babyblog

Any dream will do

I don't like many musicals. As a musician ...they often offend me. Especially those which inexplicably sell out for years (Les Miserables is a good example of this) when their entire score is one note sung either quickly, slowly, loudly, softly, solo or en masse. I have walked out on some west end musicals as they've been excrutiatingly tedious, 'Fame' being one and *'Sunset Boulevard'
another.

I do have one overwhelming favourite musical of all and that is 'Blood Brothers' which I've seen 3 or 4 times. I also enjoyed 'Phantom of the Opera' a couple of times in the West End, and Joseph and his Amazing Technicoloured Dreamcoat a couple of times (Jason Donovan AND Phillip Schofield). I like a couple of musical movies, The Sound of Music, The Rocky Horror Show and Moulin Rouge being firm favourites. However, 'Chicago' and 'Rent' and 'The Producers' and even the POTO movie, all left me cold.

As a kid I was exposed to more musicals than most as mum was (and still is) obsessed and active in local amateur operatic societies. Gilbert and Sullivan were trilled daily and while I recall protesting loudly at the time I now harbour a secret liking for their music, it's clever.

Gareth, my darling husband, loves musicals. And, sadly, is completely tone deaf. He listens to musicals in the car, or from his PC speakers. Mostly really awful ones. Obscure ones that probably only ran for a week or two before being closed FOR A VERY GOOD REASON. He sings along. Loudly. Pity me, dear reader.

* I once worked for Andrew Lloyd Webbers company 'The Really Useful Group'. Part of my job involved going to all of the musicals to see what they were about. Matinee productions instead of working in an office - it had it's benefits. That said, Starlight Express was absolutely pants. Cats, while having a great score, is *the* most tedious show on the stage. Sunset Boulevard was one I was required to attend along with the rest of the staff at the office because Elaine Paige was opening in it and they hadn't sold out the house. Desperately bad show, made worse by sitting behind Anita Dobson and Brian May from Queen - both of whom had enormous permed hair. We left at the interval, job be damned.

Seattle has a very cultured society and The Arts are a big deal here. This is nice, after Toronto. I saw Mama Mia a few weeks ago with a friend and thought it was a bloody funny and clever stage show, and then last week went to see Joseph and his Dreamcoat whatsit. I had agreed to go without giving it any thought or researching who was in it so when I arrived at the Theatre I was surprised to see that the Narrator part was being played by Amy Adams, one of last years American Idol contestants. I don't watch much Reality TV but I do like a bit of 'Idol'. Amy Adams was my least favourite member of the top 12 last year and I'd boo her off as soon as she came on the stage much to G's amusement. Anyway, seeing an 'Idol' live on stage - call me sad but I was quite impressed.

Unfortunately and surprisingly given it was opening night in Seattle, she didn't come onstage and the understudy took the part of the Narrator. The main part of the show. The most important role. And horror of horrors she COULD NOT SING. It was excrutiating, listening to a cat being strangled at least half a tone sharp throughout the show. My friend and I sat with our fingers in our ears every time she was on stage. All in all, a very disappointing show. Next up - Chicago!