Musicals and Other Shows

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KEVP
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Re: Musicals

Post by KEVP »

Chess came out in the 80s, which was in many ways the "Golden Age" of the music video.

The video for "one night in Bangkok" became very well known, but four other songs from the show also had videos made.
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Re: Musicals

Post by Rob Houghton »

'Anthem' from Chess is one of the best songs in any musical! I also love 'I Know Him So Well'. :-)
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Musicals

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Thinking back to the late 70s-80s, quite a lot of songs from musicals made it into the charts. I first heard songs from musicals like Evita, Cats, Blood Brothers, Chess, The Phantom of the Opera and Aspects of Love on Top of the Pops.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

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Re: Musicals

Post by Rob Houghton »

I agree. Its a sad state of affairs that these days the charts aren't more all-encompassing. :-(
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: Musicals

Post by IceMaiden »

Tony Summerfield wrote:I think it is disgusting that people film these musicals, they are specifically asked not to and it is illegal anyway. As for them being sold I am surprised that there are people who are prepared to buy them, they are undoubtedly very poor quality and I guess that these people are also breaking the law as they are knowingly buying what are effectively 'stolen goods'. Shame on them! :twisted:
Their not done with the purpose of making money, their traded between fans, their not done with any malicious intent and no harm is intended, it's the only way to get to see a show if you weren't lucky enough to see it in its run. Their not sold as a rule, their strictly trade only, however if you desperately want to get a copy of something some will let you buy or find some alternative method. I would much rather have seen the real thing than a rather grainy image, but it was on in 1986, I don't live anywhere near a theatre, and I certainly can't get to London so getting a copy this way was the only way I will ever see it. It's not as if it's doing them out of any money, they never released a proper video/DVD or I'd have bought that, and still would in a heartbeat if they ever do make one, and I can't go back in time 30 years to buy a ticket to cover the cost of a 'free' viewing. I honestly cannot see the harm in it, it's the only way those who live too far away can see a show (especially an old one long finished) and introduces it to more people who otherwise would never know about it or the actors involved, opening it up to a bigger fan base, surely that's a good thing?
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Re: Musicals

Post by Wolfgang »

There's a TV commercial of a tech company on German TV in which a father goes to a pop concert, films it entirely, and then his sick daughter watches it trying to sing along and coughing...
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Re: Musicals

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I was interested to hear that a musical of Anastasia has been made, based on the animated film. It's on in America at the moment but I hope there will be a UK production at some point as it looks beautiful. Anastasia was one of my daughter's favourite films when she was little. With today being December 1st, I'll give a link to the song I like best - 'Once Upon a December':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn3iLfFHQws" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Quite a lot of new songs have been written for the stage show and I particularly like this one - 'In a Crowd of Thousands':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWYpXfAzbrc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

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Re: Musicals

Post by Rob Houghton »

I had heard about the idea of a stage show for Anastasia, but wasn't sure of any further details. thanks for the 'update' Anita! I've never seen the animated film...although I do know some of the songs. :-D
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: Musicals

Post by Courtenay »

I've only seen the animated film once (during a plane trip from London to Melbourne, or was it Melbourne to London?) — I quite enjoyed it, even if it did play havoc with Russian history a bit. :wink: I already knew Once Upon a December, though, as we did it in my school choir years ago, and I loved it. The stage musical looks really beautiful and haunting. Might have to look out for it when it comes to London! Thanks for sharing that, Anita.
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Re: Musicals

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I was listening to songs from musicals while making the dinner when this came up (I had YouTube on autoplay) - Les Mousserables, a Sesame Street pardoy of the musical Les Miserables. As I love Les Miserables and also have happy memories of watching Sesame Street on TV as a youngster, I enjoyed the daftness:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyYZfSmwH3c" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


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Re: Musicals

Post by Rob Houghton »

My dad and I watch a dvd of a musical a few times each week. For over a year now we've been slowly watching every musical dvd I have in order, from 1930 to present day. So far we've reached 1951.

Tonight we watched An American In Paris - not one of my favourites. Its okay - but somewhat overrated. Considering it won an Oscar as Best Picture of 1951 - one of the few musicals that have ever won 'Best Picture' I think its quite bland in many ways - and that ballet sequence is just too long - though clever, with its various representations of French Impressionist Painters.

But give me 'Singin' In The Rain' any day! :D
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: Musicals

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Great idea to watch all your musicals in date order, Rob!

My favourites tend to be ones that have a strong storyline and touch the emotions - while still having stirring music, clever lyrics and visual impact as one expects from a musical. I mentioned most of my best-loved shows on page one of this thread, but another one I've seen since and thought was amazing is Groundhog Day. It was imaginatively staged (at the Old Vic in London) and the songs are incredibly catchy, with wonderfully witty lyrics by composer/lyricist Tim Minchin. I've bought the soundtrack on CD and I think my favourite song is 'If I Had My Time Again', though there are many others that are super too. Andy Karl was perfect in the part of Phil Connors. This clip (from the Broadway production) gives a flavour of the show:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4UEipJBYdo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

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Re: Musicals

Post by number 6 »

Thanks for the link, Anita! To be honest, I never knew the stage production existed. I quite liked the film with Bill Murray, which was well done. :D
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Re: Musicals

Post by Rob Houghton »

Thanks for the link Anita - looks great and just the sort of thing I would enjoy - so much better than 'Hamilton' - which I can't abide, even though its currently 'THE show'. A show made up of rap songs is something I find amazingly uncomfortable!

I've seen my fair share of shows - usually at Birmingham Hippodrome - and still my favourites are Les Mis, Miss Saigon, Blood Brothers and Sunset Boulevard (yeah - I know many hate it - but to me its one of ALW's best musicals!) :-D

Watching movie musicals from 1930 - present day has been eye-opening - and its interesting to see the evolution as they copied from each other, took bits from recent hits, etc. My favourite eras of Hollywood musicals are the early 1930's (Busby Berkeley dance numbers in films like Footlight Parade) and then the early 40's - Betty Grable films like 'Down Argentine Way' - and then late 40's and early 50's with films like 'On The Town' and 'Singin' In the Rain'. I tend to not be so keen on movies made after 1960 - although there are still some very good ones - just not my preferred era! :D
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: Musicals

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I'm not a fan of rap either, Rob, though I would like to see Hamilton out of curiosity if I could get a cheap seat. £10 tickets are available through a lottery but I'm not sure how many people apply for them each week. I quite enjoy listening to the medley of Hamilton songs by a performing arts company called Spirit Young Performers (link below). There are some rousing melodies and harmonies along with the rap. People who follow West End theatre may recognise the faces of Chloe Hawthorn and Lara Wollington (who both played Matilda in the West End, among other roles) and Ilan Galkoff (who has had many West End parts including Nigel in Matilda the Musical and Gavroche in Les Miserables). Tony and I saw the musical of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole at the Menier Chocolate Factory last year, with Ilan Galkoff as Adrian and Lara Wollington as Pandora, and it was really well done. We also saw Lara Wollington as Baby Louise in Gypsy at the Savoy in 2015, which starred Imelda Staunton as Rose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh-TZJmZVqw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Regarding Sunset Boulevard, my daughter and I watched an amateur production a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. It contains two of my favourite Andrew Lloyd Webber songs - 'With One Look' and 'As If We Never Said Goodbye'. I'd already loved both songs for years before I found out that they were from a musical.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


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