176 posts
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Post by tom on Dec 28, 2016 10:42:41 GMT
For me it's Jesus Christ Superstar at Open air Theatre followed by Sunset Boulevard.
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4,596 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Dec 28, 2016 11:35:14 GMT
Titanic was very good. But Passion (Chatalet) was amazing 😄😄😄😄
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444 posts
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Post by theatreliker on Dec 28, 2016 16:51:00 GMT
Well it has to be Groundhog Day for me.
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1,010 posts
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Post by David J on Jan 2, 2017 23:51:53 GMT
My top 10 - Groundhog Day (Old Vic) (Best New Musical) - Whilst I thought the songs sort of blurred together due to the retentiveness of the story, I couldn't help but marvel at the creativity and heart put into this musical
- Ragtime (Charing Cross Theatre) (Best Musical Revival) - An awe-inspiring ensemble musical that follows so many characters trying to find a place in America. Wonderful performances given by a cast of actor/musicians
- Grey Gardens (Southwark Playhouse) - An odd one due to the tonal shifts between acts but still a bittersweet musical with such poignant music, performed brilliantly by Jenna Russell and the cast
- The Last Five Years (St James Place) - I might have liked this more if I had looked up the premise before hand. Still it is a wonderful and heart-rendering story about a relationship, performed beautifully by Samantha Barks and Jonathan Bailey
- Titanic (Charing Cross Theatre) - Another outstanding ensemble musical about the tragedy experienced by the Titanic disaster, with outstanding performances from the cast.
- Princess Caraboo (Finborough Theatre) - A fun and poignant little musical that brought to mind The Clockmaker's Daughter. Not as excellant as that but it still had plenty of heart.
- Funny Girl (Savoy Theatre) - Sheridan Smith gave a show-stopping performance as Funny Brice in this fantastic revival.
- Into the Woods (Menier Chocolate Factory) - An imaginative take on Sondheim's musical, performed with dexterity by the cast
- Show Boat (New London Theatre/Sheffield Theatre) - A wonderful revival of this musical.
- The Wind in the Willows (Mayflower Theatre) - Not perfect but I felt it captured the spirit of the book very well.
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716 posts
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Post by theatre-turtle on Jan 3, 2017 0:12:49 GMT
1. Sunset Boulevard
2. Titanic
Are the only stand-out moments for me.
Honourable mentions to Funny Girl, Last Five Years and Groundhog Day.
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1,868 posts
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Post by Marwood on Jan 3, 2017 0:45:33 GMT
Lazarus
Sunset Boulevard
Million Dollar Quartet
(don't go to many musicals)
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61 posts
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Post by junet on Jan 3, 2017 2:06:30 GMT
I would say Ragtime and The Last Five years are about equal first for me.
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Post by mrtumnus on Jan 4, 2017 10:24:41 GMT
No West End trips for me this year so touring productions only from me.
Guys and Dolls & Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for musicals
and Private Lives & Shawshank Redemption for the best plays.
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2,150 posts
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Post by richey on Jan 4, 2017 11:54:47 GMT
Sunset Boulevard And last minute regional entry for Strictly Ballroom
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jan 4, 2017 12:31:28 GMT
After consideration, I've ranked all the musicals I saw in 2016. I was hoping to see something else in December to bring it to a nice round 20, but 19 will have to do. Easily my biggest theatre-going year.
1. Sunset Boulevard (superb - I've never seen the show, never heard it in full before and didn't even really know the plot, so not only was I stunned by Glenn Close's performance, I thoroughly enjoyed the intrigue, twists and turns of what is surely one of ALW's best pieces.) 2. In the Heights (saw it three times in 2016, loved it every time.) 3. Miss Saigon (based solely on my viewing in 2016, when I deliberately went to see Sooha Kim's scheduled performance. From my previous viewing in late 2015 with Eva Noblezada, it would be higher.)
4. Children of Eden (probably my favourite musical, but the Union Theatre's production was lacking in some areas (underpowered vocals from some of the cast and too minimalist a design) - still a good enough musical to rank this high.) 5. The Toxic Avenger (my biggest surprise of 2016, just a thoroughly enjoyable evening.) 6. Titanic 7. School of Rock 8. Funny Girl 9. Wicked (I've seen it three times, so it's hard to compare to all these first-times surrounding it, but I think this is about right. For me it's now a solid, enjoyable night out, but it doesn't thrill me anymore.) 10. The Go-Between
11. Side Show 12. Grey Gardens 13. Mrs Henderson Presents (one stunner of a song surrounded by lots of mediocre-ness.) 14. The Bodyguard 15. Aladdin (disappointing - was one of my most highly anticipated shows of 2016.) 16. Guys and Dolls 17. wonder.land 18. Sunny Afternoon (probably a good show if you're the target audience. I'm really not.)
19. Murder Ballad (the only thing I regret seeing. Unlikeable, pointless and just dull.)
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2017 12:36:31 GMT
I think it might have been 'Titanic' for me.
I haven't cried so much since Tom Bateman served me with a restraining order.
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1,244 posts
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Post by londonmzfitz on Jan 4, 2017 14:25:33 GMT
Groundhog Day without a doubt. Saw it 4 times, I needed to see it a second time to listen and enjoy the quick, funny lyrics. And then I was all smitten groundhog over it and kept going back...
Sunset Boulevard second. Fangirled at stage door and got Ms Close's autograph. Twice (having seen the show three times). Felt truly blessed. Funny Girl runs third for me cos I loved loved loved Sheridan.
Titanic was a lovely piece, JCS was just too brutal and semi-staged for me, Grey Gardens was batty, Dreamgirls gets kudos for performances rather than the piece, ditto School of Rock. Aladdin was visually lovely, Guys and Dolls (my opinion) awful, enjoyed She Loves Me, bit meh about Murder Ballad - feel I should admire it but it was just OK. Same for Vanities The Musical.
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Post by singularsensation10 on Jan 4, 2017 18:07:19 GMT
Funny...I detested Groundhog Day but you all seem to adore it!
For me, In The Heights was my favourite. I thought it was a stunning production.
I loved Funny Girl and L5Y @ St James - although there were elements of both that bothered me, such as the (IMO!!!) (mis)casting for Funny Girl and the direction of L5Y. JRB is a fantastic writer but maybe let's leave it there.
Side Show at Southwark was a delight - but I'm a big Dearman fan and believe she can do no wrong. The direction for this also left something to be desired with lots of pivotal lines being played to the back wall.
Wicked is also in great shape at the moment - it received the shake up it needed so I love going back to see this more regularly than I did in 2015.
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7,534 posts
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Post by alece10 on Jan 4, 2017 18:27:30 GMT
I think mine would have to be Sunset Boulevard just for seeing Glen Close on stage closely followed by Grey Gardens.
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7,534 posts
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Post by alece10 on Jan 4, 2017 20:06:42 GMT
Mine would be Sunset Boulevard purely for the orchestra and seeing Glen Close on stage. Closely followed by Grey Gardens.
But really it has to be Funny Girl although I do have a vested interest in it.
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4,458 posts
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Post by poster J on Jan 4, 2017 20:26:51 GMT
I didn't get to see several of the musicals lots of people loved in 2016 unfortunately, but of the ones I did see for me it has to be Dreamgirls - almost all the leads are outstanding. Amber Riley's voice is astonishing. One of only two shows I saw in the UK during the year that I immediately thought I needed to see again (the other was Funny Girl).
And if we're going wider than the UK, then The Color Purple on Broadway is about equal with Dreamgirls for me.
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688 posts
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Post by sophie92 on Jan 4, 2017 20:33:59 GMT
My absolute top musical of 2016 was Stay Awake Jake, a one-man musical by Tim Gilvin, starring Jamie Muscato. It did a few performances as part of the Vault Festival in February and I knew then that it would take something special to knock it off the top spot - a gorgeous piece of theatre. Special mentions to Groundhog Day and Vanities, both of which I enjoyed so much that I had to visit more than once, and Strictly Ballroom, which was just so joyous and I really hope it gets a run in London, if only so I can see it again!
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jan 4, 2017 22:00:52 GMT
Wicked is also in great shape at the moment - it received the shake up it needed so I love going back to see this more regularly than I did in 2015. What have they done to shake it up?
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Post by singularsensation10 on Jan 4, 2017 23:13:15 GMT
Wicked is also in great shape at the moment - it received the shake up it needed so I love going back to see this more regularly than I did in 2015. What have they done to shake it up? The cast change was substantial enough to breathe a new lease of life into it - much needed as certain members of the previous cast were getting a bit lacklustre and, IMO, shouldn't have stayed as long as they did.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2017 23:22:35 GMT
I must agree that the cast now for Wicked have added a certian energy that certian members of the previous cast lacked (not all of the previous cast, but some!). And that, if I remember rightly, was a comment from a fair few the night the new cast begun!
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