Best British Musical of the last decade

[peterd]

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is without question not only a favourite from the past decade but it is one of my all time favourites.

But I can easily name 9 others to make it a top 10 of the last 10 years:
(in alphabetical order)
- 42 Balloons
- Brass
- Eugenius!
- Everybody's Talking About Jamie
- In Clay
- Operation Mincemeat
- Pieces of String
- Six
- Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

[highonahill]

Oct 4, 2024 17:53:21 GMT cornish said:

Eugenius

Yep. I saw it multiple times... Several Superfan Sundays which were brilliant!

[BVM]

Objectively Tammy Faye. Maybe Groundhog Day.

Subjectively Cinderella/Bad Cinderella. #SorryNotSorry 😱!

[andypandy]

HELLO EVERYONE?

The answer is…..

SIX

[unseaworthy]

Oct 4, 2024 19:55:32 GMT andypandy said:

HELLO EVERYONE?

The answer is…..

SIX

Controversial opinion - I am not sure Six counts as a musical... It doesn't use music to move the story along... There isn't really any story.

I agree that Six is great (and so popular) but surely its more of a concert than a musical.

[sf]

Standing at the Sky's Edge

Flowers for Mrs. Harris

Local Hero

[highonahill]

Oct 4, 2024 19:55:32 GMT andypandy said:

HELLO EVERYONE?

The answer is…..

SIX

It's good yes, I thoroughly enjoyed it when I saw it (and have booked to see it again when it comes to CFT on tour in Feb) but I personally didn't get much more out of seeing it live than I did listening to the cast recording.

Very subjective topic this, but for me the overriding element of a good musical is in the storytelling. Six is a unique concept, clever and entertaining but it didn't get me thinking about it for days, weeks, months later, like other shows with an emotional heart. Doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it, just that I enjoyed other shows more...

Going off topic, I guess that's the beauty of theatre, we all react differently to productions. I know that my preference is for extremes; shows that connect deeply for me on an emotional level, like BB (other examples off the top of my head Next to Normal, Miss Saigon, Billy Elliott... ) or on a laugh out loud, clever, spoof level like Operation Mincemeat (think Spamalot, Eugenius...).

[highonahill]

Oct 4, 2024 19:53:56 GMT BVM said:

Objectively Tammy Faye. Maybe Groundhog Day.

Subjectively Cinderella/Bad Cinderella. #SorryNotSorry 😱!

I'm sad I didn't see Tammy Faye or Cinderella. I loved Groundhog Day, but just didn't think about it for this thread!

[BVM]

Oct 4, 2024 21:07:05 GMT highonahill said:

Oct 4, 2024 19:53:56 GMT BVM said:

Objectively Tammy Faye. Maybe Groundhog Day.

Subjectively Cinderella/Bad Cinderella. #SorryNotSorry 😱!

I'm sad I didn't see Tammy Faye or Cinderella. I loved Groundhog Day, but just didn't think about it for this thread!

Yeah they were great!

Tammy Faye at the Almeida was one of those privileged to be there moments.
I so wish they’d gone West End, not Broadway!

[Phantom of London]

Oct 4, 2024 17:53:21 GMT cornish said:

Eugenius

What was that dreadful unanimous 1 star musical also at the Other Palace, where the creative decided to sack the director in previews and directed it himself?

[mattnyc]

For me, it’s EASILY “Standing at the Sky’s Edge”.

[hadeswasking]

Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder (Pre West End)
42 Balloons
Standing at the Sky's Edge

[parsley1]

God it’s slim pickings isn’t it

[ceebee]

Groundhog Day.
Local Hero.

[BVM]

Agree Standing At The Sky’s Edge was a fabulous piece of theatre and I loved it.

Am just not sure it’s a stunning MUSICAL. I mean, obvs you can call it whatever you like lol. And the music was very atmospheric and sort of served as a great background to the story (almost filmic) but it didn’t move the plot on at all.

Is it a play with music? Dunno.

But yeah. Deffo one of the best new British things of last 10 years!

[BVM]

How many years ago was Miss Atomic Bomb?!

It was kind of borderline dreadful/amazing. I actually went three times as really liked the music! (No idea now who wrote it).

Made In Dagenham was also fab.

[BVM]

Oct 4, 2024 23:04:59 GMT parsley1 said:

God it’s slim pickings isn’t it

Yeah. There’s not a huge amount!

[andypandy]

The answer guys… is Six.

It’s made more money than all the shows you mention all PUT together! it’s been the biggest smash hit show of the past decade.

It’s currently on Broadway and 8 other productions around the world (or more) It was created in the UK by two British new composers.

Yes it’s a concert concept musical (as Cats was a concept musical or Working a themed musical) but nevertheless it’s still a West End musical.

We can discuss Sky’s Edge, Bake Off, 42 Balloons or Flowers For Mrs Harris (I loved them all) or the fact that there are sadly so few new shows. But the answer to this thread for size, success, worldwide fame and box office revenue

IS SIX!!!!

[ptwest]

For me:

Everybody's Talking About Jamie.
Flowers For Mrs Harris
Standing at the Sky's Edge.

I suspect my list is skewed towards the shows starting in Sheffield given I can get to that easier than London so have missed a lot of the others mentioned, but there's no denying Sheffield Theatres were on a roll with these ones.

Also: Tammy Faye - loved it from start to finish.

[alece10]

I presume Back to the Future is eligible as it opened in the UK before transferring to Broadway.

Also you have Twiggy

[viserys]

I'd vote for Six as the best "theatre production in general" in that it was fresh, different and topical.

But not so much as a musical. I realize I find it hard to settle for 1-2 musicals here. Jamie perhaps, which was great when it started and had some good songs with good lyrics (my bugbear), also Eugenius, which deserved a West End production instead of a tiny cheap revival. Broken Wings very much underrated.

Tammy Faye also had great songs, but I still find it hard to care for the subject matter. Similiarly, Standing on the Sky's Edge had brilliant storytelling and great songs, but ultimately those were jukebox songs not specifically written for the show and the storylines were a bit too clichéd for me. Groundhog Day I can't bring myself to consider a British musical, if so, it would be up there.

Operation Mincemeat I haven't seen yet. What stands out to me is that British musicals have become smaller and smaller in recent years. Which is fine as such, but not worth it for a foreign musical tourist like me. I now booked Benjamin Button based on all the hype here, so y'all better be right

[max]

Oct 4, 2024 23:39:41 GMT BVM said:

How many years ago was Miss Atomic Bomb?!

It was kind of borderline dreadful/amazing. I actually went three times as really liked the music! (No idea now who wrote it).

Made In Dagenham was also fab.

I guess it makes sense we'd be on the same page with this one BVM.  I thought it was terrific.  Very badly treated by critics - 1 Star from Mark Shention! I mean, fair enough, it's their opinion, but I couldn't tally it with the plaudits given to 'other' stuff.

Co-writer was Gabriel Vick - better known as an actor and the West End's Mrs Doubtfire right now.

[BVM]

Oct 5, 2024 9:16:56 GMT max said:

Oct 4, 2024 23:39:41 GMT BVM said:

How many years ago was Miss Atomic Bomb?!

It was kind of borderline dreadful/amazing. I actually went three times as really liked the music! (No idea now who wrote it).

Made In Dagenham was also fab.

I guess it makes sense we'd be on the same page with this one BVM.  I thought it was terrific.  Very badly treated by critics - 1 Star from Mark Shention! I mean, fair enough, it's their opinion, but I couldn't tally it with the plaudits given to 'other' stuff.

Co-writer was Gabriel Vick - better known as an actor and the West End's Mrs Doubtfire right now.

Excellent! Was bonkers but just really good fun! And some cracking tunes!
Bit like Moby Dick - bonkers and we’ll never see it again. But also great fun.
Googled the writers earlier. Knew the name Gabriel Vick but couldn’t place him.

Do remember there was quite a polarising response to it on here!

[alece10]

I loved it as it was totally bonkers and had some good songs in it.

[BVM]

Even Catherine Tate (who generally just plays herself) was great as Myrna Ranapapadophilou! Honestly who thinks up these names. Whole thing was so silly! A cult classic.