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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2017 17:23:11 GMT
Im interested to hear peoples thoughts here. What are, in peoples opinion, the musicals with good books and bad books.
Ive read on here a few times people being a fan of a show but not liking the book (script between songs). Interested to know what people think works and doesn't.
Discuss.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2017 18:13:13 GMT
There are a number of musicals that have a bad everything, but for me the musical where I most regret the bad book because it's paired with a fantastic score would be On A Clear Day You Can See Forever. (Synopsis here.) The original cast recording with the wonderful Barbara Harris is one of my favourite OCRs of all time, but the book — telling a story of a psychiatrist who falls in love with the past life of one of his patients — is so ridiculous that it smothers the life out of the show. It would work as a book if it openly celebrated and revelled in its dreadfulness, but it takes itself so seriously that it just feels awkward and embarrassing. |
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2017 18:16:03 GMT
How do u have a bad AND good book?
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2017 18:53:46 GMT
How do u have a bad AND good book? Sorry bit tired so my wording is terrible. Im looking for examples of both musicals with good books and musicals with bad books. |
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2017 18:54:43 GMT
Im interested to hear peoples thoughts here. What, in peoples opinion, are the musicals with good books and at the other extreme musicals with bad books. Ive read on here a few times people being a fan of a show but not liking the book (script between songs). Interested to know what people think works and doesn't. Discuss. Re-Worded. |
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Post by primitivewallflower on May 4, 2017 19:15:12 GMT
In my mind, the wedge between book and score gets no wider than in West Side Story. Horrible book, legendary score.
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Post by LaLuPone on May 4, 2017 19:28:25 GMT
I'm going to bring my favourite musical into this (I think people are sick of having it crop up in most threads 😂) I think Wicked has an amazing book (I've heard a few people say it's the weaker part of the show) but I think it's brilliant - really funny, touching, educating, interesting, "matches" the score. I think another reason why Wicked has run so long is because it has a great book AND great score
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2017 22:30:15 GMT
To me, I always see the book as more than just the dialogue between songs, kind of like the structure and dramatic arc of the story. The ones that stand out to me are Matilda, Groundhog Day (ironically the book writers, Dennis Kelly and Danny Rubin, being the difference in the creative team of those two shows!) and Mary Poppins. I also thought The Book of Mormon and Avenue Q also were terrific.
I wouldn't say "bad" but I thought the book for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory left me underwhelmed.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2017 22:43:04 GMT
The book to Wonderland is just absolute nonsense, it makes no sense at all.
Guys and Dolls has one of the best books of them all.
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Post by kathryn on May 5, 2017 7:33:54 GMT
Love Never Dies springs to mind as having a bad book. It just didn't work.
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Post by Mr Snow on May 5, 2017 8:16:01 GMT
Guys and Dolls has one of the best books of them all. If you are interested you should read up on this. Loesser read a few of Runyon's stories, fell in love with the characters and songs just poured out of him I think there were 19 when Abe Burrows was asked could he connect them all up? (Apologies if you knew that already.) |
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Post by Mr Snow on May 5, 2017 8:18:46 GMT
In my mind, the wedge between book and score gets no wider than in West Side Story. Horrible book, legendary score. So you dont think that story has legs? Are you trying to provoke a negative response, or would you like to justify the comment? |
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Post by ShoesForRent on May 5, 2017 11:20:59 GMT
To me, I always see the book as more than just the dialogue between songs, kind of like the structure and dramatic arc of the story. Yes- a book is definitely all those things- its essentialy the play over which the music rests. It's been said several times Gypsy is the best book musical of all times- and I kind of agree- it's a fantastic book. |
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Post by Jon on May 5, 2017 15:14:38 GMT
I wouldn't say "bad" but I thought the book for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory left me underwhelmed. I think Charlie's issue was it was too faithful to the novel. Charlie pretty much get sidelined from Act 2 onwards, |
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Post by duncan on May 5, 2017 15:36:42 GMT
Love Never Dies springs to mind as having a bad book. It just didn't work. Came on to post LND - although I think the ALW score is wonderful (and I liked the animatronic horse) but dearie me the rest of the show was a car crash. I still cant believe they originally opened the show with that flashback 
If ever a score deserved a far better show......
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2017 18:04:39 GMT
In my mind, the wedge between book and score gets no wider than in West Side Story. Horrible book, legendary score. So you dont think that story has legs? Are you trying to provoke a negative response, or would you like to justify the comment? Interesting, given that its basically regurgitated Romeo & Juliet - I believe. |
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Post by primitivewallflower on May 5, 2017 19:05:58 GMT
In my mind, the wedge between book and score gets no wider than in West Side Story. Horrible book, legendary score. So you dont think that story has legs? Are you trying to provoke a negative response, or would you like to justify the comment? I honestly didn't think it was exactly inventing fire to argue that WSS had a bad book. The story arc is fine (it's just Romeo and Juliet after all) but it has a fair number of clunker or cringe-worthy lines. Not the worst book in absolute terms but the soaring heights of the music/lyrics make it worse by comparison. |
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Post by profquatermass on May 5, 2017 19:52:54 GMT
To me, I always see the book as more than just the dialogue between songs, kind of like the structure and dramatic arc of the story. Yes- a book is definitely all those things- its essentialy the play over which the music rests. It's been said several times Gypsy is the best book musical of all times- and I kind of agree- it's a fantastic book. I actually think Gypsy has a terrible book. Major characters just disappear and you're left wondering what happened to ...well, everyone but Gypsy Rose Lee. |
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2017 22:16:25 GMT
I wouldn't say "bad" but I thought the book for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory left me underwhelmed. I think Charlie's issue was it was too faithful to the novel. Charlie pretty much get sidelined from Act 2 onwards, I think the creatives probably knew this too in act two when they had Charlie and Grandpa Joe have their little (frankly pointless) conversations before entering or exiting a room behind Wonka and the other golden ticket winners, to allow time for a set change or something. I personally found the whole idea of Charlie being an wannabe inventor and the whole "something out of nothing" a bit too vague and cringey. I know it shouldn't be compared to Matilda just because they're both Dahl, but Matilda is a much better protagonist by far. And for me the main thing about the show in general was, (unlike both films and even the book!) it didn't make me hungry for chocolate!! I kept forgetting they were in a chocolate factory! |
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2017 22:18:37 GMT
I think Dear Evan Hansen's book completely ruins a show with an otherwise excellent cast, stellar production values and decent score.
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Post by hulmeman on May 7, 2017 1:08:45 GMT
Worst book ever is "Brigafriggindoon". I hate all the celtic schmooze. I wish to god it too was resurrected every hundred years!
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Post by mallardo on May 7, 2017 6:22:26 GMT
Worst book ever is "Brigafriggindoon". I hate all the celtic schmooze. I wish to god it too was resurrected every hundred years!
Have you ever seen it on stage? It works surprisingly well. Sentimentality is not always a bad thing.
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Post by d'James on May 7, 2017 9:48:30 GMT
It doesn't matter if Alexandra Burke is around!
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Post by Jan on May 7, 2017 10:35:19 GMT
Interesting topic. Thinking about it the book for Oklahoma ! is pretty feeble isn't it, but you don't notice.
Oliver! has a great book.
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Post by hulmeman on May 7, 2017 11:05:34 GMT
Worst book ever is "Brigafriggindoon". I hate all the celtic schmooze. I wish to god it too was resurrected every hundred years!
Have you ever seen it on stage? It works surprisingly well. Sentimentality is not always a bad thing.
Yes, I saw the 1988 production in the west end, which formed my opinion. |
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