Musical Lyrical Lingo
We're Musical Lyrical Lingo!
Join Tim and Lj who delve deep into the wonderful world of musical theatre and more importantly the lessons they have learned from different musicals.
Join them as they explore some of the greatest musicals ever created, from the classics to the new and exciting shows that continue to teach us something new.
So whether you're a seasoned fan of the stage or a newcomer, this podcast is for you.
So sit back, relax and get ready to immerse yourself in the world of musical theatre.
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Musical Lyrical Lingo
Ghost: Love Beyond Death
Ever watched a show that left you hyperventilating with emotion as you exited the theatre? That's exactly what happened to Tim after experiencing Ghost the Musical at London's Piccadilly Theatre. Join us as we unpack this spectacular adaptation of the beloved 1990 film that brought supernatural romance to the stage in ways that were both technically astonishing and emotionally devastating.
We dive deep into the groundbreaking illusions created by master magician Paul Kieve that had audiences (and even Penn & Teller) utterly mesmerized. From Sam walking through doors to objects moving without explanation, these weren't just theatrical tricks but essential storytelling elements that made the ghostly premise believable and profoundly moving. Did you know the production required 27 miles of cable just for its technical elements? The sheer ambition of this show might explain both its brilliance and its relatively short West End run.
The conversation takes a surprisingly personal turn as we explore the musical's central theme – how we communicate love to those most important to us. Sam's reliance on saying "ditto" instead of "I love you" sparks a fascinating discussion about love languages and the different ways we express affection. Whether it's through words, hugs, acts of service, or presenting flowers, the podcast hosts share touching insights into their own relationships that mirror the musical's emotional core.
Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) and Glen Ballard (Jagged Little Pill) created a score unlike anything in traditional musical theatre, while still incorporating the iconic "Unchained Melody" that's become one of the highest-earning royalty generators in music history. With standout performances from original cast members Richard Fleeshman, Caissie Levy, and Sharon D Clark, Ghost the Musical proves that some stories transcend their medium – just as love transcends death itself.
Whether you've seen the show, loved the film, or simply enjoy exploring how theatrical magic can create genuine emotional connection, this episode will make you believe in the power of musical theatre to touch the heart. Subscribe now and join our community of theatre lovers exploring what musicals teach us about life!
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Hello and welcome to Musical Lyrical Lingo. We're your hosts.
Speaker 2:Tim and LJ. Today and every week we will be discussing musicals, but specifically what they taught us.
Speaker 1:Philip is very uppity there because we've just been joking around. I know we have. I was like wow, Joking around.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you were in good spirits there, yeah. Good spirits For a change. No, I'm just joking.
Speaker 1:Okay, bye, I'm out of here. I'm going to jiggle. Well, how are you? I'm fine, good. It's been so long since I last saw you.
Speaker 2:I know We've survived the showcase.
Speaker 1:We're all good.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're all good.
Speaker 1:The show went well, hopefully. Fingers crossed last week really good.
Speaker 2:It was wonderful Master. It was really good, it was wonderful Masterpiece Outstanding.
Speaker 1:Do you think they wonder why we're still in the same clothes?
Speaker 2:We've gone you know two weeks in a row. No, I think they know, Do they know?
Speaker 1:Right, okay, that's fine.
Speaker 2:I just love how you still pretend I wouldn't want them to think I'm Inger-like.
Speaker 1:She just spilled a face if you're not watching on?
Speaker 1:Do you put this out on youtube still? Do you actually fill episodes? Yeah, oh, that's horrendous. I saw one of. I saw one of the clips that you put on social media of a previous episode. I literally look like a marshmallow absolutely do. In fact, I feel like I need to change the angle in which I'm sitting on this site. Like, honest to gosh, a marshmallow. I looked a marsh, I was even in this. I do think it would be better if it was just our faces, but you know we'll eventually Honest to gosh a marshmallow.
Speaker 2:I looked, I was even in the colour of a marshmallow. I do think it would be better if it was just our faces, but you know we'll eventually get there.
Speaker 1:It's the most comfy sofa, but you do sink into it.
Speaker 2:Oh, you do sink. You're like yeah.
Speaker 1:So then you just look Big marshmallow. Anyway, tell us your theatre news In the world of musical theatre. However, my first theatre news isn't actually a musical, but it pricked my interest. The talented Mr Ripley.
Speaker 2:Oh, I just can't get into that. No.
Speaker 1:Well, an adaptation is to embark on a new tour. The production opens in the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham on the 4th of September, which coincides with the 70th anniversary of the novel.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay, not interested. I mean, I just I don't think I understood it. Maybe you'll be interested in West End Live. Yes it has confirmed it's participating shows this year. So this free of charge celebration I still love the fact that this happens every year and it's free, and it's a two day event in Trafalgar Square and anybody can go to it and just have a full day of musical theatre goodness.
Speaker 2:And it's getting bigger and bigger every year.
Speaker 1:It is Like I started to write down the list of participating shows and then went. You know what stuff this and my hands hurting. So two day celebration on the 21st and the 22nd of June in Trafalgar Square, and the line-up includes Addams Family, which I did not know, but the Addams Family UK tour that is coming, starring Alexandra Burke. Did you tell me this in the pod?
Speaker 2:and I just didn't listen. Yeah, I think you've been living under a rock and they just released pictures this week.
Speaker 1:But that's why, maybe why I'm talking about it now, because I saw a picture and went never, Did you say this on the pod.
Speaker 2:Well, maybe I didn't say it on the pod, but I knew about it.
Speaker 1:I love.
Speaker 2:Alexandra Burke, I know.
Speaker 1:She was amazing in Bodyguard, the musical.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's right, you said she was great.
Speaker 1:Anyway, adam's Family, aaron's favourite, back to the Future, yeah, booker Mormon.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Brigadoon, which is Regent's. Park isn't it Open Air Burlesque, who has also Announced its cast Orloff Yep. Is Orloff Yep as in? Like Legally blonde Yep Alumni, yep Paulette herself Is going to be Coming to the West End, I know In Burlesque. I thought that was A really cool casting and a ticket she's playing, sure sure, yes, oh, my goodness, she'll be amazing.
Speaker 2:You haven't seen the rest of me.
Speaker 1:That was my impression of Orloff doing Cher.
Speaker 2:Okay, not Cher.
Speaker 1:No, no, no, it was a bit more.
Speaker 2:They still haven't. It's still that short run, isn't it? Because Mean Girls is closing this week. I know, well done, zoe yeah, it's closing this week and then Burlesque is going in over the summer and then it's Paddington, but I'm still waiting on another Burlesque.
Speaker 1:What I've said before is I think they're trying it in the Savoy and then it's going to go to another venue, go to another venue or tour or something like that. Cabaret, clueless. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button dying to see that Devil Wears Prada, which I kind of forgot was in the West End, but like still going strong, and Vanessa Williams is still there, still there Good for her.
Speaker 2:You'll be interested for this one, disney's Hercules, I know.
Speaker 1:However atrocious Britain's Got Talent performance, we never talked about it.
Speaker 2:I know it was atrocious, it just wasn't great.
Speaker 1:It was. I'll be honest, I'm going to put it out there. You can bite me and fall out with me, but I haven't seen a good public performance of it yet. Well, a good public performance of it yet.
Speaker 2:Well, you see, I kind of give it a Bible during the big night of musicals, because they weren't in rehearsals then.
Speaker 1:Yeah, sound issues.
Speaker 2:So I was like, oh, they haven't done anything as a team and you know it's very difficult to put on something whenever you haven't actually done any rehearsing of the production.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's not great so far, but listen once it's on stage and they're throwing throwing the pillars at it because obviously the big pillars won't do it. And all the rest of it, the Frogs I am really interested in that musical that's out there at the moment Great Gatsby, fiddler on the Roof, hadestown, titanic, hadestown Titanic, oliver, operation, mincemeat, that's to name a few. Lauren, and then my hands started to get sore.
Speaker 2:I would love to go to West End.
Speaker 1:Live.
Speaker 2:I would really love to go. Also, the fact that it's getting bigger and bigger and bigger. It kind of scares me away because those crowds are going to be massive. But wouldn't it be great if it was we Televise production or like there was a live YouTube feed or something? I know is there was a, um, a live youtube feed or something I know.
Speaker 1:Is there not a live youtube? No, I don't think there is a live youtube honestly and she can feast for weeks on all the videos afterwards because they're very good at like putting up the videos of all the performances and obviously our wee friends performed last year, which was amazing yeah, it's shamrock tanner, shamrock the shamrock tanners. Yeah, from LL that's because they've just done their American shamrock tenors.
Speaker 2:There we go. We're back in Northern Ireland.
Speaker 1:But yeah, I know I would love to go to Weston anyway and to finish off our musical theatre news, a big congratulations to friends of the podcast, alison Harding, who has just been cast in Follies in the Northern Ireland Opera the Northern Ireland Opera production of Follies, which will be taking place in the Opera House Grand Opera House Belfast on the 13th to the 20th of September. She is going to be appearing alongside Royalty Anna Jane Casey, lovely homegrown talent Mark Dugdale, to name but a few. There's loads of other wee names here.
Speaker 1:Great cast, actually, and our wee Jenny Rennie. Jennifer Rennie is going to be choreographing and it's going to be blooming fantastic. I cannot wait, so that will be a musical Erica Lingo night out yeah, to be quite honest with you, I predict me being there every night of the week. To be honest, no. But honest again is to be honest with you. I've foreseen myself saying it more than once. Perfect so of course we'll do our doobie dinner beforehand.
Speaker 2:Absolutely.
Speaker 1:We wine at the end of the go, absolutely we post-show cocktail.
Speaker 2:Yep sounds good.
Speaker 1:Let's just make it our Yep. Our Christmas dinner, our yearly, our Christmas dinner In September. It's going to be Musical Lyrical Lingo's Christmas dinner. Folks, I can taste the espresso martini already.
Speaker 2:Oh go you, Perfect, let's do it.
Speaker 1:Done, it's been said, so that's a binding contract and it's close to my birthday.
Speaker 2:I know, which you don't ever celebrate, no, but I'll celebrate it that night.
Speaker 1:Okay, perfect, okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah, love it On to this week. This week. What musical are we doing this week?
Speaker 1:It's a sad one. Yeah, oh my goodness, yeah.
Speaker 2:It's a sad one.
Speaker 1:I can't recall the last time I lost it, the way I lost it, coming out of a theatre having seen this musical. No way Did it have that much of a reaction. Iwear Swear All my life. I hyperventilated as I was leaving the Piccadilly Theatre.
Speaker 2:Oh, my goodness.
Speaker 1:Yeah, completely and utterly took me off guard. Thought I was going for a lovely cheerful evening at the theatre and left with Niagara Falls coming out of my eyes and the inability to breathe.
Speaker 2:Okay, so the musical we're discussing this week is Ghost. Yes, so I take it. You've never seen the film.
Speaker 1:Never seen the film. Okay and full disclosure. Still haven't seen the film. I think the musical was more than enough for me. I was like if the musical's done that to me, I don't think I can sit through the film. Oh, think the musical was more than enough for me. I was like if the musical's done that to me, I don't think I can sit through the film.
Speaker 2:Oh my goodness. Ep. We are discussing Ghost the Musical this week, as you are aware, and Timothy has just admitted, even though he's seen the musical, he still has not seen the film. What is wrong with you?
Speaker 1:Aaron, I've really never watched movies. That's because I asked him to like close that blind isn't it. You didn't ask him to blind me yeah, true Ghost. Ghost.
Speaker 2:Is one of Aaron's favourite films. Oh, do you cry like a baby Every single time. It's not one of my favourite films.
Speaker 1:It's one of Aaron's favourite films. I just want to admit it.
Speaker 2:Yes, there's only one part of it.
Speaker 1:It makes you cry. Can we watch it, because I have to see this.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I can't imagine you crying.
Speaker 1:Well, that's not often, it happens.
Speaker 2:Aww, we all need a wee tear every so often. I had never seen Ghost until I met Aaron and he introduced it to me.
Speaker 1:Did you cry?
Speaker 2:Well, I don't really cry. See, I bloody knew I was like there's not a chance of this one crying no way. No so.
Speaker 1:So you're a mess on the sofa and she's stone cold like beside you.
Speaker 2:What do you think maybe makes me cry?
Speaker 1:I don't know, I haven't seen the film.
Speaker 2:Is it in the musical?
Speaker 1:Who knows? Well, we don't know.
Speaker 2:Well, I was watching said musical today, actually the musical Uh-huh, a bit late.
Speaker 1:You still doing that one.
Speaker 2:And um.
Speaker 1:Lauren.
Speaker 2:And, um the, I did call EP in because I wanted to see if he would recognize, but didn't get to come in and then I wasn't going to try and rewind and all that stuff.
Speaker 1:You were like go cry, I want to make him cry, but I wanted to see if he would recognize the end.
Speaker 2:I'm going to say I'm kind of glad he didn't see it, because I think the film gets him more than I do think the musical would, because I would have just pulled him in at the very end.
Speaker 1:So this is the end when they dance together.
Speaker 2:Dance, what no yeah.
Speaker 1:At that point there was a puddle and I was doing this Like yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, and I know the people beside me were like what is wrong with them Because I was, I think, making noises. And I know the people beside me were like what is wrong with him Because I was, I think, making noises. I was going. You know that bit when you're trying not to cry, and then you kind of make a snorty kind of noise, you're like, yeah, I was doing that.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:All over Piccadilly Theatre.
Speaker 2:No, like, okay, it is one of Aaron's films, whether he's going to admit it or not, and he did make me watch it and it was very much like when you are introducing somebody to something and you want them to like it, and he was like it's coming up, it's coming up, that's such a cute story. And then he and we were only like boyfriend and girlfriend at the time.
Speaker 1:So it was really really cute he was opening up his softer side to you it is, and you sat there like a stone beside him.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's just me. And then I was like, oh yeah, that is that is nice.
Speaker 1:So that's nice and the poor fella's going, I've just let myself down. Oh god, she's gonna think I'm an absolute wuss.
Speaker 2:No, I thought it was okay for boys to cry aren't and there there are. You know, we have watched it since.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I've been together 21 years. It is a little well, nearly 21 years.
Speaker 1:How many times have you watched it in your 21 years?
Speaker 2:I think we've watched it a fair few times.
Speaker 1:It's all now turned off.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, but a shout out to that film. It is a really good film okay but also Patrick Swayze is amazing in it, yeah and if you haven't already seen, there's a fantastic documentary about Patrick Swayze. Have you seen it? No, you need to watch it, okay it is one of those documentaries where you just can't turn off okay, but anyway, ghosts, yes right that's another day.
Speaker 1:It's been a while since you've mentioned a documentary. Well done so. 20 years after its initial triumph on screen, ghosts Walked Again as a stage musical With many, in many respects, looking just as it had done on the cinema. Would you well?
Speaker 2:you haven't seen it live so that's hard for you to ask comment, is it yeah?
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, I would say it's kind of just the film on stage. And aaron, would you agree that the 1990 movie is one of the most popular romantic fantasies ever made?
Speaker 2:yeah, okay there you go yeah, book and lyrics are by bruce jewel rubin and he did the film. And then music and lyrics are by Dave Stewart, who is famous for Eurythmics.
Speaker 1:Dave Eurythmics Stewart.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love Eurythmics.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And Glenn Ballard, who wrote one of my absolute favourite albums Jagged Little Pill. Oh nice, alanis.
Speaker 1:Morissette.
Speaker 2:It's coming to Belfast in like two weeks yeah have you got tickets?
Speaker 1:No, is it too late?
Speaker 2:I don't know.
Speaker 1:I have looked so for the listeners who live around the world, we have like a big outdoor like festival concerts every summer called Belsonic, and Alanis Morissette is coming to Belsonic this year and I I did a few Bellsonics last year and I I was like this is like a well, like what are those things that you do over and over again? A routine I would like to, a ritual, or like a habit I would like to get into, like every year just doing a wee, so staying a blonde day. Shania Twain last year and I I was gonna get you good, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down down.
Speaker 1:Alanis, love Alanis.
Speaker 2:I love Alanis too. Yeah, let's go to Alanis, let's have a look what is up with this episode. We've like done three dates.
Speaker 1:We've got three dates already.
Speaker 2:Anyway, let's get back to the music, Right?
Speaker 1:so for anybody who's been like me and living under a rock. The plot tells the story of a young man who is killed during a botched mugging. When Sam that's his name dies, he becomes caught between the real world and the next Molly. His love is in danger and Sam cannot leave her. A medium Odom A Brown, helps Sam to get in touch with Molly to warn her off.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and if anything, this I would say what Ghost does really well, it's real love. Yeah, and even the film from the get-go you can tell that this is's real love. Yeah, and even the film you can. From the get-go you can tell that this is a real relationship. You know there's ups and downs and all of that, but at the end of the day they totally love each other. Yeah, so this musical had its world premiere in Manchester.
Speaker 2:Yeah, In 2011, and then it moved to the West End that summer, so I think it opened in March and then was in the West End by August or something.
Speaker 1:July, 19th of July, it opened, yeah, at the Piccadilly Theatre, as I've now said, ended up being flooded for my tears.
Speaker 2:It did close in 2012, but did go on a UK tour, and then it did move to Broadway in 2012 too, with the original cast.
Speaker 1:Movie number.
Speaker 2:Richard, Fleeceman and Casey.
Speaker 1:I can never say her last name Levy, or Levy, levy, Levy, yeah, so Richard Fleeceman played the role of Sam Wheat, casey Levy was Molly and Sharon D Clark was Odomay Brown, and I saw them.
Speaker 2:You saw them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I saw the originals and they were absolutely sensational and yeah, so Richard and Casey went to Cassie.
Speaker 2:Cassie.
Speaker 1:Cassie went to Broadway on Cassie Levy. Have you listened to it yet? Next to Normal, I haven't listened to it yet.
Speaker 2:Oh, it's fantastic, but it's definitely, I think the Keep Me Nice in the UK release will be. I think it's about September time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the new cast recording of the West End production of Next to. Normal is, they're all heartbreaking, Like absolutely fantastic. It was directed by Tony Award winning director, Matthew Workus. What's he, Tony, nominated for? Or winning, I don't know, matilda, oh yes, so Ghost Musical is defined by the multimedia production and a multi-sensory experience.
Speaker 1:Yes A thousand percent was the richer, and the more complex that mix, the better. A thousand percent was the richer and the more complex that mix, the better. The sets, the video designs, as well as stage magician Paul Kiwi's astonishing illusion and they were astonishing Were just as important as the lyrics and the music in this A hundred percent?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think as well, because obviously the film is so iconic and there's certain moments in the film which they really tried to bring on to the stage show. I think they did a really good job. I think the creative team were really sensitive towards what message they were wanting to portray and it wasn't just doing this film as a musical for the sake of it. They really thought about all the elements, how the audience were going to have a wonderful experience.
Speaker 1:I was really shocked after having seen it because I thought it was stunning. It closed quite quickly and I was quite surprised by that. Now, obviously, there was a Broadway transfer, but I just had expected it to stay around in the West End for a bit longer. And you know, with the Broadway transfer there were tweaks and there were changes made to it. Cassie Levy herself said emotional moments in the show had been fine-tuned, a line or two had been changed here and there and a couple of songs had been replaced and some characters were tweaked. All for the better, she said, and I thought that was quite interesting and I just wondered was that part of the reason for why they took it off A wee bit earlier? I don't know, I just I remember. Was that part of the reason for why they took it off? Maybe A wee bit earlier? I don't know. I remember it's one of two shows that I still, in my lasting memory, go. Oh my goodness, really, it's closed already.
Speaker 1:Ghost was one and Betty Blue Eyes was another, and I went it's closed. What?
Speaker 2:Tell me this what made you go and see Ghosts if you hadn't seen the film?
Speaker 1:Because it was one of my many, many, many solo London trips. And on those solo trips, because I was on my own. I just went to see theatre.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And it was a new musical and I went, I'm going to go and see what that's like. I obviously knew I think everybody knows there's like a movie Ghost and I went, oh, I'll just go and see that. That's about that movie about Richard Swayze. I just wanted to know, had you?
Speaker 2:heard about the special effects. Was there anything that had intrigued you and you were like I want to go see?
Speaker 1:it. No, I knew nothing about it, and I think that's why it had the impact it had on me, because everything that happened took me by surprise. Like even when he died, I was like what?
Speaker 2:what he's dead so soon?
Speaker 1:literally, yeah, it was nominated for five oliviers and three tonys yeah you know, um, some really nice music in it.
Speaker 2:Um, obviously that the story is super sad, but at the end of the day it is all about love and the thing with the music it was, it was new and really original for a musical music.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, sorry, musical theatre music and I think that's down to you know, davey Rhythmic's church, do you? Know what I mean. Also, the music featured the Righteous Brothers Unchained Melody, which was obviously featured in the original song, original film, sorry, and we'll maybe get on to that with.
Speaker 2:Musical Lyrical Lengos. So yes, musical Lyrical Lengos. So the first thing I did because the word ditto is so popular, I'd never heard of it until I saw the film.
Speaker 1:You know enough. Film the musical you never heard of, heard of the word ditto honest, honest to goodness, I had never heard of it, no one had ever said it to me on.
Speaker 2:I promise you, I promise you well, now I am questioning did I know the word ditto before? Yes, no, no, I definitely knew the word ditto.
Speaker 1:It's a very American word, like it's not used here, is it? I've never heard anybody saying ditto. Ditto Well Sam and Molly say ditto no. No, Sam says ditto Sorry.
Speaker 2:Yeah, sam says yes, but no, no, no, sam said yes but no, no, no.
Speaker 1:Eventually, that's another part where Aaron's heart was ripped out.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so yeah, I wanted to know, like, where it came from. So it's an informal English word meaning the same as what has just been said.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:It comes from the Italian word dito, which means said or same, and it is a Latin verb, decree, to say.
Speaker 1:I don't understand that.
Speaker 2:But yeah, it is such a powerful word in that musical.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Now, I just associate the word ditto with. I think, though, if I ever, if Aaron ever said love you and I said ditto, I think his heart would break.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But I would never say that, because look at his wee face.
Speaker 1:Because that's a problem and anybody who doesn't know the film or the musical you know Molly is very eloquent in the way she expresses her love for Sam, but he always will just respond to her with ditto, ditto and she's like why do you keep saying?
Speaker 2:that yeah you.
Speaker 1:Why do you not say, why do you not use the word, why do you not use love I love you and he's like but I do say it but, and she's like, no, but you don't. You say ditto and that's not the same. Yeah, and I love that.
Speaker 2:I agree with her yeah, I love that little scene that they have where they are for dinner or something, um, and he she says I love you, and he says ditto, and she goes why do you never say it? And then they go into the song three little words, yes, and he then lists all the ways.
Speaker 1:Well, this is my next musical lyrical lingo. Yeah, because he does, he, he says, but I do say it and, as you said, he lists it. Some of the things he says, he does to show or say I love you. He says. I say it with my eyes. When I hold you close at night, I'm gonna cry, uh. When I make you scrambled egg, oh, I love scrambled egg. When I tell you silly jokes, when I turn off all the light and my question is what? What do you do that says I love you is that your question to me?
Speaker 2:what is?
Speaker 1:your love language.
Speaker 2:That is so funny. Yeah, I was like what is your love language? Because everybody has a different love language.
Speaker 1:My love language is definitely acts, like I say, Acts of kindness or acts of love, acts of love, acts of love and what Acts of service?
Speaker 2:And Aaron's is definitely hugs and I love hugs and I am a huggy person, but I would love the dishes to be clean.
Speaker 1:So I have two things that really get me. Not a lot of people know this about me, but I love flowers. Like I love a bunch of flowers, and I don't. I think there's a general oh, he's a guy, you know get him a bottle of wine or get him something. But we were talking about it earlier at the end of sometimes at the end of shows, like sometimes you know, people are presented with bouquets or like a bunch of flowers.
Speaker 1:And for many years I didn't get that. I would have got like a wee bag or a wee box of chocolates or a bottle of wine. And don't get me wrong, the thought's lovely, it's really beautiful. But then they, they realize I love a bunch of flowers and I love flowers, so I get yeah, it's so cute bunches of flowers almost every Tuesday because I cook the dinner and I'm like.
Speaker 2:But I love cooking the dinner, but I get a bunch of flour and that I love that.
Speaker 1:That says I love you to me and also I'm the same as Aaron. I love a cuddle, like I love a cuddle and a big hug and I think I've always been a huggy person but I a hug from the right person is like fireworks in my heart. I know it's the right person.
Speaker 2:Yeah, is like fireworks. Yeah, in my heart. Yeah, like Aaron treats me so well and does give me like little treats here and there, you used to get me flowers every Friday, but I am allergic to flowers. So, as much as I love, like I love, oh, my goodness, you brought me flowers, you brought me something like that but my little thing is just thinking of me whenever I'm not around. So if, like I, you know, or if I come home and, um, maybe he said oh, I did such and such, or I thought about this because you know you weren't here, whatever, I'm like, oh, my goodness, you were thinking about me whenever I wasn't like lacking you yeah, and I think those were those three words I love you.
Speaker 1:You're like super, like, super, super important yeah to me. So like the whole ditto thing, that would drive me insane and I I often apologize because I think I overuse I love you like it goes in almost every bloody message that I send. I say it countless times and I'll have said it and then five minutes later I'll say it again. I'm like I'm really sorry. I just said I've already said that, but I just can't help it. It's just like they're really important words.
Speaker 2:I know yeah and you and you're not just saying them like flippantly whenever, every time you're saying them, you mean it thousand percent, yeah, yeah no, and like we would never get off the phone.
Speaker 2:You know, no matter what the conversation is, we'll always say I love you at the end of it, and that's really, really important. I know for some people that isn't um, but that is because and I think also being able to communicate and that's a big message within ghost is that the communication wasn't there. And something then happens to Sam and he's not able to communicate to Molly and he spends the whole film and musical, trying to communicate to her and has to learn a different way to communicate, and I think that's important in relationships.
Speaker 2:You have to learn. You know we've just said there are all these different, like love languages, and you have to learn a new way to communicate to your significant other yeah and that can be a challenge in itself well, like sam says it himself, he says at the end of the the that song uh three, what is?
Speaker 1:that three little words, he says it doesn't matter what they're saying. If words are all that, they are conveying. If you feel it and believe it, then it should be all you need to know. Or it should be all you need to know.
Speaker 2:It's true yeah, yeah, but for some people that's not enough.
Speaker 1:No, I know that's some people I know, I know to hear and some people I need to hear it, sam, and some people need to feel a hug. Yeah, do you know what I mean? It's just all those god I love a hug.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's, um, it's, it's. It is actually a very, very, very deep musical. Yeah, um, I learned a lot about as well, the, the show's special effects and the fact that they did bring in an illusionist. Yeah, and paul geeve, isn't that how you say? Yeah as him um, you said before so and he emphasized the impact of like sam walking through the door yeah and would be diminished if it was seen early on.
Speaker 2:So that had to be, you know, and and it's clever like, and once he dies he's in this like blue light and the passing of whenever she's like talking to Urme, and then whenever it's Sam and you can see that how he dies, and then the change from black to blue.
Speaker 1:It's great, like there really is magic, even the how he dies, like I still have no idea how they did that, because it just, it just happened. There was a body on the floor but sam was still standing and I was like what, what? So that whole switch of actor or whatever they did, I didn't see it do you know what I?
Speaker 1:mean, I just went to the point of don't forget. When I first saw it, I didn't see it. Do you know what I mean? And I just went to the point of don't forget. When I first saw it, I didn't know the story so I went what's going on? Hold on a minute and I went oh my god, he's dead yeah.
Speaker 1:It just blew my mind and the illusions are amazing. It doesn't slap you in the face with an illusion or something magic like every 10 minutes. It's really specific, really carefully placed. You know, at one point he's trying to move objects and there's a Coke can and, honest to God, that was a Coke can I saw on that stage and he reaches out for the Coke can and the hand goes through the Coke can and, honest to God, that was a Coke can I saw on that stage. And he reaches out for the Coke can and the hand goes through the Coke can and I'm like, oh, that mustn't be a Coke can, but it looked like a physical Coke can. And the moving of objects, as you said, the walking through the door and then that dance that he does with Molly at the end, where one minute he's dancing and they're like turning and a wee, you know they're just like doing back and forward, like a sway, basically, whilst turning, and then he's gone.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Like he's gone and I'm like where did he go?
Speaker 2:And I think that was so clever of the production team to decide to bring on somebody who is an illusionist, and Penn and Teller actually said um that it was one of the finest magic shows that ever that's amazing from them. My goodness that is and for a musical you know like that it wasn't.
Speaker 2:It isn't a magic show, it's a musical with elements of magic in it and that's it, like it's just so, it was just so yeah, wow, and I think the reason that it works is because it says, um, paul's main thing was he wanted to focus on the emotion and then the magic. So it wasn't. Uh, look at me I'm doing this.
Speaker 1:it was so subtly and so beautifully done yeah.
Speaker 2:They used visual and sound cues like swishes to indicate Sam passing through something or his voice becoming echoey.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And all those little things added together. So I do you said about Ghost closing quite quickly and I think again a bit like how we talked with Shrek, I think it cost an awful lot because, it said Ghost requires its theatres to use a lot of power due to the lighting, the sound, the video equipment of those large screens, 27 miles of cable was used in the West End alone. So that's maybe why it didn't have a massive tour either, because it could have been me when you looked at it it's.
Speaker 1:Maybe it was the color palette that they used.
Speaker 2:It wasn't like wow, wow, like in your face.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like the technology, didn't like jump out at you going, oh my goodness, there's so much technology, even the like video walls, that they and that was probably one of the first- use of the video walls.
Speaker 1:Yeah, um, but it wasn't like oh my goodness, this is a big, massive video wall. I think maybe the color palette had something to do with that in the staging. Okay, it was a really it was a very, very special musical which I did not expect. Like, as I said, I didn't expect that it would have the effect on me that it did.
Speaker 2:Yeah, my god, I was also, one of the illusions that was in the show was created in 1898 with blueprints only recently discovered.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow, yeah do you know which one I was?
Speaker 2:no, I was really trying to like find um which one, but I don't know. And also, obviously you spoke about it on Chained Melody, which is such a popular and iconic scene and gosh, almost every. It's not every film, but there's at least one film of the next generation, or a TV show, or anytime. There's a pottery wheel. Somebody is going to make reference to that yeah.
Speaker 2:So it's really, really popular, but the actress playing Molly and Understudy. They need to know how to spin a pottery wheel and create a pot each night, and they are well. Obviously it's not all at the minute, but they're taught by professional potters.
Speaker 1:That's really cool. Yeah, with regards to Unchained Melody, why?
Speaker 2:can't I say Melody.
Speaker 1:There are over 1,500 recordings of Unchained.
Speaker 2:Melody.
Speaker 1:And it has been made by more than 670 artists in multiple languages. It reappeared in the US Billboard charts in 1990 after the Righteous Brothers recording was used in the film. The popularity also means that the song is one of the highest grossing songs for its copyright holders, estimated in 2012, which, let's be honest, was some time ago to have been the fifth biggest earner of royalties according to the BBC's list of the richest songs in the world, at 18 million pounds.
Speaker 2:Whoa.
Speaker 1:Yeah and was recognised as the most played song in 1992.
Speaker 2:Well, if the film came out in the 1990, then people are still writing on that. But yeah, I would say it's one of those really popular songs that almost any generation will know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but the version and how it's written in the show yes, it's, lovely oh my goodness, it's so, so sweet and touching, isn't?
Speaker 2:it and it's quite and not cheesy yes, and you do well. I certainly was like, oh, he's singing on Tube Melody, because it was so different and and he picks up that guitar and again, that's a way that he shows that he loves her because he's like. You know, I'm singing to you Another thing I learned just musical wise in the song which I think is so lovely. Like I need to suspend my disbelief slash. I had a life, I had a life, I had a life. So when Carl is you?
Speaker 2:know, Carl is the bad guy and he's the one that's ended up getting per Sam killed, even though he didn't mean for the killing to happen. But he goes and speaks to the murderer and they say estes loco hombre. And that just means you are a crazy man.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Crazy man, crazy man, crazy man. But um that I, oh, I had a life.
Speaker 2:I think that is yeah I think that is because there's like three, four people singing that song, so it's like a couple. It's like it's a, it's a long scene. If you were looking at that scene because you've got molly has just had this encounter with urme, and then she's telling carl no, no, like sam's speaking to this girl um, I believe that it's him. I don't know how, but I knew you and then carl's like oh, my goodness, like I'm gonna be found out. So then he has to go to the murderer and then they have a little interaction all this time. This is at this moment Sam realizes my Mia is not my Mia and he's nasty and I need to protect Molly. And from him who I thought you know? He knew he needed to protect her from somebody, but he didn't realize it was him. It's so sad.
Speaker 1:It is sad yeah.
Speaker 2:Also what I learned. Well, I didn't learn it, but I just was looking at like the themes within this musical and it says that. No, it doesn't say that in the song nothing stops another day. Right, I think they encapsulated the weird feeling of moving on after a lot yeah which your world completely changes.
Speaker 2:And you know it's a bit of strangeness in between, like the death and funeral, and then once the funeral happens, everybody that's not connected to you, just life moves on and you move on too. But it's so hard to not feel guilty about moving on like it's very strange.
Speaker 1:Now she has, like she picked up, like his I picked up oh, oh, there's oh, but I don't know why, and I'm like I don't know why you did that either. Why would you go and collect his shirts from the dry cleaners?
Speaker 2:what? Why I know writes letters that he'll never read.
Speaker 1:You're not helping yourself here, I know, but maybe she was.
Speaker 2:Maybe it was a process. So love is an eternal force that transcends death and in the song the Love Inside, this song reaffirms that Sam and Molly's love is not diminished by physical separation, but rather continues to exist and connect. There is a message of hope and that the spiritual continuation of bonds always happens through love.
Speaker 1:True, true that they're always there.
Speaker 2:I know, on your shoulder, I know.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But it is sad.
Speaker 1:It is, it is sad. Now, one of the songs that I don't know.
Speaker 1:Maybe, if we had to remove or eliminate is a whole new ball of wax. Now, I might be wrong, but I think in the transfer did they maybe change that up a wee bit as well. Oh, I don't know, I don't know. Something in my brain's going. That's one of the songs that they did a bit of work on. It's obviously sam's a ghost, shock, horror, yeah. And there's this scene where he is introduced to lots of other ghosts and and they're like this is you now sunshine? You need to get used to it. This is the way life is, but that term it's just, and that the song they keep singing, it's just a whole new ball of wax. That wasn't a tune, but it was something like that. I had never heard of that before. A whole new ball of wax, did you no? So it's an idiom. That means a situation that becomes completely different or new. It suggests change so significant it's like starting from scratch. Just a whole new ball of wax.
Speaker 2:But I'd never heard of that before.
Speaker 1:And then they sang a song. All about it.
Speaker 2:Okay, but do you not think, because of the connection to pottery, it should have been a whole ball of clay, because clay's the same as wax?
Speaker 1:But I don't think that's a well-known idiom Whereas a whole new ball of wax maybe is Well, just make it a brand new idiom, fair enough. It maybe didn't go with the melody. You never know.
Speaker 2:Well, if.
Speaker 1:I was in charge I would have made it.
Speaker 2:It's like a whole ball of clay.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:It would have just fit in. That's why it didn't last.
Speaker 1:I wasn't a fan of that one either. Or the subway, the train song. It's a bit jarring to me too.
Speaker 2:No, it's okay, but you know that's actually a lovely moment in the film as well, with the subway ghost, so yeah.
Speaker 1:I'll have to watch the film.
Speaker 2:Yeah, definitely, definitely. What about your standing ovations?
Speaker 1:Oh, my goodness. Well, first of all, cassie Levy, richard Fleischman and Sharon D Clark and I have seen, like I did see, a UK tour and like videos of other people who have come since and I have to say, like as an original threesome, those three were absolutely outstanding.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And I think it was his first ever onstage musical.
Speaker 2:I think so too, and he was absolutely bloody brilliant. I think he is brilliant, brilliant.
Speaker 1:And obviously he's gone on to loads of more. You know theatre work and musicals. Like I saw him in the Company where they did like the gender reversal that was Jonathan Bailey. Yeah, Jonathan Bailey was in it, and he was amazing in that too. He's just what's he doing at the moment.
Speaker 2:He's got like a one man in the Savoy and he did Something Rotten, didn't he do something?
Speaker 1:That's it Something Rotten. I would love to see him actually in it when it comes into town, because I think he'd be brilliant well, I don't know if he is in something at all, is he?
Speaker 2:no, I don't know if he is. No, that's what I'm saying. Oh yes, you would actually like him. That would be great casting, because I think he'd be brilliant.
Speaker 1:The music is brilliant. There's too many to like. Pick them out, so here are my favourites I like here right now, out of tune Tim with you. Oh yeah, suspend my disbelief or hello, yeah. What a great way to end act one yeah rain and holding on. What a great way to open act two. And nothing stops another day, yeah. However, I do love Oda Mae songs too. They give a bit of I'm out of here.
Speaker 1:After the behemoths, I'm out of here, even the one where she is talking to like voices, and she's like what.
Speaker 2:What.
Speaker 1:Like Sam starts talking to her for the first time and she's also a bit of a fake.
Speaker 2:Yeah, she is at the beginning, until she turns out, she actually. She can hear Sam.
Speaker 1:She can actually hear.
Speaker 2:Sam and Ruby Goldberg won the Oscar for that role.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So she did and she was very good.
Speaker 1:I don't know why I haven't watched the film yet.
Speaker 2:I know what's your sonovations With you and I had a life slash, suspend my disbelief, or the other way around, yeah, yeah, for the Other Way Round, yeah, just those two are. I have to say, it took me a wee while to get into the music of it, I think, because it is, as you had mentioned before, so different to musical. So I think I was like these are really good songs, but I wasn't in musical mode. So it did take me a while to listen, and then I had to go and watch because I'd seen the film. It's like I need to know how they do this and did you see the full musical?
Speaker 2:yeah film, musical, film, musical. But then there's loads and loads of like Tony performances and like Olivier. There's loads of stuff online that you're able to see and it's quite popular in Amdram World as well yeah, it is.
Speaker 1:I just think it's very difficult to do just with all of the magic and the illusions, and you know, I just mean, like in England, they seem to do a lot. Yeah, no, I think listen, there's been plenty here too. I actually saw a brilliant youth production of it last summer and it was really fantastic. But I think when you've seen the original and you've seen all of that, those illusions, and seen how that multimedia production comes together seamlessly, it's hard to ever forget that.
Speaker 2:Do you know what I mean Really?
Speaker 1:brilliant.
Speaker 2:Okay, I've got a wee. What would you rather in musical theatre world? Okay, you ready for this one? Oh aye born ready Would you rather have a perfect singing voice that allows you to hit every note flawlessly.
Speaker 1:This is my dream.
Speaker 2:But you always forget the lyrics.
Speaker 1:Oh.
Speaker 2:Or know every lyric to every single musical theatre song ever, but you have a monotone voice.
Speaker 1:Oh, no, I need to have a voice. I'd be like ariel when ursula takes it away. No, I need to have a voice, I think I think we could style it out if I forgot the lyrics. Okay, you just could do a wee scat or a wee what's that word? Riff, do a wee Cynthia over that job? Yeah, but if he had a monotone voice. I know Like people who have a monotone voice annoy me at the best of times.
Speaker 2:So yeah, that wouldn't.
Speaker 1:Could you imagine if we had a monotone voice doing a podcast? Hello and welcome to Musical Lyrical Lingo. We're your hosts, Tim.
Speaker 2:I wonder, do people who have a monotone voice get like put themselves to sleep?
Speaker 1:Do you think they realise they have a monotone?
Speaker 2:voice. You gotta know.
Speaker 1:I'm not so sure if you hear that day in, day out, aaron's looking at me like I have a monotone voice and I don't you don't have a monotone voice. You don't have a monotone voice.
Speaker 2:You don't have a monotone voice. No, you definitely don't. You definitely don't. No, I think you would just put yourself to sleep so you're not aware of what's going on.
Speaker 1:Yeah, oh no, you have to have a voice Like I still live in deep depression because I'm a baritone and not a tenor.
Speaker 2:Oh.
Speaker 1:It destroys my happiness that I can't reach those high notes of some of those songs.
Speaker 2:Oh right, can you not just bring it down, a wee thing.
Speaker 1:That's cheating.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay, I have to bring everything down. I'm like an altar.
Speaker 1:That's still not low enough for me.
Speaker 2:I also have to try and find a note somewhere. I'm not very good at that.
Speaker 1:Oh, no, listen, I hear you. You see, in harmonies, the altos and the, the bar, the barry baritones have the hardest job because our notes, like, not like, send me a signal, yeah, where it might be, yeah, possibly, and it's always like really it sounds awful as well.
Speaker 2:So she compared like some beautiful, lovely singers singers.
Speaker 1:There is a brilliant song, Alto's Lament about being an alto and it's so spot on. It hits the nail on the head. Like we don't have a baritone equivalent.
Speaker 2:Maybe you could do one.
Speaker 1:I could.
Speaker 2:Can you?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Just do that on your day off, sure.
Speaker 1:This is the thing. I just I was always jealous of those lovely tenors who just got to sing the tune. Do you know what I mean? They didn't. I just I was always jealous of those lovely tenors who just got to sing the tune. Do you know what I mean? They didn't have to work for it. Could I not just do the tune, because that's easier? Oh, hold on a minute. I can't reach those notes. Great, I'll go back to being a Barry Barreto.
Speaker 2:They don't have to work for it, they get it all handed to them, and then what happened in rehearsals the Barrys just ended up singing into each other's ears.
Speaker 1:Oh, because, there's exactly, yeah, strength in numbers. At least one of us will get it I know that's the thing as well.
Speaker 2:You would think like the harder, yeah, um, harmonies, there would be more of you, but there's less of you. So then you're like already struggling yeah with your part, and then you're like friends so would you?
Speaker 1:you would take the having a voice, would you, or would you rather?
Speaker 2:remember the lyrics.
Speaker 1:And recite them like in a dramatic, poetic way?
Speaker 2:No, I think if we're going to go for singing, I would rather be singing in tune than in game, which is something I can't do. And not know the lyrics I sing quite a lot around the house and I just get little side eyes from who from?
Speaker 1:the love of my life how dare he that's not love language. A side eye, is it?
Speaker 2:oh, I liked what you were trying to go for there.
Speaker 1:I'd be throwing the dinner on him Anyway.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, I would. I'm okay with forgetting my lyrics, because I've done that a few times.
Speaker 1:Haven't we all Just had to sing the same line over and over again? Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 2:It's all good, it's fine, it's all good. That was a really lovely episode. I know it was cute and love conquered us. All that took me off guard that one.
Speaker 1:actually, I didn't expect this episode to have come like the way it came out.
Speaker 2:It was nice.
Speaker 1:Ock, any time you're talking about love, so you get all warm and squishy inside don't you?
Speaker 2:Absolutely. It's so nice. Do you know what? I think we'll come back and we'll do another musical, and then I think we'll come back with a big one. What do you think? Ditto until next week. Bye.
