Is it just me - Musicals?

[Kazzyhoward]

Am I the only one who just doesn't "get" musicals? I like to go to the theatre for plays, I like to go to pop/music concerts. But I'd rather eat my own vomit than go to watch a musical. I have a few friends/family that love them and always pestering me to go, but I absolutely hate them.

I just don't "get" it when actors who suddenly burst into song or leap into dance every few minutes. The last I went to, that probably finished me off, was Cats - yes, I don't deny the fantastic scenery, costumes, etc., but it was really repetitive, no obvious story, just loads of people dressed up pretending to be cats. Once I'd seen the costumes/scenery, I was bored rigid.

Used to love musicals then saw a series of well known ones that I was so disappointed in- Lion King, Joseph and Dirty dancing to name a few. Then went to see Jersey Boys which I didn't know the story of at all, absolutely loved it. Re-installed my faith in musicals! (Yes it's different but the fact it's a true story and you know a lot of the songs makes it somewhat different - quite a butch story - my husband loves it too and he hates musicals). Worth a try if you've not seen it!

I have a massive soft spot for musicals.

DS was a lost and lonely child who went to a secondary that did a good rowdy musical every year and managed to get many of the boys singing their socks off on stage. It gave him friends and an outlet.

(And watching a 20-strong, testosterone-fulled bunch of teenage boys working off their energy pretending to have gang fights, or be high school brats, or part of the revolution, kind of makes you glad they aren't out on the streets doing it for real...)

Yabu

Love all the Classics

8th timer of Phantom

I absolutely detest them too, absolute bag of shite.

To be fair, I did actually enjoy Joseph - I still listen to the music soundtrack CD I bought. But from the ones I've seen, it wasn't the usual style of musical - ie. more a succession of decent songs held together by a narrator.

The songs from Les Mis are mawkish. Opera I do like, but musicals are these thin, try-hard wannabes imo.

So Sondheim, Kandar&Ebb, Loesser, Minchin, Schoenberg are all 'plastic and cold'

Okaaay then.

I suggest you educate yourself. Personally I would have everyone who disses musicals frogmarched to a production of Cabaret. But unfortunately I don't rule the world.

...."Let your Fantasies unwind"

But as I say - if you have a lovely time watching Carousel or Oliver, who the hell am I to stop you. Just don't ask me to uncover my ears while it's on!

Apart from The Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Wicker Man, YANBU.

So, if I don't like what you like, I'm uneducated?

See, I would try out more musicals if I thought there'd be something that wouldn't make me want to mash my eardrums with a knitting needle, but so far I've not found anything that doesn't make my teeth itch after 15 minutes.

i am going to London next weekend and the number of people who have asked if I was going to see a show is unbelievable [slight hyperbole!] I am going to visit shops we don`t have in Wales eg Fortnums and Liberty plus IWM, Churchill Rooms and sightseeing!

I am not into musicals!

"How the hell could you not like those things?"

You answered it in your own post

" ...catchy rousing songs,...often dancing"

Oh wait, that sounded more aggressive than I meant it.

fecks sake... you can replace "musicals" with any entertainment genre and there will br som artistic snobs who don't like/detest it... and by extension anyone who does.

like what you like, dislike what you don't, and let everyone else do the same...

it doesnt harm anyone...

Perhaps if you sung it, it would temper the aggression scampi ?

Different tastes are fine. However calling Sondheim (for example) 'plastic and cold' displays a degree of ignorance to my mind.

If anyone who says they don't like musicals watches West Side Story film, with an open mind I dare them not to like it!!!! It is bleedin' fantastic!!! It hasn't even aged considering it was out in 1961.

I LOVE Carousel, Oklahoma, My Fair Lady ,Sound of Music, . South Pacific as well of course.

The modern ones are a bit meh I understand if you've only seen them!

I went to see The Greatest Showman last night and left the cinema with a feeling of total joy.

I love a good musical but absolutely agree there are many many shit ones. I will not suffer another jukebox musical for as long as I live and can happily live without Webber. My friend begged me to go with her to see Dirty Dancing the musical which is hands down one of the worst things I have ever seen.

There are lots of absolute gems too but that's not to say they are for everyone. You couldn't pay me to watch horror films and can't understand why anyone would enjoy watching one but hey, each to their own.

Oh yes and Cabaret of course.

Cats=mortality

Some people on here need to ask themselves: what good is sitting alone in your room? Come here the music play!

YANBU.

Musicals are awful.

Music is fine. Musicals are not to my taste. Apparently, that makes me ignorant, uneducated and closed minded. I said I'd tried several, but hated them all. I've also said I wish people joy of musicals if that's what they like.

I like Japanese anime, I don't dismiss you all as idiots for not liking it.

@makeourfuture
Care to elaborate? /puts on academic glasses