COLIN HOLMES ON MUSICALS 2.

MAMMA MIA.5.

A definitive case of crowbarred songs in an old story. It works only if you are an ABBA fan and the success of the film has certainly added to it's lustre as a musical one should see if visiting the West End. My opinion.....Nothing new here.

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. 10.

A lavish, fully thought-out, wonderful piece of Musical Entertainment. Andrew Lloyd Webber at his utmost best and I cannot find fault with this Musical. It still brings hoardes of people into the theatre and if you havn't seen it then it is a must. Foreboading and exciting from the beginning it grasps your attention to the very end. So popular is the show that even now the lack of stars who originated the roles do not harm it's popularity. The star is Andrew LLoyd Webber. The songs are unforgettable. The music score is sumptuous. The story is spellbinding but why can I never remember what happens in the end ? I can't remember what happens in the end of Les Miserables either. Perhaps that's the sign of a wonderful show!

GOING TO LONDON? WANT TO SEE A SHOW? THE TRUTH!

If you are going to London and you want to book a show the following set of blogs will help in your decision. Where I have not seen the shows I have to make a balanced guess from the stage soundtrack CDs but will mention this on all blogs. I give a mark 1-10, 10 being the highest rating I can give.


Things are not as exciting in the West End of London as they used to be. New shows are thin on the ground almost to extinction. The LLoyd Webber factor is quite predominant with revived shows hitting the theatres emanating from his TV shows. They do well, so critism of this spate of old shows with Newly formed TV stars is perhaps a little unkind however it has caused a lot of revivals which has resulted in safe bets which can be regarded as hardly exciting. Hit films have also been transferred to the Musical Stage and again.....we know the plot.....hope the songs are good. Along with old popsongs shoved into poor scripts by well known pop artists the originality of Musicals has become too financially risky for the entrepeneurs to back anything that on paper could lose money.Lots of it. That's the situation.....now these are the shows. In no particular order they are........

CHICAGO. 8.

From the authors of Cabaret and from the mind of Bob Fosse this show is really worth seeing. Styilized choreography and great songs add up to a great show about two murderesses fighting for publicity in the corrupt era of the roaring twenties to get them off Life sentences in Jail. The stage show is sufficiently different from the film so no enjoyment is lost going to the theatre.They change the cast regularly but this has no effect on it's ultimate enjoyment. Adult in content with super songs I strongly recommend this show before it closes. It's long run has to come to an end soon.

COLIN HOLMES ON MUSICALS

This is the first notification of a blog coming up called "GOING TO LONDON? WANT TO BOOK A MUSICAL? THE TRUTH!" I have a musical programme on Sunday Afternoons 2-4pm on Tudnofm 107.8 or online at Tudnofm.co.uk and click on LISTEN LIVE. Have seen an incredible amount of Musicals in London and elsewhere as well as producing and starring in Amateur productions in North Wales. My collection of Musicals on CD is much too much...even the bad ones....and this future blog will be continually updated for those who would like guidence as to what Musicals are worth booking tickets for. Of course, this will be my own personal opinion.