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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this is innappropriate

61 replies

mimmum · 14/08/2010 21:27

Saw the production of Oliver in the West End with the family. It was ok not really my thing but the rest of the family seemed to enjoy. But there were a couple of scenes that really made my skin crawl. A song about being hard and a man briefly rubbing himself on a woman who didn't seem happy about it, with the obvious innuendo. Also a scene with a couple where there was obviously simulated sex. Am I a prude, everyone else laughed but I felt uncomfortable especially as there were a lot of children there. Though thankfully it went right over my dc's heads.

OP posts:
Goblinchild · 14/08/2010 21:29

Did they work out what Nancy did for a living?
What about the being beaten to death bit?

mumeeee · 14/08/2010 21:31

I went to se Oliver with DD3 18 and her friend also 18. Neither me or the girls noticed this. Perhaps we are all very naive or we were just enjoying the exellant acting.

LackingInspiration · 14/08/2010 21:32

Hmmm....I'm inclined to think YABU. Sex is something that happens, and if I had been in your position and one of my children had asked me about it, I don't think I'd have had any issue with explaining it to them. Unless it was explicit sex, I don't see the problem, really. How old are your DCs? Having asked that, my younger children obviously see the films their older sisters see, so I don't think that's an issue either, really. My oldest is 7, if that helps you understand where I'm coming from.

BoojaB · 14/08/2010 21:34

I think that YABU, probably. It's a story about the seedy side of the city: prostitution, child abuse, thievery etc. How old are your children?

Original poster
mimmum · 14/08/2010 21:34

Excellent acting well maybe we did see something different.

OP posts:
MiladyDeSummer · 14/08/2010 21:36

I used to watch Oliver every Christmas from the late-seventies onwards and the murder scene scared the shit out of me every time, but the rest of it was well worth seeing and feel-good.

I didn't work out what Nancy did for a living from the film or laugh at the line:

(Roared by Ollie) 'COURSE I love ya! I live wiv ya don't I?

Grin

I did later though.

What's the song about being hard in the stage version then?

cornsilk1010 · 14/08/2010 21:36

The bit where Oliver Reed hits Nancy in the film is awful - it's a bit of a grim story all round really.

Original poster
mimmum · 14/08/2010 21:37

I do see your points but think it was unnecessary. I had seen film version of the musical previously and it didn't have these items and wasn't lacking because of this.

OP posts:
DetectivePotato · 14/08/2010 21:38

I don't remember the story of Oliver at all. I thought it was about poor boy in a workhouse but thats all I remember.

I would have been uncomfortable with what you saw, but then I don't know the story really.

mumeeee · 14/08/2010 21:39

Well we all love musicals. Also Gryff Rhys Jones was playing Fagan when we went to see it and we all thought he was great. Yes some of it was a bit grim but that's what the story is about.

onedeadbadger · 14/08/2010 21:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LucyLouLou · 14/08/2010 21:39

It made your skin crawl?! Is that not a bit excessive? Anyone who knows anything about Oliver is aware that Nancy is a prostitute and that Bill is violent to her, so I think you pretty much have to expect that to feature. I think YABU tbh, and a bit OTT in the way you've described it.

AMumInScotland · 14/08/2010 21:40

"thankfully it went right over my dc's heads" - I think this is the relevant point really - it will go right over childrens heads, so they are not being harmed by it. If your DC noticed these scenes, they will have thought the man was "being annoying" to the woman, rather than anything more specific.

fartmeistergeneral · 14/08/2010 21:40

I've seen it and don't remember the hard bit or the rubbing bit! Confused

LackingInspiration · 14/08/2010 21:41

I read the book last year - the murder of Nancy is really harrowing Sad.

I never remember really 'getting' what was happening when she was murdered in the musical, though, although I watched it a lot as a child. And my children watch it now - they've never asked about it, and they've watched it over and over, so it obviously doesn't bother them too much!

Original poster
mimmum · 14/08/2010 21:41

Sorry not ott that's what happened they were comedy scenes and meant to be funny.

OP posts:
lemonysweet · 14/08/2010 21:42

take your kids to go and see the Rocky Horror Picture Show instead.

and we went to see Oliver wth Gryff Rhys Jones in it and it was fab. wish we werent in the cheap seats though.

LackingInspiration · 14/08/2010 21:43

Have you never been to a pantomime, minimum?

Those are full of sexual innuendo that is meant to amuse the adults, and go over the heads of children who laugh just because everyone else is, not because they get it.

I'm sure that if the stage musical is not rated for over 18s, then the producers and directors will be careful to make sure that anything like that will be something that will not be registered by children, but will be understood by adults.

fartmeistergeneral · 14/08/2010 21:43

Well, it's not a children's musical, so it's not OTT for them to include mild sexual references.

It's a gritty drama with catchy songs. You asked if you were being a prude, I think you are (sorry).

Original poster
mimmum · 14/08/2010 21:43

I think the film version of the musical is great, but I thought this humour was crude and bawdy and unnecessary.

OP posts:
Original poster
mimmum · 14/08/2010 21:44

I'm not saying I thought it was funny but this was what they were going for.

OP posts:
LackingInspiration · 14/08/2010 21:44

Hahahaha, lemony! We used to watch that in our early teens and now I look back and I can't believe my parents let us watch it! We were obsessed by it, and made our parents get the soundtrack to listen to in the car over and over. Knew all the words Grin I (the oldest) was about 13 and my youngest sibling must have been only 9!

corns1lk · 14/08/2010 21:45

I don't think my ds' s noticed that bit either but it still made me cringe. They did notice the bit in Westside story where the American boys 'rough up' and sexually harrass the Puerto Rican girl at the end in the cafe. (The girl who is supposed to give a message to Tony but says that Maria is dead) That was harder to explain.

Original poster
mimmum · 14/08/2010 21:45

OK,well I did ask, but its not my idea of funny to see a woman being sexually molested.

OP posts:
Goblinchild · 14/08/2010 21:45

There's the scene in the pub, where Nancy is singing ' Om-pa-pa' That's probably the bit where the simulated sex and rubbing up happened.