I just left the cinema with a song in my heart and a tear in my eye after seeing La La Land. It is so worthy of the many award nominations and accolades it has received and can easily stand shoulder to shoulder with the great musicals of the past that it clearly reveres. I honestly prefer it to some of them. It is stuffed full of passion and magic with emotions so deep that I had no problem believing that the laws of time, reality and physics stopped existing. I don’t care if it is deemed ‘unrealistic’ and ‘flowery’ by others, I totally got it and I absolutely loved it.
I wanted to be in that colourful world where handbags and shoes don’t match and beautiful petals fall from the trees at just the right moment. It transported me into the star studded galaxy with the two lead actors and their smart two-tone tap shoes. It didn’t matter a jot that they weren’t the best singers or dancers, if anything that made it more accessible. We all need a bit of an escape into utopia now and again.
Who hasn’t mentally relived their life, changed their choices and imagined other outcomes? (that was one of my favourite bits). Also having been to hundreds of auditions, experienced playing to tiny audiences in tiny theatres and been a pianist in restaurants where no one listens, much of the script resonated with me. (Once I actually managed to squeeze ‘The Funeral March‘ in between ‘Rocket Man‘ and ‘It’s a long way to Tipperary‘ and not one diner noticed).
Can you imagine living in a world where people just burst into song and dance? How brilliant would that be? I’ve always like that idea, ever since I saw my first pantomime with my school friend Maxine. Her parents took us to see Cinderella, and Buttons suddenly started singing ‘If the Rains Got To Fall‘ from Half a Sixpence in anticipation of his date with Cinders. The stage transformed into a boating lake and he was rowing across the stage in a striped blazer and boater surrounded by a dance troupe in ruffles and bonnets. That was a real life changing moment for the little me. How marvellous, to sing your feelings out loud whenever the mood takes you. The magic of theatre 🙂
My eldest son, a 12 year old musical theatre junkie, sings constantly. He just can’t stop himself. As talented as he is, singing his responses to basic questions can be trying:
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ME: What would you like for tea?
TOBY: (singing loudly in a cockney accent) Food glorious food, hot sausage and mustard. While we’re in the mood, cold jelly and custard, pease pudding and saveloy our senses are reeling…
ME: (cutting him off) pasta?
TOBY: (singing loudly in a french accent) Soup de Jour, Hot hors d’oeuvres, Why, we only live to serve, try the grey stuff, it’s delicious
ME: (sigh)
TOBY: …..don’t believe me? ask the diiissssshes!
ME: are you actually hungry or not?
TOBY: (singing loudly, impersonating Barry White on speed) Feed me, Seymour, feed me all night long – Ha ha ha ha ha! Cause if you feed me, Seymour I can grow up big and strong.
ME: (stares silently)
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No I don’t know where he gets it either 🙂 but you get the picture right? That kind of spontaneous singing isn’t what I am getting at. I mean full on musical numbers at the drop of a hat, with the drama of West Side Story and the cinematic beauty of My Fair Lady.
Imagine…. you’re in Tesco’s….. you’ve been queuing for 15 minutes behind 6 depressed people wearing cagoules and scowls………when the lights suddenly dim, the orchestra starts and a rousing full on musical number begins…
The scowling cagoule wearers rip open their waterproofs to reveal spangly outfits.
“Open more tills, Open more tills…Why don’t they open more flippin’ tills?...”
(Two old ladies in feather boas pop their heads up from the freezer and sing )
“The self-serve ones have a longer queue…. and we’re due at bingo at half past two!”
(Old man on a mobility scooter wearing a silver top hat wheels through with a lovely tenor voice)
“I’ve brought my Margaret fish for tea …..I’ve been queuing so long I need a wee”
(The cashier dressed as a peacock in full make up chimes in)
“Thanks for waiting, we’re trying so hard, please can I have your loyalty card?”
Spinning trolleys, high kicking shelf stackers and everyone actually smiling at each other…showing their teeth.
Yes that’s where my mind goes.
I’m wasted really.
La La Land opens with a mahoosive traffic jam somewhere in Los Angeles and everyone jumps out of their cars singing and dancing in the sunshine to beat the blues. Now I can’t see that happening on the M40 into London on a Monday morning where fellow motorists would rather kill you than smile at you, but its a nice thought. I’m sure that sounds mad but as one of the songs in La La Land goes “a bit of madness is key to give us colour to see”. Yes I’m bonkers and glad to be so.
It’s a ‘feel good’ film that gave a boost to my artistic soul and I can’t believe wouldn’t raise the spirits of the most miserable person. I felt inspired. It made me want to play the piano again, a talent I have let go over the years. The jazz soundtrack is amazing. It also made me want to sing and learn to dance. Soooo I’ve decided. I am going to do just that!
50 Schmifty. I’m going to be a pebble rebel and make some ripples.
Watch this space x
All The World's A Glitterball 
Amazing Review. Loved it !
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