http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/david-sexton-how-can-anyone-who-loves-music-enjoy-musicals-8445520.html
Dear David Sexton –
Dear David Sexton –
In response to your recent article in the Evening Standard entitled ‘How can anyone
who loves music enjoy musicals?’ – in which you so fairly and diplomatically
call musicals ‘embarrassing and stupid’ I would like to raise a few points. If
you don’t mind, dear.
Firstly - thank you so much for such a wonderful and
well-rounded argument…
In your opinion musicals have bad music, melodramatic
plots - and nobody over the age of five
who has any taste at all could possibly like them. Well, I hate to say it, but
I disagree.
You imply that people, like yourself, who loathe musicals
are far superior – both in their artistic tastes and general intelligence. It
takes skill, understanding, and huge talent to even consider writing a musical.
And I need not mention the talent, stamina and years of training it takes to
become a competent musical theatre performer. While I realise your article is
not a direct stab at performers – it does rather imply that their efforts and
training should have been spent elsewhere. Forgive me, but I disagree. Musicals
are such a hard craft to perfect – and many of our performers are the best in
the world. To suggest that people are actually ‘repelled’ by watching people at
the top of their game seems extreme and ignorant.
Your narrow-minded view suggests a general lack of
understanding of the art-form – and implies that anything you do not like is simply
‘unworthy’. I am not a fan of football – but appreciate the skill, dedication
and joy it brings to millions. I am aware of my own ignorance of the sport but
would never class myself above anybody who finds football an important part of
their life. Does that make me weak and soft-centred by not looking down on people
who adore something that I do not? No – it just makes me someone who understands
that everybody has a different passion and desire, and whether this be sport,
art, food, literature or simply ‘Angry Birds’ I do not feel compelled to judge
and mock.
A musical, like any other art form, is something to be
celebrated and encouraged. Anything that provides relief, distraction and comfort
in today’s depressing climate surely should be admired and not despised. Art is
after all a response to human nature and surely if that response is captured by
any means at all it should be embraced and respected – not ridiculed and
bullied.
And just for you,
dear David – here are a few little facts about musicals:
Great British and Broadway Musicals were one of the biggest
forms of entertainment during WW1 – providing an important role in keeping people’s
spirits up. A good melody written by Richard Rogers, Irving berlin or Cole Porter provided the perfect accompaniment in aiding people’s escapism – and was
indeed not looked on as being ‘banal’.
There is a reason why musicals have been, and always will be
successful – indeed even after the Great Depression when the talking movie was
supposed to bury the musical, the 1930s in fact turned out to be it’s golden
age – turning the Great Depression into an epic theme, and producing some
wonderful, brave and fresh work. These musicals came as a direct reflection and
reaction to what was happening in the world - just as musicals do today. Take
London Road at the National last year – which documents the events of 2006
during the Ipswich serial murders, and how the residents on London Road coped
with the events. The piece pushed boundaries, raised dark questions about
society and togetherness, and succeeded in being utterly compelling, innovative
and thoroughly explorative.
As for your point about enjoying Opera – because the singers
don’t really attempt to act - I disagree. I have seen many operas where the
acting has been first-class. And in truth the line between musical theatre and
opera is a fine one anyway – surely Sweeney Todd is a truly great opera? Did you
go and see the recent revival with the marvellous Michael Ball and Imelda
Staunton? No, I bet you didn’t. I imagine however you found the time to skulk
past the theatre in a pair of loafers and sneer at members of the public as
they walked in to enjoy themselves for two hours. How dare anyone go and enjoy
some first rate escapism if it is in a genre you consider ‘idiotic’?
My dear David - you may find it interesting to know that in
2012 West End theatre revenues were higher by 3.1% than the year before – to
£528,375,874. And there has been year-on-year growth for the past eight years.
Not bad for a business that is ‘embarrassing and stupid’.
You criticise Lloyd Webber about the world of ‘inflated
tastelessness’ that he has created. Well this ‘world’ has been admired and embraced
the world over – and Lloyd Webber’s musicals have helped establish London’s
Theatre-land as the best in the world. You also sneer that ’nobody over the age
of 5 who has any taste at all could possibly like’ Lloyd Webber’s shows. But isn’t that a marvellous thing? To be
entertained to such an extent that you feel like a 5 year old again – I would
buy a season ticket for that, dear.
And just for your information - ‘embarrassing and stupid’ musical
theatre has played a hugely important role to in the development of entertainment
since it’s birth. Looking back in it’s history there have been numerous
occasions where the musical has challenged social stigmas, raised controversial
issues, and indeed changed the way entertainment as a whole now exists. Take
the musical ‘HAIR’ for example – the production effectively marked the end of
stage censorship in the UK.
You moan about valuing music and drama so highly that you
are loath to having them travestied. Well I put to you that even our greatest
dramatist Shakespeare knew the value of music in drama – and included the text
of well over 100 songs in his works. The point of these songs – to aid in
telling the story. And when I have seen these songs performed in versions of
his plays I have never sat back and thought ‘ Shakespeare – why would you want
banal, idiotic and silly little songs in your works?’. He knew the value of
song and music in theatre and entertainment. And do you think that music on
it’s own is not dramatic – of course it is. The best songs in history tell a
story and express an emotion - exactly like songs do in a musical. And what
about music videos – where artists have been acting through their songs for
years? In your article you suggest you hate anything that involves both singing
AND acting. I think the problem may be
that your head cannot deal with these two things happening at once. And as you
are fully aware many artists and musicians these days embrace the idea and
concept of having their music turned into a musical.
Last week saw the UK opening of the Les Mis movie. I read
your review with interest, but of course knew you would not be impressed. I am
pleased to say you are in the minority. And it is wonderful that Les Mis is
reaching it’s heart out to a brand new audience. So I’m sorry to report David that
while you sit at your desk and get red-faced and impotent in your anti-musical
rages the fan-base for musical theatre is increasing.
Personally David I think ‘the lady doth protest too much’.
It’s time for you to embrace a growing genre, get your hands out of your
pockets, and start practising your jazz hands, dear.
