STAGE MUSICALS....THINGS AIN'T WHAT THEY USED TO BE!!

WEDNESDAY, 25 JANUARY 2012

STAGE MUSICALS....THINGS AIN'T WHAT THEY USED TO BE!!

At the moment with only SINGIN' IN THE RAIN and SWEENEY TODD on their way into the West End of London and a similar inauspicious collection of Musicals on Broadway one has got to ask ....Where have all the good times gone ? True, there is a distinct leaning towards a future youth audience, and back catalogues from well known singers is always an easy way to attract punters, but where's the new creative writers. Where's the strong melodies that always guarantees a successful show and when will the money men stop playing safe. Even Andrew Lloyd Webber lost his head and put on PHANTOM 2 knowing that a sequel in Musical Theatre never works. GHOST the musical appeared last year with only one great song and that was lifted from the film. SPIDERMAN TURN OFF THE LIGHTS (please) was spectacular but more pop concert than musical and THE BOOK OF MORMON although entertaining, is more satirical revue than Rodgers and Hammenstein. A good Musical has at least five superb melodies often more....although LES MISERABLES was a pop opera it had fourteen unforgettable songs. MY FAIR LADY had ten well known songs and OLIVER had another ten. If I listed todays musicals I would come up short of songs that you hummed as you walked out of the theatre and then the next day you wanted to buy the soundtrack album. Every successful show going back over the last sixty years had at least half a dozen good songs.. Now..it's a concept musical with dancing..effects...superb scenery and often "clever" songs..."concept" songs. WICKED was all of these things but is succeeding because the strong songs are apparent and enjoyable. I reckon I can tell a hit show by listening to the CD sountrack. It's been quite a few years since I really got excited !