Libera Dreams

This is a general thread for musicals. Although I realise that Libera and Musicals are different musical worlds, so there may be limited interest.

https://www.forum.libera-dreams.com/vie ... als#p61066

I've mentioned specific musicals in their respective threads on here but I've seen more than those over the years. On average I go to more musicals, per year, than concerts. This year, in terms of new musicals, I've seen:

Standing at the Sky's Edge, at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, which I thought was fantastic, it has a clever plotline, fantastic acting and some great songs particularly in the second half and is very moving at times. It's a transfer from the National Theatre, and I believe it finishes its run soon. I would highly recommend it. Here's the eponymous song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVKi5xiwtIU

Mrs Doubtfire, which was not bad, it was very enjoyable without in any way blowing me away, with one exception, the guy playing Mrs Doubtfire is a genius! It was at times a one man show and his talent at voices was astounding! If you liked the film, then you'll probably enjoy this.

Guys and Dolls at the Bridge Theatre. I was recommended this, but I also wanted to see it because it has been staged by CVMS this year, and I was curious to know what it was like as I've never seen it before. After a slow start it just got better and better and the songs in the second half were superb! It has that immersive quality being staged in a similar way to "Julius Caesar", which is the last thing I saw at that theatre, with audience members standing around the stage in an in-the-round production. But if, like me, you abhor audience participation, you can just have a normal seat. Song wise, there were some lovely songs, and of the two I was familiar with "Luck be a Lady" was great, and "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat" was just epic, with two mini encores, and the whole audience clapping along by the end. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XixiaN0dPxU I thoroughly enjoyed it and would heartily recommend going!

What have you seen recently?

What musicals have you seen in the past that you thought were amazing?

What are your favourite musicals?

Another day, another musical. This time MJ the Musical.

I'd been interested to see it since I saw it appear in a theatre in the West End, the same one which not too long ago hosted the Mary Poppins revival (which I saw a few times.) I held out though for a cheap seat, and got a great deal on a stalls seat for the matinee.

Well there's not a huge amount to say, if you like MJ's music, you will almost certainly enjoy this musical. It had MJ portrayed by three different actors at different ages and while the story wasn't in any way surprising, the music anchored it and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The older MJ portrayed during preparations for the "Dangerous" tour was a fantastic dancer. I suppose the only thing I'd say is, although it was a thoroughly enjoyable musical that I'd certainly recommend if you like the music, it did leave me wishing I'd had the chance to see the real thing.

I loitered in the nearby Wetherspoons (how unusual, I hear you say) for rush hour to pass and inevitably gave in and booked something else. Something a whole lot different. Farm Hall at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. I regretted booking almost immediately as reviews I read subsequently seemed to suggest it was boring and not very well written. Well, I was pleasantly surprised. This is a play about German nuclear scientists during the war who were detained in a stately home in England, based on a true story. The scientists included Otto Hahn and Werner Heisenberg. It explores their reaction to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and also explores something I've read about before, which is Heisenberg's possible role in delaying or preventing the development of the atomic bomb by Germany during the war. I found it thoroughly interesting, particularly given I'm currently reading a book that has a whole chapter on Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle. The play actually finished with a joke about that, although I seem to have been the only one who found it funny enough to snort out loud in amusement.
This play is, I suppose, the view from the other side to the film "Oppenheimer" which I watched last year, I even made a little trip afterwards to Burlington House which hosted meetings by the scientists of the MAUD committee, whose report led to the commissioning of the Manhattan Project. A kindly security guard last August let me look at the rooms which would have hosted those meetings. The Haymarket theatre is barely a 10 minute walk away.

Two very different productions, but both very enjoyable in their own way!

OK, I'll bite. I did get a chance to see Next to Normal in London before taking the train to Lincoln. Funny story about just getting to the theater- we got lost and ended up taking a pedi-cab. It's quite an experience hurtling in traffic, inches away from cars while not encased in your own 2000 lbs. of steel. But we got to the West End stunned but in one piece!
Next to Normal is about a depressed, bi-polar mom dealing with grief. So it's not a cheerful topic but a bit of a Debbie Downer. It won't be a lot of people's cup of tea to be "entertained" by dealing with mental health issues but it is well-written with bits of humor thrown in. Not to give away a major plot point, the story is about Diana dealing with the death of her son, Gabe and her coping mechanisms that deeply affects her relationship with her husband and daughter. I ended up rooting for her to get better even as she is driving people away with her grief.
The music is rock-music based, kind of like Rent on Quaalludes but there are a few nice, "ballady" songs mixed in. There's a few catchy songs that's memorable and the anthem at the end makes you want to stand up and cheer them on. The actors/singers were all great performers. Each played their roles perfectly as it must be so hard to cry every night on stage. I wanted to hear Jack Wolfe sing as he has a very beautiful high baritone voice and to hear his take on an American accent. He did a nice job singing Prince Tamino in a Magic Flute film that was stylized to be more accessible and palatable to young people. Just doing that may be anathema to a hard-core opera fan but I enjoyed the way the arias felt more free-flowing and natural.
So I would recommend seeing Next to Normal even if you should bring a box of tissues with you.

Other musicals that I've seen/enjoyed- Beauty and the Beast. You can't beat being entertained by high-kicking rows of dancing spoons!
Beautiful- love Carole King's music.
South Pacific- this is a super old chestnut but Reba McIntire was a hoot in it.
Les Mez is my fave- still cry every time Fantine sings Come to Me at the end.

bruinrules wrote: ↑<span title="Sat Aug 17, 2024 5:27 pm">3 months ago</span> OK, I'll bite. I did get a chance to see Next to Normal in London before taking the train to Lincoln. Funny story about just getting to the theater- we got lost and ended up taking a pedi-cab. It's quite an experience hurtling in traffic, inches away from cars while not encased in your own 2000 lbs. of steel. But we got to the West End stunned but in one piece!
Next to Normal is about a depressed, bi-polar mom dealing with grief. So it's not a cheerful topic but a bit of a Debbie Downer. It won't be a lot of people's cup of tea to be "entertained" by dealing with mental health issues but it is well-written with bits of humor thrown in. Not to give away a major plot point, the story is about Diana dealing with the death of her son, Gabe and her coping mechanisms that deeply affects her relationship with her husband and daughter. I ended up rooting for her to get better even as she is driving people away with her grief.
The music is rock-music based, kind of like Rent on Quaalludes but there are a few nice, "ballady" songs mixed in. There's a few catchy songs that's memorable and the anthem at the end makes you want to stand up and cheer them on. The actors/singers were all great performers. Each played their roles perfectly as it must be so hard to cry every night on stage. I wanted to hear Jack Wolfe sing as he has a very beautiful high baritone voice and to hear his take on an American accent. He did a nice job singing Prince Tamino in a Magic Flute film that was stylized to be more accessible and palatable to young people. Just doing that may be anathema to a hard-core opera fan but I enjoyed the way the arias felt more free-flowing and natural.
So I would recommend seeing Next to Normal even if you should bring a box of tissues with you.

Thanks for the recommendation! That is one that is on my radar and I pass the Wyndham's theatre quite often. If I see it will depend on if I am in the mood and can get a decent cheap ticket, but I'll keep an eye out. Plays/performances with a heavy theme can obviously be very powerful, but yeah you do need to be in the right mood. The last thing I saw at the Wyndham's was Leopoldstadt, a fantastic play, but obviously it has quite a heavy and harrowing theme and ending. The other play I saw there a few years back was Red about Mark Rothko which I loved because I am a fan of Rothko's art. Rothko was played by Alfred Molina.

Never tried one of those pedi-cabs, but yes, I can imagine they might well be terrifying in London traffic!

bruinrules wrote: ↑<span title="Sat Aug 17, 2024 5:27 pm">3 months ago</span> Other musicals that I've seen/enjoyed- Beauty and the Beast. You can't beat being entertained by high-kicking rows of dancing spoons!
Beautiful- love Carole King's music.
South Pacific- this is a super old chestnut but Reba McIntire was a hoot in it.
Les Mez is my fave- still cry every time Fantine sings Come to Me at the end.

Not seen those first three. Dancing spoons, lol.

As for Les Mis, I love it! But haven't seen it nearly as much as I'd like for the simple reason that it is impossible to get a decent seat for a cheap price! But I got lucky and got a seat in row F for half price earlier this year, my first time back since 2021. It was fabulous.

Next To Normal

Bloody Heck. Literally.

So, rather surprisingly, on my second time of trying for rush tickets on Today Tix I got offered front row of the Royal Circle for £25, which is an amazing seat, so I naturally clicked book.

Well, it was an experience for sure.

Some fantastic singing and a very emotive storyline.

This had already been on my radar, as I saw the storyline was about a bi-polar woman. To cut a long story short... I had an uncle with that, or manic depression as it used to be called, but more severe than portrayed in the musical.

All of that storyline, even the dead son stuff, I could have coped with, but there was one thing I wasn't prepared for. I have a severe aversion to the sight of blood, it makes me feel faint and nauseous. I have even fainted once and come close a few other times. But unfortunately it does extend to fake blood. Particularly if there is a large pool of it and they leave it on stage and start talking about it... So, I suddenly realised I was getting very hot and light headed and feeling like I was going to vomit. I was genuinely not sure what to do, I was hemmed in and would have to get past several people to make it to the aisle and I was worried if I stood up I was actually more likely to faint, which might have sent me toppling over the balcony!

In the end I just looked away and tried to get my mind off it, and tried to think happy thoughts. When that didn't work I focused on the thought that if I fainted right then, the headline would be awful. I imagined it read out by that prick Piers M.:

"Theatre goers furious as show cancelled after idiot snowflake faints at FAKE blood and falls off balcony in West End theatre."

That thought kept me anchored until the interval which thankfully was only a few minutes later. After calming my nerves and some encouraging txts from a family member, I soldiered on into the second half. It was more of the same, some fantastic singing but a very difficult storyline for me. I was rooting for her to remember her son again.

I got to the end of the musical and felt a bit hollowed out, if I'm honest. The combination of a very personal storyline and my little turn before the interval took it out of me completely. Am I glad I went? Yes, in some ways. It made me think of my uncle, which I don't do often enough. Would I recommend it to anyone else? No, probably not, or not without heavy caveats. It is very powerful, a really emotional and upsetting storyline (the woman to my left spent the last 3/4 of the production sniffing and wiping her eyes, and I too had tears in my eyes at some points.) The singing and songs are fantastic so I can see why it got a transfer to a larger West End theatre. Maybe I could say: "If you aren't a snowflake like me and like something with a strong and emotional storyline and great singing, go see it".

I saw the film "Zone of Interest" earlier this year, and it affected me so deeply that I had insomnia the night after, which I rarely if ever get (frankly I have the opposite problem normally, and I used to wonder if I might not have mild narcolepsy...) and this play falls into the same category of being something that is very difficult to think about, but that deserves to be thought about.


Also, I got to experience nearly fainting in a theatre for the first time! Which at the very least will make for a good anecdote in future conversations. In fact of my 700+ staged events of the last decade, I've only fallen ill during a show, and actually had to leave at the interval, once to my memory, which is not bad going.

But to finish on a positive note. Mr Jack Wolfe was quite delightful, with a fantastic voice. I shall be keeping an eye out for him. Hopefully, in something a little less heavy.

Sorry that you had a bad experience with the pool of blood scene. I couldn't see the top of the stage from the third row so I didn't know it was there. I was wondering how the dad put down a towel and picked it back up with red blotches. Sorry there wasn't an advisory for blood like there is for smoke and flashing strobe lights.
Well, we can use bad experiences to learn from and strengthen our resolve to soldier on through adversity.
Glad you had a positive response still to the themes of mental health and finding yourself.
Yes, Jack Wolfe is a great singer with a bright future. Here's a clip of his singing the Portrait aria from the movie, Magic Flute, 2022.

All good. A bit of time and a Beethoven symphony in between helps with perspective. It was scary at the time, because I felt trapped and unable to help myself out of the situation. But I don't expect them to have trigger warnings for everything. I just checked and they do mention suicide, but not blood. Thing is, I'm not one who would ever check trigger warnings anyway...

Meh, I didn't faint, I didn't fall off the balcony, I didn't projectile vomit, Exorcist style on my fellow theatre goers. So, something to put behind me and to make a note that in the very unlikely event I see something like this again, simply to avert my gaze and time-out for a bit.

Thanks for the link. I think I may need to get hold of the whole Magic Flute with him in, as he is a talent for sure.

Thinking about Les Mis and how awesome the show was earlier this year got me looking harder for cheap tickets again, but as usual either too far back or in pairs. And then I hit on a cunning plan.. (channelling my inner Baldrick) and by adding one of the pair to a basket on a different ticketing site I was able to buy the single seat on the discount site.. et voila:
Magnificent show, Jean Valjean was great as was Eponine, Marius was on fire and and it was super high energy and emotional performance for a matinee! Also booked a ticket for Cable Street the Musical in Sept. Massively overspent now, so that probably it for a little bit, musical wise.

The youngest Jean Valjean Ever!

Performed by Joshua Colley, who played Gavroche (alternating with Gaten Matarazzo, whom we all know from Stanger Things) in the 2014-2015 Broadway production of Les Misérables.



I don't know if the West End has places like these, but NYC has clubs where Broadway singers can go to perform. Here are Joshua and Gaten singing together at 54 Below:



Here he is singing a very emotional rendition of "Getting Tall" from Nine:



In case you never heard Gaten's treble voice, it was quite nice...