Thank You for the Music(al)

To a casual observer, a musical is very much a marmite type of theatre. You either love it, or you hate it. 

I always think of a musical like a tree; it has to find its roots before it resembles anything even remotely passable as a piece of theatre. The fascination with musicals for me stems from the fact that at its heart, a musical is a ridiculous concept. I mean, it's not commonplace for people to sing their way through a situation or a meeting, and, if you tried, you'd be laughed out of society for good. 

The thing that makes musicals work is ironically the thing that makes some people despise them. You lose the art of reality in a musical. In a play, unless the concept is wildly abstract, you
can imagine the scenarios presented before you are taking place in real life, albeit in a different corner of time and space, whether you relate to them or not. 

I always say about people who hate musicals the same thing I say about people who hate reading books: you just haven't found the right one. I believe this wholeheartedly, even if it sounds a trite cliched. I also think that there is always at least one musical that will transform, or has transformed, who you are, for good.

Now, my 'top ten musical' list has changed a little over the years, and I suspect this will continue to change the more theatre I consume, but there is a musical I will always adore slightly more than any other. 

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.

If you don't believe me, I can link you to the very facebook post where I shamelessly flaunted my second trip to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat at the London Palladium in the space of a week. Granted, I had been booked to see a different show that day, which unfortunately got cancelled due to illness (three guesses as to which newsworthy disease this may be referring to), but the point is when I thought about a replacement show, it didn't take me a moment to land on seeing Joseph again.

I grew up on the Donny Osmond film. My sister and I grew up together watching it, bonding over it, laughing at the same parts, imitating the actors to such a degree that our impressions carried us through life to the point where we can quote it still, and not just the songs but the way the characters performed certain lines, certain phrases. 

This is why it holds such a special place in my heart. A show about family made memories for MY family. 

So, what's the point of this article? I'm not here to persuade you on musicals if you absolutely to-your-bone hate them, but I think there's a case to be made that sometimes what makes a musical is that one moment, that one song or character that connects you in a way no other media has been able to imitate.

Some people see themselves in a Schuyler sister. Others may resonate with a Tudor queen (or six). Some people's stories are mirrored in the backdrop of Rydell High School, in a glittering emerald city, or tucked away in the shop of a former drag queen. 

Whatever your story or circumstance, a musical has more than likely covered it in some form, and if it hasn't, well the future is still unfolding as we speak. Musicals are being born every day like babies; all we can do is nurture and cherish each one, whether they are destined for the West End and Broadway, or whether they remain on one humble little stage. 

I do challenge people to find a musical they connect to, even if that ends up being the only one you ever see. If you're not sure if you'll love it or not, all I can say is take that leap of faith. 

I can one hundred percent say I would not be the person I am today if it weren't for the humble musical. I can't pretend to be good enough for a West End stage, but I will always do my best to be a star of a West End audience member. 

In a way, that is the part I was born to play.