Most Shocking/Surprising Twist in a Musical? (SPOILERS)- Page 2

[newintown]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 1:05pm

That the body in the chair isn't Uncle Anthony in Lucky Stiff.

That Doyle accidentally killed his wife and son in Grind.

That the Shogun's mother is slowly poisoning him throughout "Chrysanthemum Tea" in Pacific Overtures.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 1:08pm

It's old news now for us, but I think Elphaba's survival is a pretty big twist for anyone seeing Wicked for the first time. 

 

I agree.  I remember jumping up in my seat the first time I saw WICKED.  The genuine reaction from the audience (and those gasps) was a true testament how engrossed they were.  One of the few magical moments I've experienced in the theatre in quite a long time.  

[bwayrose7]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 3:53pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "It's old news now for us, but I think Elphaba's survival is a pretty big twist for anyone seeing Wicked for the first time. 


I agree.  I remember jumping up in my seat the first time I saw WICKED.  The genuine reaction from the audience (and those gasps) was a true testament how engrossed they were.  One of the few magical moments I've experienced in the theatre in quite a long time.  

 

Same here. One of my favorite things about working and attending theater is hearing/seeing people's reactions to twists that otherwise have lost their edge for me. Every time I've seen Wicked, I can always hear at least a few gasps and "awww"'s when Elphaba pops up and identifies her companion by name, and there's something so magical about knowing that these people are experiencing that emotional ride for the first time. Same goes for theater-goers who aren't familiar with Sweeney and the horrified moment when they also realize who she really is. The moment Dan is able to see Gabe and calls him by name is, to me, more of a twist (at least on subsequent viewings, perhaps) than the twist that "he's not here."

 

[Fan123]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 8:23pm

Re: NEXT TO NORMAL, there was an old thread at Whatsonstage (now Theatreforum) about adding crazy interpretations or twists to shows, and somebody suggested revealing that is Gabe is actually real and alive, with nearly everybody else being the deluded ones. The switch on the switch on the switch, lol.

 

I read on another forum (Sondheim.com I think) that some recent production of CARRIE had a brief 'kicker' moment at the very end hinting that after all the trauma she'd been through, Sue had acquired Carrie-style powers/craziness. Maybe not all that shocking, but sounds fun.

 

I can't remember if I found the ending to HMS PINAFORE surprising, but I did find the way it was conveyed in the lyrics to be hilariously abrupt: "A many years ago, when I was young and charming, / As some of you may know, I practised baby-farming."

 

I thought that MATILDA's surprise ending, with the Russians and all, was quite clever and poignant. It was deliberately ridiculous and jarring, but it felt as though the creative team was saying to the adults in the audience, "You know what we're doing here. We know that in real life this wouldn't happen for a child in this situation, but we're giving the younger kids in the audience tonight a happy, hopeful ending." (I know the original book had a happy ending too, but I felt the musical deliberately played up the incongruity of its ending.)

 

In the "shocking, but not in a good way" category, I submit CITY OF ANGELS' wtf ending.

[sorano916]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 9:14pm

Each time I've seen "Newsies" there's always a gasp when Katherine is revealed as Pultizer's daughter.