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2006: the Theatrical Year in London (Musicals)Dateline: 27th December, 2006I have gone on record in the past as saying that I am far from partial to musicals but needs must. In fact, that opinion has changed so that now I'm willing to confess that the biggest and best musicals make for a fine evening of entertainment but the second rate and worse really can be intolerable. Thankfully, London has been home to a stream of generally very strong musicals, particularly in the last third of 2006, so there is much to report. After a great deal heartache, my choice for the Best Musical of 2006 has gone to Avenue Q by Bobby Lopez and Jeff Marks, which was an absolute joy to watch when it arrived at the Noel Coward fresh from New York. It is funnier than anything else by a (Sesame) street and if that says something about this viewer's taste in comedy then all well and good. The songs generally contain great lyrics and are boppy enough to stick in the mind too. The loser by the shortest of heads is another American import, Tony Kushner's Caroline or Change at the National. This is really far too good a play about civil rights to end up as a musical but by importing American director, George C Wolfe and a large number of fantastic singers, this deeply political play is greatly enhanced. On a smaller stage at the Menier, London's first major revival of Little Shop of Horrors is so impressive that it is certain to end up in the West End during 2007. The comic combination of Sheridan Smith, Mike McShane and an electronic monster is far too good to remain in Southwark forever. For those who like their musical entertainment dark, Rufus Norris's revival of Cabaret starring Anna Maxwell Martin with its terrifying echoes of the Nazi death camps is unforgettable. The singing may not match the movie but it does not try to and as musical theatre, this is something pretty special. The West End saw a number of really big-budget musicals of which the finest was probably Michael Grandage's revival of Rice and Lloyd Webber's very best work Evita, starring Argentinian sensation Elena Roger. Very close behind is The Sound of Music in which Connie Fisher got all of the publicity thanks to her unusual selection - by a TV audience rather than a producer - but this should take nothing away from lovely Lesley Garrett and all those sweet little children. Monty Python fans have been wetting themselves over the prospect of Spamalot and will not be disappointed, assuming that they can get tickets. It could be even better with the arrival of Simon Russell Beale to take over the crown of King Arthur in the New Year. The other big US import was Wicked, the Wizard of Oz prequel starring the delightful Idina Menzel and Helen Dallimore. This garnered some rather sniffy reviews but has memorable songs, heart-on-sleeve sentiments and a big fan club. Sir Trevor Nunn's Porgy and Bess seemed to please most, although it may have been a mistake to see the DVD of his operatic production from twenty years before in advance of attending the musical. This second generation, second cousin may look similar but the singing is about three leagues down. The hottest tickets in town are those for Dirty Dancing, an incredibly accurate reproduction of a film on stage and absolutely guaranteed to make its producers rich when there are so many DD junkies desperate to see it again and again. It is rarely a good idea to go and see pop rehash retrospective musicals unless you love the band. The Boney M homage, Daddy Cool, was unforgettable for the quality of the acting, which was embarrassingly low; rather than the music or limp plot. However, the band have sold more records than one could conceivably imagine and the purchasers of those are clearly also willing to fund a healthy run of the musical through box-office sales. Finally, what can one say about a 20 ft-high black-and-white Frank Sinatra? Philip Fisher
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