08/2023 09:50

fatherliamdeliverance · 05/08/2023 09:22

What the hell have I just read? If you don't like Wicked or the Lion King, theatre isn't for you?!! Wow. You've heard people have different tastes? Because they do.

And why does your role give you the authority to dictate what people should like? Why those two productions, out of interest?

Show quote history

IKR - apparently no one likes the plays of the most successful man in the musical theatre industry but it’s ‘not for you’ if you don’t like screechy plays

Glockamorra · 05/08/2023 09:55

Zanatdy · 05/08/2023 09:24

Agree with all of this. Of course Book of Mormon is offensive. I loved it. Didn’t enjoy Jerry Springer either. I have seen loads as I live near London and enjoyed most.

Show quote history

I enjoyed Jerry Springer more than I expected (someone gave us tickets they couldn’t use — it’s not something I would have gone to). I remember it was being more touching and human than I expected, and the guy who played the devil was very, very good.

Yes, I do think some people need to look things up before booking.

I’ve seen neither Book of Mormon nor Sister Act, but I know BoM is intentionally offensive AND that Sister Act doesn’t use any of the songs from the film because of copyright issues.

Sunnydaysareahead · 05/08/2023 09:57

Anyone seen Mrs Doubtfire yet? I'm going with my DC (1 tween and 1 teen) soon

Davros · 05/08/2023 10:05

As mentioned above, hilarious and possibly a bit offensive
musicalsontour.co.uk/the-tony-blair-rock-opera/

I just remembered that I saw The Rocky Horror Show in it's original format in the King's Road. 1976 or 1977. I don't remember anything much about the show but me and my best friend were punks and didn't want to leave London to go on a college trip so we stayed behind and "hosted" the visiting students. At least, that was the idea...

SupportingMH · 05/08/2023 10:12

Sunnydaysareahead · 05/08/2023 09:57

Anyone seen Mrs Doubtfire yet? I'm going with my DC (1 tween and 1 teen) soon

Not seen it but meant to be very good.

ZebraDanios · 05/08/2023 10:20

In defence of WWRY you have to take it for what it is rather than expecting high art from it. It’s just a bunch of Queen songs crowbarred into an extremely flimsy story but it doesn’t pretend to be anything else - it doesn’t take itself at all seriously, it’s meant to be lightweight and silly. I can totally get how if you’re not a Queen fan you’d hate it (but then I’m not sure why you’d see it in that case), but I wonder if you love Queen and still hate it you’re a bit of a Queen purist who thinks Queen songs should only be heard as they were originally intended - personally I just enjoyed hearing the songs, and I forgave the awfulness of the story because overall it was great fun.

It’s the exact opposite of, for example, Les Mis, which is terribly earnest and monochrome and impressive and slow and emotional and takes itself very very seriously. I love both but for very different reasons.

SleepingStandingUp · 05/08/2023 10:23

JamSandle · 03/08/2023 21:54

I hated The Lion King.

noooooo, i just remortgaged my soul to take DS next month!!

Pinkchilli · 05/08/2023 10:24

XelaM · 03/08/2023 22:28

Hamilton is the opposite of dull. Sorry

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Couldn’t agree more! Was blown away by Hamilton in the west end went in with no expectations and it was amazing. Going to see it again next year when it tours!
my least favourite was sister act load of drivel and lacks the soul music of the movie.
Didnt get wicked either no story and so drawn out. The only good bit is the high note in defying gravity.

Zanatdy · 05/08/2023 10:29

SleepingStandingUp · 05/08/2023 10:23

noooooo, i just remortgaged my soul to take DS next month!!

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I loved it

Boodahh · 05/08/2023 10:37

Agree - Lion King is brilliant.

Most ppl love it.

Teajenny7 · 05/08/2023 10:38

Didn't enjoy Wicked.
Personally, I think most of them have at least one routine or song that isn't need and goes on too long. It usually takes place in the second half and is just a filler for 15 minutes.