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Thread: Best musical in london ?

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    Best musical in london ?

    I'm about to go and see a musical but can't really decide which one.

    Ideally I'd like something with a lot of (good) dancing it in (surprise, surprise ).

    Anybody recommends something ?
    I've thought about Dirty Dancing (just cause it has to be done!), but is it really good ?


    Oh... also whichever I'll go and see, I'll have another (free - looks like I managed to make my boss think I was working really hard ) ticket... I accept all sort of bribes

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    Dickie Davies' love-child Cruella's Avatar
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    Re: Best musical in london ?

    No dancing in it, but if you want to have some laughs, go to see Avenue Q. It's like an adult version of Sesame Street. I really enjoyed it.

    Stomp was great too, more to do with the music and rhythms, but still good to see from a dancers perspective. You might even get to see an ex Ceroc teacher (Dan Baines) stomping his way through it.
    Last edited by Cruella; 7th-August-2008 at 10:29 AM.

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    Registered User David Franklin's Avatar
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    Re: Best musical in london ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Caro View Post
    I've thought about Dirty Dancing (just cause it has to be done!), but is it really good ?
    I saw DD just after it opened; at that point the audience was probably 95% hard core fans who knew the movie off by heart. So the feel of the musical was almost "Rocky Horror": you're not supposed to be following the plot, you're supposed to already know it in almost every detail. (Big audience reactions on the well known lines like "Nobody puts Baby in the corner").

    Don't know if it's still like that, but with the cost of tickets these days, I suspect it's still largely the devoted fans who are going.

    Up to you if that's your sort of thing or not - it was a lot of fun, and it'll put a smile on your face, but you won't leave thinking "that changed my world".

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    Re: Best musical in london ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Cruella View Post
    No dancing in it, but if you want to have some laughs, go to see Avenue Q. It's like an adult version of Sesame Street. I really enjoyed it.
    I see 2 problems with that:

    Quote Originally Posted by Caro View Post
    I'd like something with a lot of (good) dancing it in (surprise, surprise ).


    and I have no idea what Sesame street is...

    but thanks for the suggestion

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    Re: Best musical in london ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Cruella View Post
    No dancing in it, but if you want to have some laughs, go to see Avenue Q. It's like an adult version of Sesame Street. I really enjoyed it.
    Absolutely loved this show.

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    Re: Best musical in london ?

    I went to DD with Emma shortly after it opened, the atmosphere was fab and the show was super. Unlikely to be the same chap but it did take me 20 mins or so to get over my shock that Johnny seemed a bit wee ...then he took his shirt off and it was all ok again.
    I seem to remember that it was the camp camp that started the audience participation, but the flustered wimin (of whom we were were def two as time went by) were not far behind. The scene with Penny teaching Baby *from behind* was the sexiest thing I have ever seen on the stage, and I never thought I was that way inclined at all. Penny wore an all in one black leotard thingy that left nothing to the imagination and had legs that went way past her ears. Not a real woman but stunning to look at on a stage.
    I'd love to go again. Was not ultimately disappoined in any way at all. I'd recommend paying top whack and getting as close to the stage as poss. I came away loving dancing all over again. Unless they've changed the cast (level) drastically from then, I'm sure you won't be disappointed Caro. Go for it.

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    Re: Best musical in london ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Cruella View Post
    Stomp was great too, more to do with the music and rhythms, but still good to see from a dancers perspective. You might even get to see an ex Ceroc teacher (Dan Baines) stomping his way through it.
    Brilliant - the only show I have been to twice............

    Apparently West Side Story at the Sadlers Wells was great last weeekend - not sure if it is still on.

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    Commercial Operator Rocky's Avatar
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    Re: Best musical in london ?

    Depends what you want of course... but one of the best musicals ever IMO is Les Miserables, now at the Queen's Theatre (not a lot of dancing in it but there is a nice scene with some prostitutes).

    French and misreable... Hmmm....

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    Re: Best musical in london ?

    If you want dancing, I've heard that you can't hope for better than Billy Elliot. Although I haven't seen it myself, I've seen clips on t'box and the boys in the lead role have a variety of oustanding styles. Music's not particularly special, but the story's pretty cool (doesn't matter if you haven't seen the film).

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    Re: Best musical in london ?

    Not know what Sesame street is??

    Whitetiger

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    Re: Best musical in london ?

    Not a dancing one, but Phantom of the Opera is AMAZING!!!

    I also really enjoyed Zorro (although apparently the reviews haven't been all that great) - I thought it was fab!

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    Re: Best musical in london ?

    Quote Originally Posted by whitetiger1518 View Post
    Not know what Sesame street is??

    Whitetiger
    A mix of one of the

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    Re: Best musical in london ?

    If it's the dancing you're into I'd advise 'Saturday Night Fever' - I've seen it three times now and the dancing is brilliant.

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    Re: Best musical in london ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Sparkles View Post
    If it's the dancing you're into I'd advise 'Saturday Night Fever' - I've seen it three times now and the dancing is brilliant.
    yes I've seen that one when it was up in Aberdeen - loved it. I do remember thinking there was some cool dancing too

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    Re: Best musical in london ?

    As a very big musical fan i would recommend chicago!

    also hairspray if you want dancing

    i want to see this musical

    Into the Hoods | Novello Theatre, London, UK

    this is based on steven sondheim's musical Into the woods but is a more updated version on fairytale's turned into hip hop.

    Britain's got talent 2008 winner George Sampson is in it from 4th august till the 30th.

    it's had great reviews so far.

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    Re: Best musical in london ?

    my recommendation would be Les Mis - saw it in May and if was brilliant - it is also my all time fav current musical!

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    Re: Best musical in london ?

    Les Mis for sheer emotion and drama, or Chicago for humour and superb dancing.

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    Re: Best musical in london ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Tessalicious View Post
    If you want dancing, I've heard that you can't hope for better than Billy Elliot. Although I haven't seen it myself, I've seen clips on t'box and the boys in the lead role have a variety of oustanding styles. Music's not particularly special, but the story's pretty cool (doesn't matter if you haven't seen the film).
    I loved this show, laughed all the way through it and would go to see it again tomorrow. The dancing from the two boy leads was amazing and the rest of the cast were pretty damn good too.

    Might help if you understood a little of the political situation of the time - the american next me complained all the way through that he didn't understand why people were laughing

    As Tessalicious said, you don't need to have watched the film but I did go home and watch it again cos I loved it

    Whatever you choose I hope you enjoy it!

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    Re: Best musical in london ?

    Would recommend Stomp for dancing, its so unusual and the skill of the dancers was great. i would never thought you could dance with a dustpan and brush!

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    Re: Best musical in london ?

    well... so my little wifey Jennifer and I went to see Dirty Dancing.

    Overall I had a great time and thought the show was very entertaining, but...

    the dancing wasn't very good.
    ...
    ...
    ...

    Screw that British diplomacy thing, it was dreadful.

    No question that individually they're all great (ballet / jazz) dancers and can do lifts and splits in every possible direction you can think of.
    But when it came to dancing with each other...

    I'd never thought that I'd critique the technique of professional dancers, but honestly, it was just too much.
    In fact it was so bad that it is safe to say that most people who've done a couple of months of MJ have better frame and connection.
    I mean when you start thinking that the lead guy is such a yanker that you wouldn't want him anywhere close to you, it kinda ruins the fantasy, doesn't it? You're supposed to be drooling and craving for a dance with him and all that, right?
    I'm not even talking about latin technique... I don't know much about latin myself and didn't expect the crew to be professional latin dancers, but it struck me how un-latin it all looked. The hip movement was so forced it just looked wrong.
    You'd think that they'd have had some coaching by a latin couple ? Hell even I could coach them on partner dancing and frame issues.


    On a aside note, I thought the lead guy looked a bit like Michael Kielbasa. A smaller version anyway!

    On another aside note... Penny's legs...


    Anyways, now I've decided not to go to musicals to see great dancing. Surely there must be some awesome dancing shows in London ? Anybody got any recommendation ? I'd particularly like to see some contemporary dancing with or without fusion with other genres.

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