Depressing Finales

[NomoreDisenyorALW]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 12:47am

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

[bially082]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 12:57am

My vote would be for Les Miz

[dotmarie]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 1:01am

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

[bially082]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 1:04am

you can't take Urinetwon seriously. It's one big joke all the way through.

[bially082]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 1:05am

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

[BillFinn]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 2:02am

Wicked

[WhatDoINeedWithLove?]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 2:05am

wicked is happy at the same time as well

[007broadway]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 2:38am

WICKED!!!

[Becky]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 2:42am

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

[cabarethed]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 2:48am

Cabaret's pretty damn depressing, especially this revival.

[Juliette Capulet]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 4:09am

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

[bob8rich]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 7:58am

I'm intrigued that you find the finale of "Anyone Can Whistle" depressing. I think it's really uplifting:

phrases like:
"BEING SURE ENOUGH OF YOU
MADE ME SURE ENOUGH OF ME"
and
"THERE'S MORE OF LOVE
IN ME RIGHT NOW
THAN ALL THE LITTLE BITS OF LOVE
I'VE KNOWN BEFORE"
leading to:
"NONE OF IT WAS WASTED
ALL OF IT WILL LAST
EVERYTHING THAT'S HERE AND NOW AND US TOGETHER
IT WAS MARVELLOUS TO KNOW YOU
AND IT'S NEVER REALLY THROUGH
CRAZY BUSINESS THIS THIS LIFE WE LIVE IN
CAN'T COMPLAIN ABOUT THE TIME WE'RE GIVEN
WITH SO LITTLE TO BE SURE OF IN THIS WORLD -
HOLD ME!"

[Kicks8567]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 11:47am

Wicked
Les Miz
Miss Saigon

[Craig]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 11:53am

I might add Sweeney Todd and Zorba...

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 11:57am

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."

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

[Craig]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 12:01pm

very true auggie..

Sweeney Todd is more a "tragic" ending than "depressing"

and Zorba is more bittersweet than "depressing"

[Sheri]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 12:23pm

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

[BroadwayGal]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 12:28pm

Les Miz and Wicked's finales are sad but happy in a way too. I won't say why for Wicked- I don't want to spoil it for people that haven't seen the show. But both shows have a bittersweet ending. Two v. great shows too =)

Happy holidays everyone =)

[StateOfJade]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 1:21pm

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

[BroadwayDiva]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 2:04pm

-La Boheme
-Caberet
-Man of La Mancha
-Miss Saigon
-Les Miz

[newyorkuniq]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 2:08pm

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

[wickedfan]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 2:58pm

cabaret
wicked
les mis
west side story (very depressing, i mean tony DIES! and not Maria. at least if she died as well than they could be together)

[bob8rich]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 3:02pm

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.

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 3:06pm

Yes- West Side Story is pretty depressing.

Other shows that have depressing endings:

Jekyll and Hyde
Fiddler On the Roof
GODSPELL
And in a lot of ways, "A Chorus Line" is depressing. Not the song "One" but when people are called up and then let go. They all worked so hard, and then they think they're getting picked, and then they're not cast.

[Craig]

Posted: 12/25/03 at 3:08pm

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