My primary objection to musicals (though there are many) has always been the lack of reality. For example, take The Sound of Music. Maria and Captain Von Trapp are sharing a tender moment in the garden, that first realisation of feeling...and suddenly start singing, full into each others' faces. Who does that?
Well, as I'm discovering...parents.
It may be just me, but I started off singing to the baby, partly because she seemed to like it, and partly to fill the silence of the adult-free day at home. You work through all of the songs you know, and then you find yourself making up songs, or just putting random sentences to music.
And suddenly you realise it's now acceptable to you to sing nonsense songs, in public, as you walk down the street, or around the supermarket with a trolley, or stand in a queue at an airport. Or you end up bargaining with a toddler who will only continue eating if you sing. And you accidentally teach a toddler to add nonsense words to tunes. And you are living in a musical. Perhaps I'll reconsider my boycott.
