Is this a rubbish present to give?

[Generallyok]

Df is Turing 70 and I'm at a complete loss as to what to buy him. He is well off, has everything he wants and doesn't have any hobbies but prefers to work. I thought of paying my mum and dad plus me and my children to see a musical. Shrek is touring near us but just wondered if this would be a naff present ? Thoughts please as I'm worried people will think this is a funny present.

I think the point is that the gift is a family outing - but I agree B'ham has some great realistically priced shows and the hotels are good too these days (oh and the shopping and museums ha ha)

Les miserables was the first musical I saw, I was nine. It blew me away and gave me the love I have for theatre now (musical or otherwise)

I'm also turning 70 this year.

Trust me most 70 year olds will not want to go and see Shrek the musical, unless that's particularly his sort of thing.

It does sound like your choice of present is more about the family than the birthday person.

Have you asked your DM what he'd like.

@generallyok

Does he like musicals though? And can he be arsed to go to a show/travel to a show? We are in our 50's and DH couldn't think of anything worse than having tickets bought for a show. It's just not his thing at ALL. And although I have always enjoyed musicals and concerts, I have got to the stage in life now, where I could not be bothered with the faff it would entail.

We are in a very rural location, 20 miles from a train station, and the nearest place where they would have big shows or concerts is some 50 miles away. Including the time getting there, and a probable stopover, (if it was an evening show,) it would eat into 2 days.

So my DH would not appreciate it and would probably sell the tickets. Our daughter wanted to take him to a musical in a city 70 miles away for his 50th, and I had to explain kindly and gently that she would be wasting her money coz he wouldn't go. It would be a 4 hour round trip and 140+ miles. If I am being honest, I am getting to the point where I am feeling the same. I am in my 50's now, and cannot be arsed with the travel and the time it would take to go to a show in a big city.

So do make sure your dad DOES want to go. He is around 15 years older than us, and WE are at the point now where we couldn't be arsed.

Not trying to piss on your bonfire, but you have to be sure it's something he wants. As many posters have said, Shrek is a cute musical, but I can't see a 70 y.o. wanting to see it! And are you sure this isn't more for you/your kids?

Matilda is great, Very varied age range in the audience when I saw it, some elderly grandparents there and they loved it ,remembering reading it to their own children. It's on tour at the moment. (North East now I think)

im a shrek fan but even i dont like the musical-maybe ask what he wold prefer than a surprise

To be fair, most musicals are very good, (Les Mis, Phantom, Shrek, Matilda, etc etc etc,) but does the gentleman want to go? Is it his thing?

I think that might just be you User.

I'm 70 this year and live nearly 70 miles from London but if someone bought me tickets to the opera in Covent Garden I'd be there like a shot.

Nope there are 100 other musicals i would like to see before Shrek (and i love the films😀) i cant see a 70yr old man being impressed with it.

Find out what he would like to see if anything and take it from there. Does he like musicals? He may prefer a day out somewhere else as others suggested.
Is there a nice hotel anywhere near you for afternoon tea or something to visit he has associations with?

Tbh it sounds like you spotted it and panicked to get something 'nice' sorted and thought that will do. Best intentions and all that.

Bloody hell, User, are you sure you're only in your 50's?

If someone bought me tickets to a show (not a musical though, my idea of hell), I'd travel any distance to see it!

Not sure I'd want to go with an 8 year old though. The worry about them having to feel 'entertained' might outweight my own delight.

Also in my 50's...

I've been given tickets to a musical more than once for Xmas. Definitely wasn't a wanted gift so was a real waste of money and then I begrudgingly had to attend. Unless you know he'd really love it I wouldn't give it as a gift.

How about just going for a nice meal? Kind of dull but at least its safe.

I'm old and I'd bloody hate Shrek. Now if it were the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden, I'd bite your hand off...
If it has to be children orientated, Hansel & Gretel and the Nutcracker in December. Or Swan Lake this summer.

Yes you read correctly, I can't be arsed, and neither can DH. And yes I am sure we ARE 'only in our 50's.' So what? Not everyone is the bloody same you know!

We have travelled extensively over the years, (to 50+ countries ...) and have had very busy and stressful professional jobs, that have taken us all over the world, and have been to multiple dozens of shows and musicals, in New York and London, and Paris, and other major cities. You name it, we have seen it.

We now live very rural, miles from anywhere, and couldn't be arsed with the ballache of going to a show 50-70 miles away now. (Especially when the train station is 20 miles away!) And I am pretty sure we are not the only ones who feel this way. Obviously loads of people will now appear on here telling me how they are 50, 60, 70, whatever, and they would LOVE to go and I am weird and so on...

But as I said, we have done it all. Maybe some people haven't done the things they wanted to earlier in their life, and want to do it all later on in life. Fine, but don't judge us for not wanting to bother, as we have already done everything we want/seen everything we want. After a very busy, hectic, professional life and career, both me AND my husband are now very happily retired, and like to live a very quiet life now, in our lovely country home, near the woodlands. And cannot be arsed with fuckall. That is our choice, so don't judge us because it's not YOURS!

As I said, the OP needs to check her dad will want to go to a show Maybe he won't. Not EVERYONE is the same!

Loads of people can't stand musicals (I'm one of them), so make sure he would actually want to go to a musical before buying tickets.

I prefer the idea of a tasting experience, or a day out somewhere for a male relative of that age. Or if he drinks whisky, a really good bottle, something along those lines.

How about a a lovely pair of sandals (Birkenstock type) with a voucher for a foot pedicure alongside?
Or is there somewhere where you can visit together -parents and children - and hire bikes for the day or do a Go Ape visit?

How about you check your local theatres to see what's on? Not necessarily a musical, they do excellent plays and other things. Eg we went to see Michael Parkinson recently. He was on your talking about his life and all the famous people he's met

Family meal and a show. Meal can be a surprise where everyone turns up. I got a barbershop quartet to sing at my dad's 70th meal. Wasn't cheap but was memorable.

I case he doesn’t lik shrek, I have my mum several David Austin roses for her 70 th, and my dad a crate of wine 6 white six red.
In case you wanted inspiration

I think a musical with your 8 year old is a lovely idea. However, I strongly disagree with other posters on 'Les Mis' for an 8 year old. This is a complex story, pretty heavy music at times and serious. Your 8 year old will not understand or enjoy it. My son is a classical musician. I didn't take him there til he was 12.

Matilda and Lion King would be wonderful

Ps. Book a matinee with dinner after

I got a barbershop quartet to sing at my dad's 70th meal.

I wish I had the balls to do this. My entire family would die of cringing!

It was brilliant - they personalised the song for him and everything. The teenagers in the family might have been cringing a bit but it was right up my dad's alley thankfully!

My husband loves musicals with a passion but he wouldn't appreciate tickets for Shrek. A bit of research for a West End show he'd really enjoy and two tickets would be much more about him than a family outing.