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.

As an ex Mormon I feel like I've missed out by not watching the musical.

I always say I love musicals but I don’t like Rent/Cabaret/West Side Story or those types.

Wicked, all ALW (except Cats 😂), Blood Brothers, Book of Mormon, they’re more my style.

And I just booked my Hamilton tickets for London in September, I’ve not seen it live and I can’t wait!

I can kind of understand why people don’t like them but I hate it when people sneer about people that do like them, they’re not more cultured because they don’t like musicals!

Singing In The Rain - Donald O’Connor - how can you not like?

[quote enigma16]I have always hated musicals. I still shudder at the memory of being made to sit through Rent and The Lion King.

theres no difference between opera and musicals

Oh yes there is! The music in musicals is crap, as shown in the clip you shared in your original post. Operas, on the other hand, are wonderful! Tosca, Tristan und Isolde, Carmen...the music is breathtakingly beautiful and thrilling. There is no comparison, OP.

[/quote] And no one is miked in opera, they’ve trained for years to sing complex music over a full orchestra unamplified.

I’m not anti-musicals in any blanket way — I like Sondheim and old school Rogers and Hammerstein stuff — but there’s really no comparison between a good production of Tosca and a touring Mamma Mia.

[quote CrotchBurn]@LadyPenelope68
It's not nasty at all. What's nasty is taking a casual thread about musicals and layering your own emotional baggage over it to guilt trip people into shutting down discussion, which is precisely what I'm going to do by asking for this thread to be removed for being triggering.[/quote]
Starting a thread doesn't give you the authority to control the way the discussion develops, I'm afraid, @CrotchBurn. MN is democratic like that.

To call someone nasty and accuse them of trying to shut down discussion is insulting that person and seeks to minimise their feelings.

Making personal comments like that is uncalled for, especially when it's aimed at someone who's already explained that they are distressed. Even if that person was a troll, it would be better to ignore them, just in case they weren't.

I love musical theatre and opera.

As a parent of an opera singer I have an appreciation of the incredible skill and hard work required to perfect the art. I adore the music, the story telling, drama, stage production & costumes. Ditto musical theatre.

Totally understand that it's a matter of taste and not everybody likes it.

The only musical I ever enjoyed was Book of Mormon. I hate them but I'm not a fan of the theatre either.

enigma16

Not see Lion King but if Rent was your introduction to Musicals I can understand why you don’t like them.

We started watching the recent film version of Les Miserables, and I had to turn it off after the first ten minutes. Communicating through song makes me cringe.

However, I really enjoyed Chicago...

@enigma16
That is beautiful!

@Haggertyjane

Musicals are a genre all on their own, so you can't say the acting is hammy because it's a different presentation. I'm not mad keen on musicals, but it does depend on what it is.

Hate Cats, love phantom of the opera. Like the old Rogers and Hammerstein musicals like showboat. Loved cabaret because the story is as good as the songs. Hate starlight express.

Cabaret does have the advantage of being based on a fantastic book, and managing to maintain the feel of 1930s Berlin in some of the music. I'd contemplate seeing it on stage, even though I generally don't like musicals.

I'd also like to see Brecht's Threepenny Opera live, but I'm not sure if that counts as a musical. It's not really an opera, because it has dialogue. But I love the songs.

I used to work in Theatre. I have always disliked musical theatre, and found musical theatre "types" (the actors) to be so cringey and over the top. Many were lovely people don't get me wrong, and I don't want to sound horrible (I've tried to word this post in so many ways!), but the cheese and "quirkiness" always shone through.

I know a lot of effort does go into these plays, etc. but I just can't compare it to other theatre. It's just not my cup of tea. The singing and dancing pains me.

Jesus this thread 🤣🤣🤣

Imagine having to explain to people that a thread about musicals is lighthearted! And saying “I don’t understand people who...” is a common, not to be taken seriously phrasing to start a chat.

Anyway - I love musicals. Work in the arts. I think you need to enjoy them for the fluff they are.

Except Rent. Rent is shit. I’ll never understand the love it gets!

I only like a few musicals. But they are a bit silly and corny. I can see why folk don't like them.

CrotchBurn

This will probably do your head in.

I can think of some musicals that I actually like
Rocky horror
little shop
Blues Brothers
Paint your wagon
Seven brides

Do the new crop of Disney count Moana, Frozen.

But I loathe most musicals.

The bit that will do your head in that I have an extensive collection of songs from musicals.
(although not sound of music)

One of the best things about seeing Book of Mormon more than once is watching other people’s expressions. It’s definitely not a show I would take my musical loving mother too - I loved it though and have seen it twice

I agree, Rent was awful.

It's all down to different taste. I can't see the attraction of action movies, science fiction, fantasy or James Bond. Very popular though.

I love the older musicals - The Sound of Music, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, South Pacific, etc but am less keen on the newer ones which seem to have inferior songs. Mentioning no names, a newer one I saw on tv - the really high and shrill voice of the leading lady had me using the off switch within 15 minutes. I'd rather chew off my arm than listen to that.

[quote enigma16]I have always hated musicals. I still shudder at the memory of being made to sit through Rent and The Lion King.

theres no difference between opera and musicals

Oh yes there is! The music in musicals is crap, as shown in the clip you shared in your original post. Operas, on the other hand, are wonderful! Tosca, Tristan und Isolde, Carmen...the music is breathtakingly beautiful and thrilling. There is no comparison, OP.

[/quote] I live quite near an opera house and know lots of people who work there. They get free tickets to dress rehearsals so I've seen quite a few (sadly, not including Carmen).

Opera is much more demanding of singers imo, and altogether much more intense. I held my breath during the Queen of the Night, for fear that that ridiculously high note wouldn't be reached, and cried during Soave S'il Vento, for the sheer wistful beauty of it. Verdi's Macbeth made my blood run cold in places.

By comparison, most musicals are rather poor plays with (mostly) not very good songs thrown in.

Rocky Horror I love. Can tolerate My Fair Lady. Cannot stand the Lloyd Webber ones and have no desire to see any of the newer ones.

I think my problem with them is that the cast are better singers and dancers than they are actors so it’s a struggle to create any belief to suspend

@FrippEnos
I totally forgot about Blues Brothers! That's a great one, and seven brides is up there as one of my favourite "comfort" musicals with some....interesting tunes - like the one where Milly teaches the brothers to flirt.

I really like Oliver!, reviewing the situation where Fagin and Dodger go heel clicking into the sunset is great. Going to watch that scene now

I like musicals live. They are fantastic. I don't like the film versions, or any films where the characters break into song. I find it a bit cheesy for me. The live versions are a performance, which I dont think the films capture. I also have never enjoyed listening to the soundtracks of musicals after watching them - until I saw Hamilton. Listen to that fairly regularly! But my general taste in music is more RnB so i can get on board with it and have a sing along!

Ah yes book of mormon. I actually forgot that was a musical! I've seen that twice. Loved it. But some people next to us walked out. It's not for everyone!

PP have mentioned Cats - that is probably the musical I actively hate rather than just dislike. I love the poems it's based on and cannot believe that Lloyd Webber person had the arrogance to turn them into such horrible, cheesy, shallow shite. I like to think that sometimes, on cold, moonless nights he awakes to find the ghost of TS Elliot looming over his bed moaning, 'why, Andrew, why?'.