Musical theatre: A form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance.
And in all honesty never been TLF’s favourite form of entertainment. While you can leave TLF unattended in front of a screen classic, well at least Oliver, Singing in the Rain and The Sound of Music, TLF has never seen the need to attend a theatre to take in songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance AT THE SAME TIME.
Want songs? Go to a gig.
Want spoken dialogue and acting? Go to a play.
Want dance? Stay in and watch Strictly.
Don’t throw them all into the entertainment blender and come up with some inane gloop, with a paper thin plot, attempting some kind of life-affirming feel good factor accompanied by some glittery costumes, big dance numbers and some simplistic catchy tunes.
UNLESS your musical theatre has football in it.
And a Cup Final.
With the risk of star striker Denis Sims, missing said Final.
Because he’s been expelled from school for wearing a dress.
Then I think you’ll find your average TLF might just applaud like a lunatic after every song and dance routine, go a bit misty eyed as life gets affirmed, laugh at a farting dog (you had to be there) and be first on her feet for the standing ovation.
And if you do it in the birthplace of Willy Shakespeare, performed by the RSC with lyrics and music by Guy Chambers and Robbie Williams, she really will be putty in your hands.
Clearly Brendan Rogers hasn’t been to see it yet. Some might think that Lesta’s draw against Norwich was down to Norwich playing a blinder and Rogers’s tactical error of changing to a diamond formation. But TLF and the RSC know better.
Should have picked the boy in a dress.
Elm Forest Fox
Matchday programme. Kinda