As a form, musicals represent a hybrid of sorts. They combine elements of plays, operas, and dance and, of course, music. Sources indicate that a genre recognisable as musical theatre can be traced back as far as ancient Greece. Musical theatre has experienced a vibrant run on the cultural stage over the last 80 years, reflecting and enriching society with its colourful pageantry of song, dance and storytelling.
In contemporary times, musicals, if they're good, can capture the mood and feeling of a certain era and serve as a touchstone to the past, a way for the audience to reconnect with earlier days as times change. Productions like South Pacific, Hair and Chicago stand as timeless classics. They evoke the spirit of the age, whether the hero d'jour is a GI, a hippie or a gangster. The songs, the language, the manner of dress all combine to create the desired context.
Musicals also have the ability to raise political points and are no strangers to controversy. Jesus Christ Superstar, Allegro and Rent all managed to arouse the ire of the critics and the morality police. This speaks to the effectiveness of the form as a vehicle for social critique and the examination of previously unquestioned beliefs whilst demonstrating the urge of writers and composers to push the creative boundaries. It also shows that musical theatre is, underneath all the trappings, so often about real life and real people.
In the UK, London is the place to be if you want to see a musical. Cats, Les Miserables, Greece and Fame are just a few of the great, well known musicals. Book your London West End Theatre Tickets now. If you are planning on a trip to the big city to the west end then there are many hotels to choose from in the area. If you can't find any where suitable, or in your price range then you could really stay anywhere in the city centre as the underground tubes will take you directly into the west end. Try searching these London West End Hotels or you could hire a car, although with so much public transport if you are planning on staying in the center then you wont need a car, but if you are planning on driving around London then try this Car Hire website.
In contemporary times, musicals, if they're good, can capture the mood and feeling of a certain era and serve as a touchstone to the past, a way for the audience to reconnect with earlier days as times change. Productions like South Pacific, Hair and Chicago stand as timeless classics. They evoke the spirit of the age, whether the hero d'jour is a GI, a hippie or a gangster. The songs, the language, the manner of dress all combine to create the desired context.
Musicals also have the ability to raise political points and are no strangers to controversy. Jesus Christ Superstar, Allegro and Rent all managed to arouse the ire of the critics and the morality police. This speaks to the effectiveness of the form as a vehicle for social critique and the examination of previously unquestioned beliefs whilst demonstrating the urge of writers and composers to push the creative boundaries. It also shows that musical theatre is, underneath all the trappings, so often about real life and real people.
In the UK, London is the place to be if you want to see a musical. Cats, Les Miserables, Greece and Fame are just a few of the great, well known musicals. Book your London West End Theatre Tickets now. If you are planning on a trip to the big city to the west end then there are many hotels to choose from in the area. If you can't find any where suitable, or in your price range then you could really stay anywhere in the city centre as the underground tubes will take you directly into the west end. Try searching these London West End Hotels or you could hire a car, although with so much public transport if you are planning on staying in the center then you wont need a car, but if you are planning on driving around London then try this Car Hire website.