Depressing Finales

After my last post about tear jerkers I Started thinking about depressing finales of co ruse you have LEs Miz and Miss Sagion butmy vote for Anyone Can Whistle(WITH SO LITTLE TO BE SURE OF) so what others thought othe most depressing finale ever

Urinetown is pretty depressing. But it's kind of funny at the same time. I agree with Les Mis. It's so sad!

A good joke and a great show (One of my favorites.) But still.....one big long, really good joke.

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wicked is happy at the same time as well

The one that immediately comes to mind is Parade. You don't get much more depressing than that.....

Roméo et Juliette - de la Haine à l'Amour...

Sad that Romeo and Juliette killed themselves because they would rather be together in death then without each other in life.

Bittersweet because this tragedy was the only way to bring the two families together.

Joyeux Noël,
Juliette Capulet

Wicked
Les Miz
Miss Saigon

Fascinating that "depressing" and "sad" are being used so interchangeably in this thread. "Sad" endings can be very satisfying, in that they produce strong empathetic responses -- the audience experiences something in viewing the main character's catharsis. Surely the ultimate fate of Jean Va Jean qualifies. He finds peace. And when we hear " ...to love another person is to see the face of God..." were we depressed? I was not.

Cabaret's finale, which even at this late date I shouldn't spoil, is a real kick in the gut, in that it reminds us how soul-crunching facism was (is). How people can cross without ultimately connecting. And most critically to me, how even a cynical narcissist like the M.C. -- if played well -- can suddenly represent the life force itself, when we see it being snuffed out by abject hatred and intolerance. This production (with original stars, anyway) shook me for days. I'd have to say that might qualify as "depressing." But it also reminded me that everything that happened in it ... could happen again. And in some places, does. That cautionary tale aspect is something to cling to, that surely transcends "depressing."

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Updated On: 12/25/03 at 11:57 AM

I have to agree that "Parade" has a pretty depressing finale.

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Definitley Les Mis and Cabaret. Man of La Mancha had one as well.

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La Boheme (i couldn't believe it ended like that)
Wicked
Les Miz
and the most depressing yet impacting ever: Cabaret

The West Side Story ending is not depressing. It is Tony's death that allows Maria to begin the healing process that brings the two gangs together and ends the hatred - which is the basic premise of the show. It is a tragic ending, but not depressing.

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I can't believe you people spoiled West Side Story AND Romeo and Juliet for me

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