Musical comedy was a popular form of leisure at one time. Since it was born from a mixture of theatre, singing, dance and dialogue, it has appealed enormously to young and old alike. It can tell many stories and especially very varied emotional content ranging from humor to anger. Enough to further stir up lovers of arts and culture! If the musical had been a huge success in the past, now the situation has changed a little because of the advancement of technology. So, is she still as famous today?
The history of the musical
The musical was a dazzling success from the 1930s thanks to the cinema. It all started with a show on Broadway or in London. It was then corrected and adapted to the cinema. The success of the musical, however, depended on its content.
The directors therefore had to try to tell the story of the mores at the time. It was also essential to do the editing for optimal rendering. In doing so, it was necessary to find the right balance between the dialogues and the scenes, whether sung or danced.
The professional in the field therefore had to work on the transitions between the two scenes highlighted. Otherwise, the film will be entirely unbalanced. The success of a musical rested largely on the solidity of the script. It was also necessary to adopt the most appropriate means to make the transition easier, especially in the eyes of the spectators. If they don't understand the story, then it is a failure.
If a screenwriter wanted to remake a war film, for example, he had to try to play on different sequences, but also on emotions. It is also necessary that the musical construction is adequate. In order to humanize the musicals, it was essential for the characters to emit natural noises like war cries. The music will decorate everything! It also plays an important role, because it allows to sow intrigues and announce a joy.
The content of a musical changes depending on the era in which we live. The seventeenth century was marked by melodramas while musical burlesque was very famous in the nineteenth century.
Zoom on the different changes felt today
Like anything else, the musical is also progressing. Currently, the stories put forward speak of the love intrigue between two beings or the conflicts of generations. Everything is told through a mixture of music and dialogue.
Clearly, today's screenwriters refer to many aspects of life: social or romantic. They even use better musical instruments for unparalleled auditory and visual immersion. They choose them from sites like the happy guitar. They can also draw inspiration from the life of an artist to be able to reproduce it on stage.
Art lovers will also find their happiness by discovering historical re-enactments that will allow them to dive into a different era from their own. For those who adore magical characters, they will only be seduced.
If the musical was very famous a few years ago, today shows are rare, especially in France. The country favours only staging resulting from the association of dances, songs and dialogues. Similarly, the school of musical comedy is also becoming increasingly rare in France. In the United States, however, things are changing heavily, especially in terms of flamboyant décor.
Cover photo taken on Pexels by Monica Sylvestre.
