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Post by David J on Nov 29, 2019 21:30:06 GMT
And I'm going to include the top 10 musical revivals and those that didn't get into the my new musicals list. This is not just for the material, but for the productions that stuck with me, the performers who gave inspired performances and the imagination that went into these shows, or even elevated the marerial. These defined the 2010s for me
1. Carousel (Arcola Theatre) 2. Gypsy (Chichester/West End) 3. Urinetown (St James's Theatre) 4. Sweeney Todd (Twickenham) 5. Carrie (Southwark Playhous) 6. Calamity Jane (Watermill Theatre) 7. In the Heights (Southwark) 8. Into the Woods (Regent's Park) 9. Jesus Christ Superstar (Regent's Park) 10. Les Miserables (25th Anniversary Tour)
Runners up Titanic (Charing Cross) The Woman in White (Charing Cross) 42nd Street (Drury Lane) A Chorus Line (Palladium) The Colour Purple (Menier Chocolate Factory) The Beautiful Game (Union Theatre) Sweeney Todd (ENO) Ragtime (Charing Cross) Wonderful Town (2012 UK Tour) Five Guys Named Moe (2017 revival)
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Post by Dawnstar on Nov 29, 2019 22:14:35 GMT
did love Lend Me a Tenor as well, but not sure I thought either was a great musical... These are the only 2 new musicals of the last decade that I've seen, really loved & repeat-viewed; unless I can also count Top Hat given the stage version is from 2011 even though the film is from 1935. I am well aware that none of the the 3 are going to be anywhere remotely near a Top 10 list that is approaching definitive. Sadly my taste in musicals & the general taste in musicals are currently very different. All the recent hits I've either seen & have thought okay but not really loved (e.g. Come From Away) or I don't want to see full stop because either the music or the plot doesn't appeal (e.g. Hamilton, Everybody's Talking About Jamie, Matilda). I'm therefore not going to try to produce a list. And I suppose I'm lucky that I have Mischief & Showstopper, plus opera & in the last year ballet, to fill up my theatregoing schedule that isn't currently being filled by musicals. In fact, looking at my theatregoing list, I have only seen 6 musicals this year (not counting Showstopper) & only 2 of the 6 were new pieces.
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Post by viserys on Nov 30, 2019 6:21:40 GMT
For me it was the decade of finally feeling old because most of the shows presently hyped by young enthusiastic fans leave me utterly cold. Some I just don't care for at all, such as DEH and Waitress, whereas with others I can see the cultural significance and even enjoyed them, such as Hamilton, but still wouldn't rush back to (same with Six, which I look forward to seeing but have the feeling that once will be enough). So my Top Ten would be something like this:
Bat out of Hell (yes yes) American Idiot * Priscilla Queen of the Desert * Here Lies Love Everybody's talking about Jamie Kinky Boots School of Rock Come From Away Book of Mormon Eugenius
* Not sure if these count, I first saw them in 2010, so only just at the start of the decade, but two of the few shows I would (and did) re-visit more than once!
If I'd add revivals, 42nd Street would certainly be up there.
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Post by danb on Nov 30, 2019 8:17:12 GMT
For me it was the decade of finally feeling old because most of the shows presently hyped by young enthusiastic fans leave me utterly cold. Some I just don't care for at all, such as DEH and Waitress, whereas with others I can see the cultural significance and even enjoyed them, such as Hamilton, but still wouldn't rush back to (same with Six, which I look forward to seeing but have the feeling that once will be enough). So my Top Ten would be something like this: Bat out of Hell (yes yes) American Idiot * Priscilla Queen of the Desert * Here Lies Love Everybody's talking about Jamie Kinky Boots School of Rock Come From Away Book of Mormon Eugenius * Not sure if these count, I first saw them in 2010, so only just at the start of the decade, but two of the few shows I would (and did) re-visit more than once! If I'd add revivals, 42nd Street would certainly be up there. I think that I imagine BOM is older than it is, but it would also be up there for me. I enjoyed Come From Away a lot but feel no need to return. Yes 42nd Street, had a lot to admire about it but felt like a museum piece. Something classic that we’ve reproduced really well for you, like the NT did with Anything Goes a decade before.
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Post by miz on Nov 30, 2019 10:23:29 GMT
Gosh - this thread would work much better for me if was best revivals/new versions from the last decade. As I have mainly been seeing JCS/Evita/Joseph/Miss Saigon and Les Mis. Company and Follies also great. And the new Starlight in Bochum. Woman In White was an intimate but great revival, ditto Aspects of Love. Mary Poppins another classic. There has been loads of brand new stuff I have LIKED, very little I have LOVED. In fact the only one I have loved I can think of is Bat Out Of Hell. By no means a perfect musical, but the must absorbing two hours for me. And now & Juliet I am close to loving ;-) So it's actually I would say not been a great decade for new musicals at all, the revivals have it. All the American stuff leaves me luke warm at best. Jamie is the only British show that comes to mind that survived beyond a cast change (there MUST be others - help me someone!) which again I liked but had no desire to go back. Am sorry Made In Dagenham didn't do better. And I loved Love Never Dies, but I appreciate that was just me lol. Hamilton? Yeah I get it's success in America and it's clever staging. I honestly don't think when the history books are written it will have turned out to be legendary in Britain. It is very American, for obvious reasons, and last time I was at the Victoria Palace, audience was mainly American tourists - they can see it here due to good availability and non Broadway prices. Slightly daft situation if you ask me but there you are. And so I wait with baited breath for the triumphant comeback (I hate that word, it's a return) of the British musical. I loved Love Never Dies and am still waiting for its revival. Seriously. I also remember Jekyll and Hyde at the Union in Southwark as one of the small gems.
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Post by Mark on Nov 30, 2019 11:19:26 GMT
A few lists featuring Sister Act, Legally Blonde, Memphis - None are from this “decade”. Time flies, they all still feel quite recent.
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Post by poster J on Nov 30, 2019 14:22:06 GMT
A few lists featuring Sister Act, Legally Blonde, Memphis - None are from this “decade”. Time flies, they all still feel quite recent. The London production of Memphis was though, so in that respect it counts.
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Post by tmesis on Nov 30, 2019 14:32:21 GMT
Eugenius was insanely enjoyable.
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Post by amp09 on Dec 1, 2019 13:56:20 GMT
Going to include anything that premiered in the UK in this decade:
1. Ghost - not the tour! 2. Come From Away 3. Bat out of Hell 4. Memphis 5. Dreamgirls 6. Kinky Boots 7. Dear Evan Hansen 8. Everybody’s Talking About Jamie 9. Book of Mormon 10. Secret Diary of Adrian Mole
Special mentions: Calendar Girls Waitress Matilda
Really been loving DEH recently, so surprised myself it’s so far down my list. Very exciting that 5 of my top 10 will still be alive and on tour/West End next year, and praying the other 5 come back in some form - this time without Sarah Harding.
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Post by kasper on Dec 1, 2019 15:52:24 GMT
New Musicals (or new invented)and/or first on the London stage
Yank! Come from Away Matilda London Road Betty Blue Eyes (oh yes!) Dear Evan Hansen Romantics Anonymous Company (Bobbie!) Six Titanic (Southwark Playhouse)
And surely NO Hamilton - so overrated It's just OK, not more than that. I'll never pay £100 again for such a commercial waste
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Post by irisjeregenboog on Dec 1, 2019 16:16:05 GMT
Eugenius was insanely enjoyable. Yes! Eugenius was great! Definitely in the top 10! Hope it gets another life sometime soon. I also just thought of Heathers. Really enjoyed that show. Hopefully I can catch the tour at some point next year.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Dec 1, 2019 17:24:30 GMT
1. Hamilton 2. Fun Home 3. Come From Away 4. The Book of Mormon 5. Six 6. The Girls (Calendar Girls) 7. & Juliet (maybe recency helping this out) 8. Waitress 9. Mythic 10. Preludes
That's being very strict - if I were including things that premiered in London this decade, there'd be a few more entries, including In the Heights and Titanic near the top of the list.
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Post by turbo25 on Dec 2, 2019 16:54:11 GMT
So difficult! I thought I'd check the nominations for Best New Musical since 2010 to jog my memory... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurence_Olivier_Award_for_Best_New_Musical#2010sFor me, the list would include: London Road Book of Mormon Matilda Come From Away Girl From the North Country Fun Home Six Not sure what else to include - I enjoyed & Juliet and Moulin Rouge but they don't quite make my list. Nor does Hamilton which was spoiled for me by over-hype. Loved loved loved the nights I spent at Here Lies Love but I don't think it would make a top ten of the decade...
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Post by David J on Dec 4, 2019 0:33:37 GMT
Just to update my best revivals
1. Carousel (Arcola Theatre) 2. Gypsy (Chichester/West End) 3. Company (Gielgud Theatre) 4. Urinetown (St James's Theatre) 5. Sweeney Todd (Twickenham) 6. Carrie (Southwark Playhous) 7. Calamity Jane (Watermill Theatre) 8. In the Heights (Southwark) 9. Into the Woods (Regent's Park) 10. Jesus Christ Superstar (Regent's Park)
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 4, 2019 0:41:38 GMT
A few lists featuring Sister Act, Legally Blonde, Memphis - None are from this “decade”. Time flies, they all still feel quite recent. Ha time does fly and you are correct about Sister Act. But I am happy to allow Memphis and Legally Blonde. Any show that made its West End appearance after 31st December 2009 I am happy to include. Mind you Legally Blonde just snuck in by a mere 14 days. Or played Broadway after 31st December 2009. so hope this gives people a bit more wriggle room.
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 4, 2019 0:46:06 GMT
I am clearly in the minority, but Hamilton wouldn’t make it in the room where it happens. For me; Matilda Book of Mormon Come From Away Kinky Boots Legally Blonde Sister Act Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comets of 1812 Bright Star Sister Act London Road Dreamgirls Sister Act gone, so now can have Love Story.
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Post by turbo25 on Dec 4, 2019 11:45:12 GMT
So difficult! I thought I'd check the nominations for Best New Musical since 2010 to jog my memory... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurence_Olivier_Award_for_Best_New_Musical#2010sFor me, the list would include: London Road Book of Mormon Matilda Come From Away Girl From the North Country Fun Home Six Not sure what else to include - I enjoyed & Juliet and Moulin Rouge but they don't quite make my list. Nor does Hamilton which was spoiled for me by over-hype. Loved loved loved the nights I spent at Here Lies Love but I don't think it would make a top ten of the decade... *Update - now including Dear Evan Hansen*
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Post by dazzerlump on Dec 4, 2019 12:06:48 GMT
for me it has to be shows that have really stick in my mind, ones that I wasn't expecting much from but really made a lasting impression or I had an emotional connection to, or were just stunning revivals. (not in any particular order)
My Fair Lady (Sheffield Crucible) Gypsy (Savoy) Follies (National) Assassins (Menier) Bridges of Madison County (Menier) Everybody'd Talking about Jamie (Sheffield Crucible) Standing at the Sky's Edge (Sheffield Crucible) Fun Home (Young Vic) In the Heights (Kings Cross) Side Show (Southwark Playhouse)
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Post by Mark on Dec 4, 2019 12:07:19 GMT
A few lists featuring Sister Act, Legally Blonde, Memphis - None are from this “decade”. Time flies, they all still feel quite recent. Ha time does fly and you are correct about Sister Act. But I am happy to allow Memphis and Legally Blonde. Any show that made its West End appearance after 31st December 2009 I am happy to include. Mind you Legally Blonde just snuck in by a mere 14 days. Or played Broadway after 31st December 2009. so hope this gives people a bit more wriggle room. Aah, guessing you're not counting the previews then . I saw it 3 times in December 2009 for the preview performances, back when the front row lottery seats were £10, and top price preview tickets were £40.
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Post by Polly1 on Dec 4, 2019 16:51:56 GMT
Come From Away Betty Blue Eyes Preludes Groundhog Day Hamilton Lend Me A Tenor Come From Away Betty Blue Eyes Come From Away Betty Blue Eyes
Would have included Girl From The North Country but I consider that a play with music.
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Post by danb on Dec 4, 2019 17:27:45 GMT
So difficult! I thought I'd check the nominations for Best New Musical since 2010 to jog my memory... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurence_Olivier_Award_for_Best_New_Musical#2010sFor me, the list would include: London Road Book of Mormon Matilda Come From Away Girl From the North Country Fun Home Six Not sure what else to include - I enjoyed & Juliet and Moulin Rouge but they don't quite make my list. Nor does Hamilton which was spoiled for me by over-hype. Loved loved loved the nights I spent at Here Lies Love but I don't think it would make a top ten of the decade... *Update - now including Dear Evan Hansen*I really struggle to understand how people don’t enjoy things because they were ‘over-hyped’? How does someone else's opinion or feelings on something affect how much you enjoy it? Are we seriously not able to control our own sense of anticipation to the extent where we blame the show rather than our own sense of expectation? Not a dig in any way, just something that bugs me.
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Post by anthony40 on Dec 4, 2019 22:28:52 GMT
I agree with Fun Home. This was the one of the last time I was genuinely moved by a piece of musical theatre in ages. Then I saw The Bridges of Madison County.
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Post by orchidman on Dec 6, 2019 10:28:39 GMT
1. Cabaret (Michelle Williams) 2. Hamilton 3. Follies (NT) 4. 42nd Street 5. She Loves Me (Broadway) 6. Sunny Afternoon 7. Groundhog Day 8. Shuffle Along 9. Dear Evan Hansen 10. The Scottsboro Boys
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Post by intoanewlife on Dec 12, 2019 1:40:13 GMT
Best
1. Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 - Nothing else even comes close! 2. Six 3. The Bands Visit 4. Hamilton 5. Book of Mormon 6. Come From Away 7. Preludes 8. Ghost Quartet 9. Gentlemen's Guide to Love and Murder 10. Spring Awakenings - Deaf West
Special Mentions - Dear Evan Hansen, Company (re-gender), Spongebob and Everybody's Talking About Jamie
Worst
1. Falsettos 2. Fun Home 3. Hello Dolly (Midler) 4. Matilda 5. War Paint
I literally HATED all of the above to the point of brain searing anger...
Meh's
1. Groundhog Day (wonderful 1st Act/Terrible 2nd Act) 2. Kinky Boots (as above) 3. Mean Girls (a reasonable stage version of a brilliant film) 4. Colour Purple (Ervirus Version)
Sad I missed
1. American Psycho 2. Bridges of Madison County 3. Shuffle Along
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Post by Nicholas on Dec 24, 2019 13:22:32 GMT
And so I wait with baited breath for the triumphant comeback (I hate that word, it's a return) of the British musical. This decade, the British musical gave us Six, which I think means WE WIN, but also included Matilda, The Clockmaker’s Daughter, Sunshine on Leith, Standing on the Sky’s Edge, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Little Bulb’s Orpheus, Made in Dagenham, Betty Blue Eyes, Girl from the North Country, American Psycho, The Light Princess, If You Kiss Me Kiss Me, Romantics Anonymous…
So when you say ‘return’, I assume you mean return of the mega-musical (I LOVED Made in Dagenham, but…) but isn’t this more exciting?! Before around 2015ish, the West End was profoundly unwelcoming for ANY new show – we couldn’t have had a Leopoldsholm this decade, not before stuff like A View from the Bridge and The Nether and King Charles III transferred and showed we want risk in our plays and not Barkings in Essexes. Personally I actually think one of the best things about the British musical TODAY is that it isn’t Broadway and Blockbusters – that bigness limits risk. Instead here, young experimental talents can do as they please – which I think peaked with Six.
Best British musical this decade, then? London Road. Name me one British musical from the pre-comeback era that did what London Road did, or one contemporary American musical that’s done it either. No, it didn’t transfer to Broadway, or even out of the Nash. No, the film didn’t do Bohemian Rhapsody figures. No, it hasn’t been revived since. It was, however, the most daring and original and humane musical I think I’ve seen. I’ll take that over a thousand Tootsies. Hell, for me the most politically pointed show of the decade was Jane Horrocks doing Depeche Mode. I love the modern British musical.
So yes, we didn't have a Les Mis or a Me and My Girl or a Cats this decade. But we had a Matilda, a London Road, a Bob Dylan fest, and a Six. Comeback? From Six back to Cats? Purrrrrrrrrrrr-lease... The British musical never went away.
P.S. My top ten, into which I’ve not put a lot of thought so probably will regret some dumbass omission: 1. wonder.land SIX - actually, dumbass omission, I didn't see Sunshine on Leith on stage, but I love the film and have argued it as genius for six years now, so a tie, cheekily, I guess 2. Fun Home 3. Hamilton duh 4. London Road 5. JANE HORROCKS DOING THE SMITHS WAS BIZARRELY BRILLIANT BITE ME 6. In the Heights yeah Lin Manuel’s got skill 7. Scottsboro Boys Kander and Ebb at their best 8. Made in Dagenham 9. Lazarus 10. Everybody’s Talking about Jamie 11. Can I also say how much I loved the As You Like It at the RSC which wasn’t really a musical but sort of was with those fantastic Laura Marling originals? (Dumbass omission, I literally mentioned American Psycho in the opening and missed it from my list...)
And I can't be arsed to think of my top ten revivals but of the top of my head Company obvs and Imelda in Gypsy obvs but the Arcola's Carousel was psychologically incisive, beautiful to look at and listen to, and the heart behind that interpretation...
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2019 20:46:11 GMT
And so I wait with baited breath for the triumphant comeback (I hate that word, it's a return) of the British musical. This decade, the British musical gave us Six, which I think means WE WIN, but also included Matilda, The Clockmaker’s Daughter, Sunshine on Leith, Standing on the Sky’s Edge, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Little Bulb’s Orpheus, Made in Dagenham, Betty Blue Eyes, Girl from the North Country, American Psycho, The Light Princess, If You Kiss Me Kiss Me, Romantics Anonymous…
So when you say ‘return’, I assume you mean return of the mega-musical (I LOVED Made in Dagenham, but…) but isn’t this more exciting?! Before around 2015ish, the West End was profoundly unwelcoming for ANY new show – we couldn’t have had a Leopoldsholm this decade, not before stuff like A View from the Bridge and The Nether and King Charles III transferred and showed we want risk in our plays and not Barkings in Essexes. Personally I actually think one of the best things about the British musical TODAY is that it isn’t Broadway and Blockbusters – that bigness limits risk. Instead here, young experimental talents can do as they please – which I think peaked with Six.
Best British musical this decade, then? London Road. Name me one British musical from the pre-comeback era that did what London Road did, or one contemporary American musical that’s done it either. No, it didn’t transfer to Broadway, or even out of the Nash. No, the film didn’t do Bohemian Rhapsody figures. No, it hasn’t been revived since. It was, however, the most daring and original and humane musical I think I’ve seen. I’ll take that over a thousand Tootsies. Hell, for me the most politically pointed show of the decade was Jane Horrocks doing Depeche Mode. I love the modern British musical.
So yes, we didn't have a Les Mis or a Me and My Girl or a Cats this decade. But we had a Matilda, a London Road, a Bob Dylan fest, and a Six. Comeback? From Six back to Cats? Purrrrrrrrrrrr-lease... The British musical never went away.
P.S. My top ten, into which I’ve not put a lot of thought so probably will regret some dumbass omission: 1. wonder.land SIX - actually, dumbass omission, I didn't see Sunshine on Leith on stage, but I love the film and have argued it as genius for six years now, so a tie, cheekily, I guess 2. Fun Home 3. Hamilton duh 4. London Road 5. JANE HORROCKS DOING THE SMITHS WAS BIZARRELY BRILLIANT BITE ME 6. In the Heights yeah Lin Manuel’s got skill 7. Scottsboro Boys Kander and Ebb at their best 8. Made in Dagenham 9. Lazarus 10. Everybody’s Talking about Jamie 11. Can I also say how much I loved the As You Like It at the RSC which wasn’t really a musical but sort of was with those fantastic Laura Marling originals? (Dumbass omission, I literally mentioned American Psycho in the opening and missed it from my list...)
And I can't be arsed to think of my top ten revivals but of the top of my head Company obvs and Imelda in Gypsy obvs but the Arcola's Carousel was psychologically incisive, beautiful to look at and listen to, and the heart behind that interpretation...
Well, I guess I meant triumphant return of British musicals to people's top 10 lists - which for the last decade mainly comprise American musicals. And I think in the last decade the ratio of American:British in people's top 10 list has been higher than the previous 4 decades. I hear you, but in that list is only Matilda, Six and Jamie that are big UK hits. And if in an entire decade the UK can only provide 3 hits, I think that's a shame. The reason for this is of course multi-factorial, but it would be nice to see people in the UK have more home grown favourites.
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Post by Mr Crummles on Dec 25, 2019 1:09:38 GMT
I was going to restrict myself to musicals written in the decade, but realised that I wasn't able to go much further than Matilda, Hamilton and London Road.
So I just decided to write down my favourite productions, regardless of when they were composed:
Jesus Christ Superstar (Regent Park/Barbican) Merrily We Roll Along (Menier) Fiddler on the Roof (Current) Follies (NT) Candide (Menier) Company (Gielgud/2018) City of Angels (Donmar) Gypsy (Chichester) Sweeney Todd (Chichester) Into the Woods (Regent)
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Post by Being Alive on Dec 25, 2019 11:52:28 GMT
I'd have a much better, and more interesting list, if I did the top ten musicals I saw this decade...
They would be (in no particular order) Follies (NT) Company (Gielgud) Hello, Dolly (Broadway) My Fair Lady (Broadway) Fun Home (Young Vic) Hamilton (Victoria Palace) Come From Away (Phoenix) Matilda (Cambridge) Miss Saigon (Prince of Edward) 42nd Street (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane)
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Post by alece10 on Dec 25, 2019 18:45:58 GMT
I am going to cheat a bit as I cant come up with just 10 as there were so many fringe musicals I have loved as much as west end so I am going to do 2 lists and include NT in the west end category and they are not in any order of preference.
West End
London Bridge - NT Come from Away - Phoenix 42nd Street - Drury Lane Follies - NT Gypsy - Savoy (also saw it at Chichester) Funny Girl - Savoy (although much preferred it at the Menier) Half a Sixpence - Noel Coward (also saw it at Chichester) Kinky Boots - Adelphi Company - Gielgud Book of Mormon - Prince of Wales
Fringe
In the Heights - Southwark She Loves Me - Menier The Rink - Southwark Urinetown - The Other Palace Xanadu - Southwark Flowers for Mrs Harris - Chichester Grey Gardens - Southwark Candide - Menier Yank - Charing Cross Theatre Pirates of Penzance - Wiltons
And one that doesn't fit in anywhere which I absolutely adored - Oklahoma John Wilson Orchestra Proms (mainly for seeing Robert Fairchild for the first time).
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Dec 25, 2019 19:43:39 GMT
I've only been a frequent theatre goer since 2016 so I'm going to list 10 musicals out of the 600+ I've seen in the last four years that I immediately wanted to see again.
1 Daddy Long Legs. 2 Ragtime. 3 + Juliet 4 The Color Purple 5 Dr.Zhivago 6 Standing at the Sky's Edge 7 Half A Sixpence w/ Charlie Stemp 8 42nd Street 9 Broken Wings 10 Funny Girl
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