To not understand what kind of person hates musicals

[CrotchBurn]

Love them. Love all musicals. I just don't understand how you can have people who like stories, and who like music, and they have this hatred of musicals.

There's also so many different types of musicals from Cabaret to Blood Brothers to Cats to Sound of Music, how could you dislike them ALL?

Is it about the singing preventing you from engaging with the story? Because it feels artificial? But surely all films and plays feel artificial? I just think there's no better way of getting huge amounts of info across quickly than in musicals. This scene from Les Mis for example, in one song you understand the conflict, both characters' motives and back stories.

Also isnt there a bit of snobbery here - theres no difference between opera and musicals except musicals are more fun.

Tinky - would you mind a small role In the grand end of shitshow extravaganza being worked on - maybe a choreographed ‘frowner/disapprover/shudderer’ type role ? There will be many others I think. You’ll be in good company.

@poshnodosh
I saw Prisoner Cell Block H The Musical too. I was staying with my brother in Scotland many years ago and, for some reason, he bought tickets for DP and me. He must really hate me, mustn't he ..... ?

Piglet, The Keating Five and others here to have central rules obvs.

Ooh this is so exciting. Tell us about our roles.

I am READY

People with good taste maybe?

thekeatingfive your name suggest perhaps a version of seven brides for seven brothers ensemble piece ? Or maybe ‘there’s gonna be a runmble tonigh - a - ight’ keatings vs another family close by. Jets and keatings. The opportunities are endless ! I think we have some time before we will all need to perform.

Someone wrote a musical about this.

It’s called The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals.

It’s very funny

You can probably tell from my username I love musicals.

@Theimpossiblegirl

What was the last musical you saw? I caught Be More Chill on opening night in Feb half term and was very pleasantly surprised. Michael in the Bathroom is such a good song and the whole thing was funny and energetic with a fab cast. *@CrotchBurn* (I know I could start my own thread but my people are already here, hope you don't mind).

The Last Five Years at Southwark Playhouse. Ds and dh were supposed to see it in March. When it re-opened we all booked last October.

We were also very fortunate to be in the audience for the re-opening (albeit temporary) of the London Palladium for Songs for A New World. When the cast walked onto the empty stage with the ghost light singing A new world calls across the ocean I felt goosebumps.

Ds saw Be More Chill in Feb half term.

@Oliversmumsarmy

Has anyone ever enjoyed Cats.

I wonder how it kept going for so long

I can appreciate Gillian Lynnes original choreography. But as a show, nah, I’ll give it a miss thanks.

Thank goodness not everyone takes the view that yabu, different opinions, never shall those different opinions be discussed, etc, etc - I have really enjoyed reading about why people love musicals and the different types. it may even change my mind.

I opened the thread as a full-on musical hater (memories of being taken to see evita as a birthday ‘treat‘ and being riveted to my seat in horrified embarrassment), read on for the early angry posts and stayed because of the great comments by knowledgeable posters. I’m feeling enthused about giving musicals another go!

Same reason I hate pantomimes because there is no need for it. Just tell me the story I don’t need the filler songs to waste time.

I endure pantomime for the children although the oldest is like me. It starts off its ok, ok this is meh, will it ever end, thank god that’s over. While the younger one and dh are all yay omg that was the best thing everrrr.

Same reason I hate pantomimes because there is no need for it.

OH, yes there IS!

Um, I'll get me coat ...

There are so many sorts of musicals. I find it interesting that many people who hate them as they are too cheesy and then like Grease! Also the comments about them bring twee, I don’t see how Les Mis and Miss Saigon can be seen as twee

@PolkadotsAndMoonbeams

I'm a bit confused about the "no live music at Wicked" comments. If I'm in the stalls I always like to have a look into the pit (often when I go for my ice cream!) and there definitely were musicians there! I've just dug out my programme to be sure.

Some bits might have been pre-recorded (I'm pretty sure the young Wizard's lines are pre-recorded by the actor playing the older Wizard so the voice doesn't change), but I would think the fact that the string section is tiny is because it's doubled on one of the four keyboards rather than pre-recorded.

Yes, strings are mostly doubled. The sampled string sounds you can get now are amazing. Wicked on the West end still uses Kurzwel but they were apparently going to be updating the whole system to Mainstage software. The original full Broadway orchestration was never used in the West End sadly. It is a thinner sound.

Greatest Showman on now!

I can’t stand musicals. I find them cringey. I get why they appeal to people but just not me.

Overwhelmingly I love musicals except that abomination, La La Land ,(indeed I am watching 'The Wiz Live' on Sky Arts as I type), but I still voted YABU, as I am perfectly able to understand that we are all different, and, because I like something, it doesn't mean everyone else does.

@BackforGood

Overwhelmingly I love musicals except that abomination, La La Land ,(indeed I am watching 'The Wiz Live' on Sky Arts as I type), but I still voted YABU, as I am perfectly able to understand that we are all different, and, because I like something, it doesn't mean everyone else does.

Isn’t the girl playing Dorothy fantastic? First professional role, still in school.

Isn’t the girl playing Dorothy fantastic? First professional role, still in school.
Yes. I didn't know that.
Thought the whole thing was great.

Am so excited that Sky Arts somehow became available to me a few months ago.

Lol OP hopefully this has all answered your question! What kind of person hates musicals... well, most of them, as you can see. Because musicals are quite shit really.

@wowfudge

Opera was the musical of its day. Some people who like opera think it/they are superior because it's usually classes as a classical music and often sung in a foreign language.

I love a good musical - Cats has no real story tbh which could be why a lot of people find it strange, etc. DP doesn't get musicals, opera, plays as he can't suspend belief or accept some of the devices and just go with it. That's okay. I can't stand most of the sci fi stuff he watches for various reasons.

Some people who like opera think it/they are superior

I like opera but I don't like musicals. I really don't think I'm superior, it's not about superiority. It's about which musical genre floats your boat.

@BackforGood

Sky Arts is great - it just appeared for me a few months ago and I have been loving the musicals on there.

I wonder if the opera fans (who don't like musicals) enjoy Gilbert and Sullivan?

@Sertchgi123 - thus proving my point. A pp sneeringly told me I clearly knew nothing about opera . You haven't.

Some people who like opera think it/they are superior

Why do you say that?

I wonder if the opera fans (who don't like musicals) enjoy Gilbert and Sullivan?

Personally, no. I appreciate the wit of the lyrics, but somehow G&S leave me cold. I did take some G&S scores with me when we moved, but only because they were a gift from someone special. (He wasn't into Gilbert & Sullivan either, but thought I was and I was too awkward to correct him!) I'm not very keen on Offenbach either, except The Tales of Hoffman. Much better tunes than Sullivan's, though.

Ah Hedwig and the Angry Inch! The emotion! The costumes! The drama & music! Love rocky horror show too .
Not a fan of all musicals but 😍