Musicals you’ve had your fill of.

[BurlyBeaR]

After loving them and seeing them multiple times there are a handful of shows I really have zero interest in seeing again.

As things stand I couldn’t care less if I never see Les Miserables again. Add to that category Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, My Fair Lady, Rocky Horror, Priscilla.. I’m sure there are several more. 

On the cusp of being retired (for a while at least) are &Juliet and *shock horror* Sunset Boulevard. 

It’s not all bad news, I’ve been avoiding Wicked like the plague for years but am seeing the tour in December primarily because friends wanted to go, but I’m quite looking forward to it.

Sometimes it’s just a case of over-familiarity but in other cases, Les Mis being an example, I’ve started to actively dislike it. 

Is it just me? Are there any shows you feel you’ve been over exposed to? 

[anthony40]

Six.

I've not actually see it but here in London I see it everywhere! Posters on busses, at bus stops, on billboards and in tube tunnels; it's total saturation.

Heathers is another one.

I have the cast recording and have seen this one. Whilst it follows the same story (in my opinion) the film is much darker.

I know all the teenage girls are going crazy for it. At one point a year or two ago, there were three productions running simultaneously.

At one of the recent theatre quizzes, three giggling teenage came in, each in a different coloured costume having just come from (they said it together) Heathers-The Musical!

[capybara]

I don’t think there’s any musicals I’d rule out ever seeing again because time passes, casts change and the temptation returns.

However, having seen Operation Mincemeat 15 times since its last Southwark run, I think I can safely say I’m happy to retire that one for a little bit. I think I was keen to see the OG cast as much as possible and, while the new cast is good, some of the magic has been lost. I suspect I’d make the effort to see Claire’s final show though.

[theatrenerd]

It’s very rare of me to go and see something again, unless it’s a whole new production or interpretation - for example I’ve seen numerous versions of A Christmas Carol (Bricusse, Lavery, RSC and Old Vic) but each one very different and it’s one I don’t tire of.

But the only thing that comes to mind that I feel I’ve exhausted is The Wizard of Oz - again each one a different production but doubt I will want to see anymore.

[blamerobots]

Heathers I can't stand anymore. Please, never come back to London. It's enough. Let me breathe.

Wicked I have seen once and didn't enjoy, but I can understand why it's liked. I don't understand how it has run for so long though.

Funnily enough I still really like Les Mis, though I've been listening to more and more versions of it instead of just the one London cast album. I'm hooked on the French concept album at the moment, and have listened briefly to some of the various Japanese cast recordings. There's literally dozens of them.

I do stand on principle that I never really "hate" any musicals. I haven't seen one that has actively made me angry enough to say I hate it. I just get annoyed of it.

[viserys]

Aug 12, 2024 10:27:33 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

Sometimes it’s just a case of over-familiarity but in other cases, Les Mis being an example, I’ve started to actively dislike it. 

I feel the same about it actually. I saw the Dutch tour last year after a longer break an was actively dismayed by the terrible female characters - all the leads without exception (Fantine, Eponine, Cosette, Madame Thenardier) are absolutely dependant on men and don't have any agenda not dictated by a man. I knew sexism was rife in the other Boublil & Schoenberg shows but it had never stood out to me that harshly before in Les Mis.

Can't think of any others atm, except my eternal undead pet hatred for Tanz der Vampire over here.

Wicked I never minded, even if I'm not a big fan, but that might change with the growing hype around the movie and seeing money spinners like Wicked Lego Sets crop up.

[d'James]

I was obsessed by Sister Act and used to go frequently during the original Palladium run. I saw it a lot on the original tour too. However, the current production did not impress so no desire to see it again. I am looking forward to the new cast album, however.

[blamerobots]

Aug 12, 2024 10:46:17 GMT viserys said:

Aug 12, 2024 10:27:33 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

Sometimes it’s just a case of over-familiarity but in other cases, Les Mis being an example, I’ve started to actively dislike it. 

I feel the same about it actually. I saw the Dutch tour last year after a longer break an was actively dismayed by the terrible female characters - all the leads without exception (Fantine, Eponine, Cosette, Madame Thenardier) are absolutely dependant on men and don't have any agenda not dictated by a man. I knew sexism was rife in the other Boublil & Schoenberg shows but it had never stood out to me that harshly before in Les Mis.

There's a few sections of the original novel that read absolutely crazy in a modern context like when he talks about little girls at convents as being saintly virgins that are becoming goddesses and not yet being tied to a man. Looking up bits and pieces again, another quote of girls and dolls being intertwined in a big paragraph is another one that comes to mind. Eponine is the only character remotely independent in their own life but they still obsess over Marius. Boy, Hugo really loved the unrequited love thing

I will argue though that the musical doesn't really present Fantine as best as she can, the novel goes to great lengths to present her as a strong female character, even if starting naive and growing world-wise doing her best to protect her child in the first volume. He does a pretty good job at giving each of these characters their own agency, even if in the end they end up leaning on a man. So, half-progressive, half-not. There definitely was some change on the part of B&S to take away a lot of their agency.

[viserys]

Aug 12, 2024 10:59:03 GMT blamerobots said:

I will argue though that the musical doesn't really present Fantine as best as she can

That's the point for me - Hugo was terrible enough as it is (but also for all his progressiveness a creature of his period), but the musical (written in more enlightened times) makes them even worse. Not just Fantine, also Eponine comes across as stronger, crabbier and sassier in the novel while in the musical she is truly ALLLLL about her unrequited love for Marius.

And even the original version of the musical was better than what arrived in London - at least in the original Fantine got to sing "L'air de la misère" as a general song about how much being poor sucked, but in London it was turned into Eponine's moan about her unrequited love for a man.

The one thing I never got about Fantine is how she supposedly never checked on what was going on with Cosette, surely even the factory girls had a day off in which she could have visited or after she got fired, she could have gone to see Cosette, removed her from the Thenardiers and went elsewhere. Not exactly mother of the year.

[blamerobots]

Aug 12, 2024 11:04:37 GMT viserys said:

Aug 12, 2024 10:59:03 GMT blamerobots said:

I will argue though that the musical doesn't really present Fantine as best as she can

at least in the original Fantine got to sing "L'air de la misère" as a general song about how much being poor sucked, but in London it was turned into Eponine's moan about her unrequited love for a man.

Was gonna bring this up but I thought it was digging a bit deep! I totally agree with you.

Where the Thenardier's live are ages away from Montreuil-sur-Mer. I'd have to grab my copy of the book to check the journey but it takes Valjean a while to get there and by the time he does it is Christmas. She was so poor she would've had no chance to get there. The book also does mention she's working another job IIRC, I think working making clothes as well as the factory? She has no time for anything because she is just working. And the Thenardier's are manipulating her also for money. General sucky situation.

Though, back to the topic at hand, I can't see Mincemeat again. I saw it once and was pretty happy with it. Though I don't see musicals again often.

[ceebee]

Happy to see Frozen go, would also like to see the back of The Lion King, Six, &Juliet, Heathers, Mrs Doubtfire.

Les Mis / Phantom hang in there for me - just.

Shows on their last legs yet staggering on that i quite like: MJ, Back To The Future

[Paulw]

Aug 12, 2024 11:07:31 GMT blamerobots said:

Aug 12, 2024 11:04:37 GMT viserys said:

totally agree with you.

Where the Thenardier's live are ages away from Montreuil-sur-Mer. I'd have to grab my copy of the book to check the journey but it takes Valjean a while to get there and by the time he does it is Christmas.

That timeframe (with others) are totally lost in the current London version without the place and date projections that the original London production had.

Another vote for Mincemeat here saw it loads over the last year but with the way the superfans are going on, the confusing ticket policies and now prices I’m happy to park it now

[marob]

Not a big rewatcher of shows. Too many other things to see and not enough money to see them.

I saw Rebecca Frecknell’s Cabaret when Eddie Redmayne and Jessie Buckey were in it. There’s several leads I’d like to have seen since, including today’s announcement of Adam Gillen, but once was enough for that production.

I saw Wicked once. I liked Winnie Holzman’s TV series My So-Called Life, and knew she wrote the book for Wicked, but they’re so different in tone that it was not at all what I was expecting. Keep meaning to give it another go, but never get around to it. Still months away but I think the movie is really going to be over-exposed as well as I saw the novel was in the book charts in WH Smith last week, with the obligatory ‘major motion picture’ label.

[hannechalk]

Hairspray - only if there was a must see-casting.
Everybody's Talking About Jamie - still listen to the music, but no desire to see again.
Priscilla - for me, it will never top the movie. Seen it two or three times because of casting.
Flashdance - seen it once, never again.
Same for a lot of jukebox musicals - great entertainment for an evening, but wouldn't rush to see it again.

Never seen, and not tempted:
Six - I probably know all the songs by now, but the concept doesn't appeal to me.
Cats - only put off by my late landlady (RIP) who hated it.

[Someone in a tree]

Guys and Dolls. Ive never really liked it but somehow ive clocked up 4 different versions of it.

I do like Carousel but i need a managed break.

[darreno]

I think I have a bottomless pit of desire for musicals, just can never see things enough. The slightest cast change or understudy and I'm absolutely back on board like it's my first time. I'm up around 36/37 times for Heathers and I'd be there every night this week if that were possible.

[SilverFox]

Some are gonna hate me for this, but ...

I saw POTO a fortnight after opening with 4 friends - 3 of us hated it and wanted to leave at the interval, 2 wanted to see it through, and our rule was an early exit had to be unanimous. Set was fantastic, cast and show dire. I tried to watch one of the nth anniversary concert versions on TV but could only manage around 15 minutes. Never again.

And one I have never seen and have no intention of visiting is Hamilton. Going to something where you vehemently dislike the music (broadway cast) is unlikely to be a winner. I was even offered comps early on, but declined.

But 'One man's meat .....', and I am clearly in a minority.

[danb]

I would struggle to sit through ‘Six’ or ‘Heathers’ again at the moment (although interesting casting could tempt me back). I’d just go and see ‘Frozen’ again or finally get around to ‘Cabaret’.

[greeny11]

For me, it's mostly the ones I've seen a lot, and then I just got tired of the shows eventually - Jersey Boys, Phantom of the Opera (though will go and see Dean) and Book of Mormon are those for me. Saw a lot to begin with, but have got bored of them now.

[TallPaul]

Oliver!

[SuttonPeron]

I cannot wait to see the current POTO leave town for good. Charging what they charge for a show with an orchestra that´s half the size and plays ridiculously fast, with a set that´s plastic drapes, cheapened costumes... 
I also long for the day when UK theatres are free from Heathers. Not just for how bad the show is, but also due to all the mistreatment stories I´ve heard.
I wouldn´t mind for the Playhouse´s Cabaret to leave either. It´s certainly not in the shape it used to be, but oh dear is it expensive.
Wicked is my favorite show of all time, but between the horrid sound system at the AV, some questionable supporting cast, the UK tour playing it at 200mph... perhaps the UK productions should rest for a bit and be remounted with much more American supervision.
And finally, Book of Mormon. Never found the fun or understood the hype.

[adamkinsey]

Blood Brothers
Les Miserables
Phantom of the Opera
Wicked
Heathers

[d'James]

Aug 12, 2024 18:11:24 GMT adamkinsey said:

Blood Brothers
Les Miserables
Phantom of the Opera
Wicked
Heathers

I would love to see a completely new production of Blood Brothers, but I don’t think I’d see the current version again, unless there was someone in the cast I wanted to see.

[blamerobots]

Blood Brothers desperately needs a new creative team. As much as I love the 80s melodrama, some stuff is so "woomf, underwhelming" these days through gradual "direction generation loss"

The struggle between the two mothers inside of Mrs Johnstone's new house is played so flatly compared to how it was about 30 years ago, considering how significant it is.

[d'James]

Aug 12, 2024 19:08:12 GMT blamerobots said:

Blood Brothers desperately needs a new creative team. As much as I love the 80s melodrama, some stuff is so "woomf, underwhelming" these days through gradual "direction generation loss"

The struggle between the two mothers inside of Mrs Johnstone's new house is played so flatly compared to how it was about 30 years ago, considering how significant it is.

There are so many interesting things that could be done. Not just a stripped back version with no set.