To ask for West End Show Recommendations

[Geminijust]

4 of us usually have a trip to a West End Show a couple of times a year. We're trying to arrange the next long overdue outing and am looking for some recommendations. One of the girls has suggested Mary Poppins but I'm not sure that's my cup of tea as not generally a Disney fan (am prepared to be convinced otherwise!) but obviously need to find something everyone is happy with so am looking for some alternative suggestions to go back with.

Shows I've seen and loved:
Six
Tina The Musical
Woman in Black
Curious Incident of the dog in the night time
Mamma Mia
School of Rock
War Horse
Everybody's Talking About Jamie (would see again tomorrow)
Billy Elliot (ditto above, although no longer on sadly)

Shows I've enjoyed but not loved:
Lion King
Charlie & Chocolate Factory
Wicked
Matilda
Comedy about a bank robbery

Not really hated anything but remember being quite bored by Phantom of the Opera when I was much younger (found it depressing)

Quite fancy Les Mis but know one of the girls has seen it and it's not for everyone. Heard good things about Book of Mormon & Come from Away but really don't know too much about them.

Would be grateful for suggestions of shows you've seen and enjoyed!

Thank you

Book of Mormon!

@TooWicked

Not musicals but - we loved the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night, and if there’s any Shitfaced Shakespeare shows on on we have enjoyed those too.

I have been wanting to see Curious Incident since I first heard it was going to the stage I bet it's superb.

We loved Mary Poppins although we saw it a long time ago.
Les Mis is also a favourite - the music is fantastic.
Miss Saigon also great but a bit more risqué than it used to be.
The woman in black also good but obviously wry different from the musicals.

I saw Hairspray a few weeks ago. Absolutely amazing. I cried for most of it.

I'm going to see Back to the Future in September. Will try and remember to report back.

As a member of musical youth theatre productions I ended up ditching cos the further along you went the more it became too full on and and the fun was sapped out of it.

Back then it was endless Lloyd Webber and everyone was dressed as cats or on skates. If you moved away musical theatre it was all about the RSC so I fell out with that and started doing in terms of music writing and voicing characters which is the most fun thing anyone can spend time doing in their life it's great.

I've always been curious by some of the choices to take something to stage over the screen and vice versa.

I know it's a global hit but Starlight Express for me felt like a superb concept that picked up where “Xanadu” bombed which would have been superb on Broadway. They had it all sorted and setup – stage built up and in the round and a fab 40's / 80's Hybrid rollerdisco thing. What a shame it died on its arse.

The Greatest Showman going to the screen first baffled me – that's another that was born for the stage.

On the other hand I always thought Wicked would have been a brilliant movie if done with all its dark, sinister undertones it's a pretty savage plot, storyline and the shit that goes on is dark. Sure they are current in the process of making a film at the moment but there's a few different musicals versus movies I always think went the arse up way around.

Might start a new thread on this just to ask what should have gone straight to stage / screen rather than how it turned out.

I love the big intro for Xanadu though imagine that as a live show? Don't care for it when Oliva NJ kicks in and starts singing but that big intro with the heavy drum beats, skaters and different characters making a grand entrance on that built up stage shoulda / coulda been a contender.

One of my all time favourite musicals is Return to the Forbidden Planet, but there are never any productions of it nowadays

@OswaldOwl

I am no prude and live a bit of ‘rude’ humour, but I hated Book of Mormon. It’s not rude, it’s offensive. The kind of ‘humour’ that is only ‘funny’ because it breaks taboo. I found it insulting and low-brow, but no doubt appealing to people think anything ‘un-PC’ is ‘brilliant’ and ‘classic’.

That's fair shout yeah and if it's not for someone's taste then it won't be for them at all hence why people need to at least read up and find out what they're gonna see before booking.

it did amaze me people went to see it knowing just that it was from the creators of South Park and without them doing any more research but it amazed me even more how well the show did and the rave reviews and reception it was given. I was almost worried at reading they were taking it straight to Broadway for its premier it shocked the shit out of me how well it went down.

Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away. A hot ticket is going to be Cabaret with this year if you can get in.

My must see list:

Hamilton - a true work of art. The more I listen to the album and read about how the music etc is put together, it's truly amazing. Will always be one of my favourites of all time.

Come From Away - it's a subject matter most I've mentioned it to have pulled a face at, but it was just amazing. So many emotive moments - but then they make me laugh out loud. The whole cast is just amazing playing multiple roles.

Heathers the Musical - not seen this one mentioned in the thread - but saw it last weekend and it's brilliant. You don't need to have seen the film or know anything about it to enjoy it. That's often what puts me off ones based on films - but it's a different take, brilliant songs that stick in your head and well worth seeing.

Dear Evan Hansen

Blood Brothers has sadly not been in the West End for awhile which is a real shame, and the tour never comes near me. Is my most watched play having seen it 9 times.

Les Mis - a classic for a reason.

Going to see Cinderella next week. Also wanted to book Constellations but the wheelchair access is shit.

I think based on what you’ve enjoyed so far, Come from Away would be a good choice. I really enjoyed it.

My absolute favourites at the moment though are Hamilton (x2) and Book of Mormon (x3). I went with different people every time, so they felt different every time.

For non-musicals, I saw Constellation recently and loved it. Would love to see it again with the different cast, to see if it would somehow alter the experience.

Saw Hairspray last week, with Michael Ball and Les Dennis. The whole cast are amazing, dd and I loved it.

I loved Book of moron and I’m not usually a crude humour sort of person. Just not something I’d see with my mother!
I thought Hamilton was excellent but hard going story-wise. Probably the most enjoyable thing I’ve ever seen was Anything Goes (albeit 20 years ago)

My musical mad friend who’s seen them all really liked Come from away.

Ooh and Les Mis really needs to be seen at some point. I think it’s absolutely fantastic.

Saw this week and loved:

Pretty women
2:22 with lily allen, a play with a twist. We adored it
Joseph - classic

Book of Mormon was awful. I don't think joking about raping babies and aids is funny.

Motown is fab if that's on at the moment I'm not sure

@ineedaholidaynow

One of my all time favourite musicals is Return to the Forbidden Planet, but there are never any productions of it nowadays

Look out for local amateur productions. It’s quite popular with amateur companies,,,,

Jersey Boys x

As you can tell by my username Come From Away is the best show I’ve ever seen (& I’ve seen a LOT of shows)

However the show of the year in 2021 is undoubtedly Anything Goes. Sutton Foster was just something else.

Quite a few friends saw Back to the Future in Manchester before lockdown ended its run and said it was fantastic so that’s on my current list of must sees.

Dd saw Pretty Woman last week & didn’t rate it. She also saw Prince of Egypt and said it was visually stunning, phenomenal dance but the songs were a little ropey.

@adawong

Come From Away. Mary Poppins. Pretty Woman. Saw Hamilton and thought it would never end, dull as fuck.

Isn't it funny how different people are?

Hamilton is an extraordinary (true) story, lyrically stunning and brilliantly crafted. It's an extraordinary tale of determination, revolution and ego. I can't begin to imagine not appreciating the craft of it. Yet I can because of course we are all different. Dull though? The story alone is fascinating isn't it?

Jersey Boys! Incredible

I thought Hamilton was an incredible piece of theatre. Before I saw CFA I’d have said it was the best piece of theatre I’d seen (not necessarily my favourite but as a whole package with the clever lyrics, staging and innovative choreography it was the best).

Hamilton!! Watched it on Disney + and was absolutely blown away by it! Took a while to get going but when I got to the end I realised how beautifully created it was. I’ve just booked tickets to see it in London in December for my 13 year olds birthday. She is Hamilton obsessed. I’m so excited!

I tried watching Hamilton. Even with the subtitles on I just couldn't engage with it. I found it very dull.

@doadeer

Book of Mormon was awful. I don't think joking about raping babies and aids is funny.

Motown is fab if that's on at the moment I'm not sure

Just out of interest - subject and content aside - what did you think of the music if you stayed the distance? I love and tend to get the instrumental versions but my son has a full studio and soundboard that makes it easier.

"Wicked" has the most fantastic arrangement and really clever, complex elements to it that jump out and really pop when you isolate and remove all the vocals.

Maybe it's harder to seperate the two for something like Book of Mormon to be fair, especially if it's not for you.

Come from away is good and if you liked Jamie and Six then I would really recommend & Juliet, the set, music and costumes are fabulous