Is there something wrong with me? I hate musicals.

[Ittakeslonger]

AIBU? I'm 62 and all my friends seem to have developed a passion for musicals. I have been to quite a few with friends to be sociable and to see if I could get to like them but, with each musical, my dislike of them just grows. I find them contrived, and the music average and the whole experience very boring. I sit there hoping it's over soon. I go to be sociable but it's not an event where you chat or do an activity together. We simply sit, glued to a chair. Some musicals are better than others but overall I'd always rather be anywhere else, even home. Is there anyone else out there who gets my dislike? Am I destined to be a social pariah? My friends seem puzzled and a bit offended by my attitude.

The absolute worst moment for me is in the cheerier ones at the end when the audience are expected to clap in time to the encore or curtain call. Actually have a visceral reaction and want to crawl under my seat and hide. I feel so humiliated for them which is ridiculous as clearly they are loving every moment but something about that clapping and grinning. Ugh

Elaine Page on a Sunday is amateur hour. The people you really want to avoid are the ones who have the car radio permanently set to Magic At The Musicals like me 😁

YANBU OP, everyone has different tastes. I've loved musicals since I was 12, trained in it at university, do amateur musical theatre now as an adult - there are still some musicals I don't like (can't get into Phantom and I find Les Mis a bit 🥱 and I hate Heathers!), so no one IBU to like musicals or dislike musicals or have specific tastes when it comes to musicals.

For what it's worth, when I was first getting into musicals it seemed really niche, no one in my school was into them and I was very much an outsider listening to my showtunes on an ipod 🤣 so you are far from the only one who's not a fan.

I love musicals but they’re not for everybody. I love how much joy they bring to my daughter!

A kindred spirit. Hurrah!

I have a visceral reaction to musicals...they make me cringe, you can't get in to the storyline without someone bursting in to song, I hate it! Just letting you know you're not alone in your hatred 😅

And cannibal the musical, also written by trey parker and Matt stone!

Hate musicals, always the same type of melody and a similar type of warble voiced singer.

I tried to watch the Willy Wonker film that came out, I got as far as the first couple of minutes. Waste of a good film.

Hate musicals, always the same type of melody and a similar type of warble voiced singer.

I tried to watch the Willy Wonker film that came out, I got as far as the first couple of minutes. Waste of a good film.

Oh I detest them too! Always have, we were made to watch the practice runs of the school musicals and the finished show too. So we watched the same thing about 5 times in the space of 3 months. God I hated it , others in my class would be delighted to get out of class..not me, I wished I could get back to my studies 🤣 We also were made to watch videos of real musicals too..I just found then extremely boring and annoying. I even hated sitting through Mama Mia

I hate them. The only one I’ve ever enjoyed was the Rocky Horror. I find them a huge cringe.

Me too, with the possible exception of the original West Side Story! I didn't want to return to Phantom after the interval and fell asleep in Hamilton on the TV. I also detest Star Wars and am considered weird, I've seen more of Star Wars in the queue at Disney. Not liking Only Fools and Horses gets me lots of abusive comments too.

Vive le difference!

At least I have a diagnosis now lol. Maybe I can share it with my friends but I believe there is no cure. Not even a spoon full of sugar...( Actually saying that I liked the film version as a child but have no desire to see it at the theatre!!)

Thank you! I know now I'm not alone!

Not a fan of musicals either, but they are way better than opera imo.

That's true. All the music sounds the same to me too!

YANBU. I like Oklahoma, My Fair Lady and West Side Story. That's about it. I particularly cannot stand recent musicals. The music is usually bland or actively awful. They don't seem to be able to write good tunes any more.

I love Gilbert and Sullivan, but that's operetta. Not really the same thing.

Actually it was cool

I don't generally like them but I do have 2 exceptions - The Greatest Showman & Hamilton.

Thank you

If I want to really irritate my dh who also can’t stand a musical, I start belting out in a very bad cockney accent ‘I’d do anyfin for you dear anyfiiiiiin’

They are so similar!

I couldn’t stand Hamilton. It borrowed so heavily from Les Mis.Yes the rap/hip hop style was original but God it was tedious.

Yes I agree the tunes in the older ones are better. The more recent ones do all sound so similar! Gilbert and S are quite cool x

I like some. Just been to see Muriels wedding twice within three weeks as was given free tickets and loved it. Also booked to see Joseph and Mama Mia.so

Oh that must have been so tough!!