Top 10: Musical Opening Numbers
Published on Sunday 21st February, 3.53pm, Written by Amy Whiting
First impressions matter, so that’s why we’re celebrating the best West End opening gambits.
Fraught with tricky decisions, we’re going to take a look at the different types of West End opener: exciting show-starter or sombre scene-setter — which is better? There’s only one way to find out…
10. We Will Rock You — Innuendo
It may have the silliest plot in the West End, but We Will Rock You kicks off with this cracker cranked up to eleven. What a way to get started.
9. West Side Story — Prologue
Next is neither a huge sing-along nor a mellow intro, instead West Side Story’s overture and prologue is an excellent way of bringing the world of Sharks and Jets to the audience. Short refrains from the show’s big numbers lace together against this heavily choreographed gang fight. Latin dance moves, stylised aggression and more finger-clicks than you could wave a particularly wavy stick at, check this out:
8. Billy Elliot the musical — The Stars Look Down
For my money the best new musical in the West End for years, Billy Elliot opens with a particularly rousing number called The Stars Look Down. Northern, brassy and with a coal-scuttle full of hard vowels, it’s genuinely transformative — it’s like being in a Ken Loach film.
7. Wicked — No One Mourns the Wicked
The lasers, the dry ice, that giant clock face; the curtain raises and we land smack bang at the end of the story. “The Witch of the West is Dead! The wickedest witch there ever was! She’s deeeeeaaaaaddd!” Brilliant. Check this clip out, it’s bizarre: it’s like the West End in Second Life.
6. The Lion King the musical — The Circle of Life
Quite possibly the best opening in the history of animation, the West End version of The Lion King London is no less impressive. The perfect way to introduce you to the stylised beauty of the Lion King’s Serengeti, The Circle of Life is the West End at its best. Oh, and it sounds like the monkey-chap shrieks, ‘Arsene Wenger,’ at the beginning. Top drawer.
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5. Grease the musical — Prologue
Not sure if you’ve heard, but ‘Grease’ is the word. An exciting opening that stitches together some of Grease the Musical‘s best numbers, the prologue is where it all begins. And it’s much better than that cheap bit of animation at the start of the film.
4. Chicago — All That Jazz
I know there’s a bit of sultry overture from the orchestra before this gets going, but just listen to it, it positively smoulders: the tinkly, rag piano, the sultry vocals and the soaring clarinet. Magic. Apologies for the shoddy film clip, but you have to admit Catherine Zeta Jones makes a pretty good Velma Kelly.
3. Les Miserables — Prologue
With what is possibly the longest opening in the West End, the prologue to Les Miserables London is massive: it’s about 20 minutes long! Still, it neatly gives us the backstory to this complex tale of love, crime and redemption. This clip is from the 10th anniversary show, it’s basically excellent.
2. Oliver! — Food, Glorious Food
It’s Food, Glorious Food, for goodness sake: it’s a stonewall classic! There’s a bit of an overture and then, suddenly, we’re stuck in the dank, Victorian workhouse. Grey-clad, zombiefied, little kids march in to the drone of the dinner-bell; it’s like the Village of the Damned. However, give them half a yard and they’re off. Bursting open with a load of table-thumbing and bowl-clacking, the energy of the little orphan chaps starts the show perfectly. The current version of Oliver! at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane is particularly energetic and super fun.
1. The Phantom of the Opera London — Prologue/Overture/Hannibal
This is how it is done. There’s that soft, choral opening, that creepy bit about the auction and then, just as everyone’s starting to wonder whether they’ve wandered into the wrong theatre, BAM! The theme tune comes in, “Dah! Dum dum dum dum da daaaaaah!” It’s great.
