I love a good musical!! (Top Five Musicals)

Member Name: sam_k

Product:	Top Five Musicals
Date:	02/11/08 (62 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lot's of great songs with good stories

Disadvantages: Not everyone likes musicals

Having been part of a show choir when I was younger I have sung many songs from musicals, and I do love to watch a musical but as my husband can't stand them it's not something I get to do very often!

My top 5 probably changes depending which ones I have seen most recently so this is what they are at the moment!!

1. Les Miserables
I've seen this 3 times in the West End now, watched the film a few times and I'd still go back and see it again and again.
I love the music/songs in this, there are numerous songs I've performed and love to sing. The stage show is breathtaking. Based on the novel by Victor Hugo this was produced for the stage by Cameron Mackintosh. The story sees Jean Valjean released on parole but then on the run after being accused of stealing. A bishop lies for him and after this he decides to start a new life. He becomes a factory owner and Mayor and sticks up for one of his workers when she finds herself in trouble. After admitting to a court that he was the parole breaker the police were looking for, Valjean says he'll look after the workers daughter (Cosette) and escapes just as he is about to be arrested. He rescues Cosette from the couple at an Inn who have been looking after her and takes her to Paris with Javert close behind. In Paris we witness a love triangle between Cosette, Eponine (real daughter of the Inn couple) and a student who is in love with Cosette and get caught up in the students revolution. The story ends with deaths, lies, truths and a wedding!
It is such a powerful story told so well on stage. I'd recommend it to anyone, even those not keen on musicals, though I'm still trying to convince my husband of this!!

2. Chicago

All that jazz and so much more. Murder, prison death row and lots of great songs. I really enjoyed both seeing this on stage and the film. Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart both find themselves in prison after commiting murder, they both want to be a star and keep in the headlines! How do they do this? well they have a bit of help from others in the cast, Mama the prison warden and Billy Flynn the laywer! This is all show and show worth seeing!

3. Phantom of the Opera
This is another one I have sung quite a few songs from in shows I've been in. There are a couple of songs that I really love to sing which makes me rate this highly. Phantom was created by Gaston Leroux, a French author. The story is of the Phantom of the Opera, the Opera ghost, who is in fact a musical genius hidden away in the depths of the opera house to hide his disfigurement. he falls in love with a chorus girl, Christine, who is given the chance as star when the ghost scares off the previous leading lady. Christine is kidnapped by the Phantom after she accepts the marriage proposal from Raoul. Can he save her from the phantom? you'll have to go and see it for youself, or watch the film, which I thought was a good adaptation of the story. I saw this in the West end and would love to be able to see it again.

4. Joseph and his Technicolor Dreamcoat
I was first introduced to this at primary school when we 'performed' it as our end of year show for the parents. I was part of the choir so we got to sing all the songs!
This is based on the Bible story of Jacob's son, Joseph and his 11 brothers and is the work of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Joseph is betrayed by his brothers, sold as a slave, goes to prison but ends up advising the pharoah where he ends up being reunited with his brothers. There are lots of catchy songs, which I love singing along to! I saw it twice in the West End, and hope to be able to take my son to see it when he's older.

5. Grease
The film is one I watched many times as a teenager so I probably have this as a favourite as it is so familiar to me!
I'm sure everyone knows the story but I'll remind those who may not remember! It is set in the 1950's, Danny and Sandy meet over the summer vacation and fall in love, but go their separate ways as school starts back. Sandy ends up at Danny's school where she becomes part of the popular girls group The Pink Ladies. Danny is a member of the cool boys group The T-Birds. Danny upsets Sandy by acting all cool, but they both end up trying to change themselves to get back together! There are lots of songs to sing along to and I think that it's great feel good film!

Summary: Give a musical a chance!