Stage Musicals That You Found Unexpectedly Disappointing

[MarmaladeSandwich7]

For me it was The Bodyguard & I was really surprised as I love the soundtrack & Whitney.. It was ok but I thought it would blow me away & it didn’t. Maybe some things just work.better on the big screen.

Wicked for me too.
I love Hamilton and could watch it every night.

So agree with this! Really disappointed.

Edited to say, this is in response to @Thinandbare ’s post:

What’s not OK about under 10s being there? My 8 yr old loved it.
I thought it was ok. It’s just a concert really isn’t it

If the adultery, the (multiple) murders, the death in childbirth, the child rape, the grooming and the forced marriage wasn’t wrapped up in bouncy lyrics no parent in the world would take their child to see it.

A play about the lives of Henry VIII and his wives is not child friendly. At all. The fact the story is told to a series of upbeat tunes doesn’t change that and I’m boggled that not only has it somehow ended up being advertised to little girls, a lot of parents seem to have no issue with it.

YES! Expected to live it. Absolutely hated it.

@CandidHedgehog Have you ever read any fairy tales?

you know this actually happened right? It’s history, not a story?

plus no-one is celebrating Henry VIII. Plus it’s a pretty long time ago. Plus they learn about it in primary school.

Everyone knows he was a cunt

Underwhelmed by Evita, adored Starlight Express and Back to the Future, and it was a long time ago but also really liked We Will Rock You.

Liked the Barbican Fiddler on the Roof more than I thought I would, though!

I’m in my 50s so yes. That doesn’t mean I think all fairy tales are suitable for children (at least in the original version) and the graphic description of the sexual exploitation of Katherine Howard alone in my view makes this show completely unsuitable for young children.

Obviously it’s history. Much of history isn’t suitable for young children and a play dealing with child rape less than most.

Edited to say: And the version I was taught and that various children I know were taught in school did not mention the sexual exploitation of Katherine Howard as a child, far less go into the graphic detail of Six.

The recent production of Evita? Because I found that one astounding.

Oh Les Miserables is one of my very favourites! Certainly not bad IMHO. Brilliant original cast.

I loved Matilda songs and the swings but they could do away with the weird circus side-story ans just keep it to the book.

We will Rock You was a terrible story/ characters but loved hearing the music live.

Loved Cats and Starlight Express as a kid but would be underwhelmed now.

Will always love Les Mis but wasn’t hugely overwhelmed by the Phantom. Book of Mormon was good but maybe not for everyone. I thought Rent was terrible.

Oh God yes RENT, How many miserable themes can you fit into one musical?!
One song is great, but dear god it was depressing!

I wasn’t expecting to like Kinky Boots as much as I did, especially after reading all the criticism of Jo Jo from Strictly but actually he made it for me. He’s not a singer but brought so much pathos to the role of Lola. It was very touching.

My experience of War Horse couldn’t have been more different. I have never been more moved by anything on the stage & was absolutely sobbing at the end - poor DH didn’t know where to put himself!

Saw Mary Poppins in about 2016 so it’s no doubt a different production now but I absolutely loved it!

The official guidance on Six is 10 and up. There is no way an average under 10 year old would understand the (pretty oblique) references to the seamier side of Tudor elite life especially with all the singing dancing and razzmatazz going on. It's hardly Game of Thrones set to music (now THAT would be an awful night at the theatre...)

Although I joined in with the general chorus of Wicked-apathy, I did like that it centred women and female friendship and solidarity, and I liked that about Six too (when my ears stopped ringing). Every single person on the Six stage is female, including the musicians.

The official show guidance is suitable for 10+ due to its strong themes and lyrics.

I would agree with this. Not sure I would be comfortable taking my younger daughter who is older than this.

Totally agree. Saw it on Broadway and couldn't understand how 'moved' my friends were by such a depressing show. Give my Joseph any day - seen it 3 times: firstly a school production that was brilliant and twice in London. Going to see it soon presented by our local operatic society.

I gave daily lifts to three 11-12 year old girls this summer who were learning some excerpts from Six (alongside other musicals) at music theatre summer camp. There is no way they understood those references. I did have to explain "royal flush" to the smartest of the three. She'd thought it was a reference to toilets...

I haven't seen Rent but it's based on La Boheme, isn't it? I've never come away from a performance of La Boheme feeling depressed. But maybe Rent is more relatable.

Interesting thread! These are the musicals I really enjoyed or loved:-
Tina
Wicked
Mary Poppins
Ghost
Cats
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
The Sound of Music
42nd Street
Singing in the Rain
Snoopy The Musical
Tell Me On A Sunday
Godspell
Guys & Dolls
Sweet Charity
Mamma Mia
Mrs Doubtfire
Kinky Boots
Bat Out Of Hell
Joseph & The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat
Oklahoma
Brigadoon
Seven Brides For Seven Brothers

Great! Tickets are so expensive that it's nice to have a positive recomendation.

Yep, the one that just finished! It was good but not breathtaking for me - different tastes I guess?!

We saw amateur productions of Kinky Boots and Priscilla. They were of an extremely high standard and better than many professional shows I’ve seen. Would be surprised if JoJo much as I love him would have been a better Lola than the one we saw.