Most Overrated Musical??

Wicked is way up there, also City of Angels on Broadway On Your Feet and A American in Paris.

A couple of people have said Miss Saigon, which I the end it was far from pointless and ended up as a important piece of work, it highlighted the Bui-Doi (Dust of Life) children, children born between vietnesse woman and American GI's, these poor soles ended up in camps and despised by the vietnesse, so before this went to Broadway, it made the US front up and take responsibility and take a lot of these people in as US citizen.

It was said in the Vietnam war that the American GI's went into the villages to win the heart and minds, it was the Vietnesse that won the minds, Miss Saigon shows this excellently.

A part from the fact that is racist

Passion. I know it's Sondheim, but most of the music is God awful and I wanted the main character to die quickly as all she does is moan (similar to Miss Saigon funnily enough). Sondheim isn't the deity many think he is, and this is the evidence.

Most overrated - of late, I would say JC Superstar. I thought the Lyceum production was superb but the tour after with video cams etc and the stadium tour were awful. Lets hope the Open Air production is superior to those.

Mamma Mia - Hated the film and whilst the stage version the musical is so paint by numbers artificial

The Lion King - as people have said on the broadway world boards The Circle of Life is outstanding but the rest is just boring. Julie Taymour may be a visual storyteller, but it's just the film copied and pasted onto the stage with African masks. Sure there's a few deviations and some African dancing, but who remembers the most? That or the Elton John and Tim Rice songs. The film is better in my opinion.

Wicked - come and learn how the witches of oz became friends, where we'll throw in some important issues like racism and there's more to people than looks. But first let's take you to the Halls of Clicheville, full of every character type from American high school/college films

There was once a time when I was bowled over by Wicked when I saw the original London cast. Used to listen to the music but now the cast recording doesn't even appear on my iPhone.

I do think the music is flawed though I can't put my finger on why. I thought I read somewhere that Schwartz relies on two chord themes (? - I'm not good at music terminologies). I certainly think the musical goes between loud and dark (elphabas theme) and light and ditzy (Glindas)

Anyone like to give a (REASONABLE) explanation why the music and lyrics are perfect/flawed. I'm genuinely intetested.

Miss Saigon - I don't think this is massively overrated (I don't think it condoles the sexist/racist attitudes, it was just the way things were). I love that it has a story that spans years and includes many characters like Les Mis. I just find that it starts strongly as a romance and then the 3 year jump is such a disconnect that I loose all emotional investment until the nightmare fills in what happened. Dramatic licence sure but I never found it the emotional roller coaster people see it as

Billy Elliot - Saw the broadcast and never got why it received all the praise. Having people get into large huge dresses and trance around in 'expressing yourself'. Seriously?

Cats - As others said, not much to it. Hard to even sympathise with the cats (or at least the elders) when they dislike Grizabella for vague reasons

Spamalot tour - not a scratch on the original

South Pacific - I'm not a r&h fan but all this is is a bunch of soldiers and natives hanging around on an island

Book of Mormon - Liked it. Don't need to see it again.

Phantom - AGAIN I don't think it is overtly overrated. I saw it last January for the third time, because if there's ever a reason to see it again it would be JOJ. But I am in no hurry to see it again (unless Earl Carpenter comes back).

Unlike Wicked I keep listening to some of the songs. Mainly the overture and moments with the phantom theme music, the title song, music of the night, stranger than you dreampt it, all I ask of you (reprise), wishing you were somehow here again, past the point of no return, down once more and the final lair.

See any connection between those songs I've listed? They mainly involve Christine and the Phantom (when he's not up in the rafters). Those are the only moments I find fascinating. The rest of the musical I just find boring. Like in a horror film the rest of the characters are types for the Phantom to ruin their day.

And just to round off, if I could give theatres a few million pounds to avoid doing these over-revived musicals they would be

Oliver
Sound of Music
Joseph

How is racist ?

She's considered the star of the show, yet spends most of it in her dressing room and when she does eventually turn up she sings one of the most overdone songs in musical theatre history. Twice. Seems like reason enough to me.

Book of Mormon for me too - reasonably good, reasonably funny. Don't get the adoration this receives though.
Phantom of the Opera - a few impressive/memorable numbers, but I don't see how it's lasted (well, I do - tourists).

Just a quick note, I am quite surprised to see the universal dislike of Wicked, anyone I've met in the theatre who has sat near me, who I have talked with after the show, has given nothing but rave reviews of the show for its music, lighting, costumes and set design. I am genuinely curious as to why people would describe it as dull or boring etc... I think it does depend a lot on the cast also. I have seen Wicked 15 times to date and I adore the show more than ever, that's not to say however that certain cast members have let me down on occasion and can affect the overall perception of the show (especially if the roles of Elphaba or Glinda are very badly cast) And to the member who commented on the sanity of those who see Wicked more than once, I have seen the show 7 times in 4 days and they still allow me to go about in public

On the main topic of this thread, I would have to say Phantom of the Opera, the music was beautiful but the show was sometimes very slow and didn't do much to keep my attention (also, the dreadful legroom in the circle of Her Majesty's probably did not help)

In the heights - think I might be alone on this as all I have read on this and the old message board are positive reviews.

Kinky boots - I didn't hate this but feel it's not as good as everyone says it is - in my opinion anyway!

Not actually seen this one live I have only heard the cast recording and watched you tube clips etc but Hamilton.

for me, Oliver. A surprisingly thin piece, and clumsily structured.......