Writing a Nicholas Nickleby musical...

Just for fun, of course. Nothing will come of it (probably). So, far this is all I got for the songs.


What Hope We Have-The Nickleby Family (Kate, Mrs. Nickleby, and Nicholas)

What Hope We Have (Reprise)-Kate and Nicholas

The Greatest Joy-The Squeers

With A Little Thought-Nicholas

A Lovely House-Kate

Never See Tomorrow-The Students

Lullaby-Smike

Memories-Ralph Nickleby

A New World To See-Smike & Nicholas


ACT 2

A Porcelain Doll-Mr. Mantalini

The Little Wonder-Mr. and Mrs. Crummle

A Lovely House (reprise)-Kate

A Dark Room-Smike

The Seduction-Kate & Sir Mulberry

A Home-Kate & Smike

Three Words-Madeline and Nicholas

A Miserable Boy-The Squeers

Three Words (reprise)-Nicholas

How Did We Ever-Frank & Kate

Loving Her-Smike & Nicholas

Haunted-Ralph Nickleby

Finale-Nicholas, Kate, Frank, Madeline, Mrs. Nickleby


If you want me to post a description on the songs, then I'll be happy to do that. I think it's wise of me to cut off the first act when Smike and Nicholas escape from the school. But I do think that I need to add more songs to the first act.

Really? I heard about Smike, the modern rock-opera adaptation and of course I heard about the play. But that was just a straightforward play. I had no idea an actual Broadway musical existed.

Aww well...Thought it could be done. I mean Les Miserables made it, I thought this could to.

I wouldn't trust the advice of anonymous posters on an internet message board. Everyone is going to have a different opinion on what makes a good musical. I think as long as you write a show that satisfies your initial concept and that you think people would want to see then it shouldn't matter what anyone else thinks. You can't judge a show by a song list and trying to do so seems to be a simple desire to squash creativity.

Don't write ABOUT writing. Just write.

Otherwise, it's just masturbation.

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Who cares how many versions are out there? There are two musical versions of "Phantom of the Opera" and there are two musical versions of "The Wild Party." Just write your stuff.

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Smike is terrible - locked in 1970s mentality.

I was involved in a school production, and cringed my way through the official recording when I re-listened to it for the first time some months ago.

Brimstone and Treacle is a half-decent tune and that's about all that can be said for it.