Musicals you’ve had your fill of.

Six.

I've not actually see it but here in London I see it everywhere! Posters on busses, at bus stops, on billboards and in tube tunnels; it's total saturation.

Heathers is another one.

I have the cast recording and have seen this one. Whilst it follows the same story (in my opinion) the film is much darker.

I know all the teenage girls are going crazy for it. At one point a year or two ago, there were three productions running simultaneously.

At one of the recent theatre quizzes, three giggling teenage came in, each in a different coloured costume having just come from (they said it together) Heathers-The Musical!

It’s very rare of me to go and see something again, unless it’s a whole new production or interpretation - for example I’ve seen numerous versions of A Christmas Carol (Bricusse, Lavery, RSC and Old Vic) but each one very different and it’s one I don’t tire of.

But the only thing that comes to mind that I feel I’ve exhausted is The Wizard of Oz - again each one a different production but doubt I will want to see anymore.

I feel the same about it actually. I saw the Dutch tour last year after a longer break an was actively dismayed by the terrible female characters - all the leads without exception (Fantine, Eponine, Cosette, Madame Thenardier) are absolutely dependant on men and don't have any agenda not dictated by a man. I knew sexism was rife in the other Boublil & Schoenberg shows but it had never stood out to me that harshly before in Les Mis.

Can't think of any others atm, except my eternal undead pet hatred for Tanz der Vampire over here.

Wicked I never minded, even if I'm not a big fan, but that might change with the growing hype around the movie and seeing money spinners like Wicked Lego Sets crop up.

There's a few sections of the original novel that read absolutely crazy in a modern context like when he talks about little girls at convents as being saintly virgins that are becoming goddesses and not yet being tied to a man. Looking up bits and pieces again, another quote of girls and dolls being intertwined in a big paragraph is another one that comes to mind. Eponine is the only character remotely independent in their own life but they still obsess over Marius. Boy, Hugo really loved the unrequited love thing

I will argue though that the musical doesn't really present Fantine as best as she can, the novel goes to great lengths to present her as a strong female character, even if starting naive and growing world-wise doing her best to protect her child in the first volume. He does a pretty good job at giving each of these characters their own agency, even if in the end they end up leaning on a man. So, half-progressive, half-not. There definitely was some change on the part of B&S to take away a lot of their agency.

Was gonna bring this up but I thought it was digging a bit deep! I totally agree with you.

Where the Thenardier's live are ages away from Montreuil-sur-Mer. I'd have to grab my copy of the book to check the journey but it takes Valjean a while to get there and by the time he does it is Christmas. She was so poor she would've had no chance to get there. The book also does mention she's working another job IIRC, I think working making clothes as well as the factory? She has no time for anything because she is just working. And the Thenardier's are manipulating her also for money. General sucky situation.

Though, back to the topic at hand, I can't see Mincemeat again. I saw it once and was pretty happy with it. Though I don't see musicals again often.

Hairspray - only if there was a must see-casting.
Everybody's Talking About Jamie - still listen to the music, but no desire to see again.
Priscilla - for me, it will never top the movie. Seen it two or three times because of casting.
Flashdance - seen it once, never again.
Same for a lot of jukebox musicals - great entertainment for an evening, but wouldn't rush to see it again.

Never seen, and not tempted:
Six - I probably know all the songs by now, but the concept doesn't appeal to me.
Cats - only put off by my late landlady (RIP) who hated it.

I think I have a bottomless pit of desire for musicals, just can never see things enough. The slightest cast change or understudy and I'm absolutely back on board like it's my first time. I'm up around 36/37 times for Heathers and I'd be there every night this week if that were possible.

I would struggle to sit through ‘Six’ or ‘Heathers’ again at the moment (although interesting casting could tempt me back). I’d just go and see ‘Frozen’ again or finally get around to ‘Cabaret’.

Oliver!

Blood Brothers
Les Miserables
Phantom of the Opera
Wicked
Heathers

Blood Brothers desperately needs a new creative team. As much as I love the 80s melodrama, some stuff is so "woomf, underwhelming" these days through gradual "direction generation loss"

The struggle between the two mothers inside of Mrs Johnstone's new house is played so flatly compared to how it was about 30 years ago, considering how significant it is.