By Emma Di Salvo

Is there anything more uplifting in life than a musical? For as long as I can remember, I have been obsessed. There’s something quite magical about stories being told through music and songs. Musicals have always been my happy place; I know I’m not alone. 

What I love about musicals is that there’s something for everyone. While I enjoy happy, cheery shows such as Mary Poppins, my husband leans more towards the more sombre creations, such as Les Misérables. I mean, it literally has miserable in the title! No matter your vibe, there’s bound to be a musical out there for you. 

So grab some popcorn and turn the volume up full-blast while we look at the top 5 musicals to watch on Netflix right now! 

Burlesque

It always surprises me when people say they haven’t seen this movie. Burlesque has everything—great songs, exciting stage numbers and a cute love story to boot. Watch this movie if you ever doubted Christina Aguilara’s musical talents. The film follows the story of Ali, an aspiring singer who decides to swap her small-town life for the lights and glamour of L.A. Upon arriving, she discovers a Burlesque lounge run by the no-nonsense Tess (played by Cher). Tess, impressed by Ali’s talents, allows her to join the Burlesque family. 

It also stars Stanley Tucci, who is simply fabulous and plays quite a similar role to the one he plays in The Devil Wears Prada. So, if you liked him in that, you’ll definitely appreciate him here! This movie is fast-paced, fun, and an all-around great musical. 

Sing! 

When dapper koala bear Buster Moon tries to preserve his beloved theatre, he holds a singing competition with a mouth-watering cash prize of $100,000. The only problem is he’s completely broke. Auditions start, and from that emerge five stars—a rather pompous yet lovable mouse, an extremely timid elephant, a housewife pig, a gorilla with Daddy issues and a punk-rock porcupine. What’s not to love, right? 

But seriously, this movie is the epitome of a good time. The songs are great, the story is sweet, and the voice acting is sublime. The stand out for me has to be Taron Egerton, who voices Johnny the gorilla so beautifully that the character feels really fleshed out and relatable. This movie is also hilarious. I swear I am the human form of Miss Crawly!

Mamma Mia!

At this point, I probably don’t need to tell you about Mamma Mia. If you like musicals, chances are you’ve seen it. But for those who slipped through the net, this movie is an absolute must-see. Without a doubt, the best thing about this musical is, well, the music. 

Take all of Abba’s greatest hits and turn it into a love story, then take it to a fictional island in Greece—that’s Mamma Mia. Are the characters annoying? Yes. Is the singing good? Not really. Is it a good time? Absolutely!

Matilda The Musical

This musical grows on you. While the songs are not immediately catchy, they simply refuse to leave your head once you get used to them! I appreciated that Miss Honey has her own song, “My House,” and that we see a lot more development for her character than in the original film. The music and songs also add more dimension to Matilda’s character and give us insight into her loneliness. 

Emma Thompson is absolutely fantastic as the dreaded and terrifying Trunchbull. Although her performance differs from Pam Ferris’s, it is just as excellent. Don’t avoid this musical like I initially did; give it a chance. It may very well surprise you! 

The Swan Princess 

I don’t want to sound dramatic, but The Swan Princess means literally everything to me! (Okay, maybe not EVERYTHING, but you get the picture!) 

I’ve seen this movie more times than I can count, and I’ll continue watching it until I’m old and grey. Half the songs in this movie are beautiful, and the rest are hilarious. This animated musical movie is based on the Swan Lake ballet. It tells the story of Princess Odette, who falls madly in love with Prince Eric, a plan set in motion by their quite frankly ludicrous parents, King William and Queen Uberta. 

Just as their romance is about to blossom, Odette is stolen away by the evil sorcerer Rothbart. He casts a spell on her, transforming her into a swan every evening and thus preventing her from ever leaving. This is a story about courage, friendship and determination. Give it a go! 

Well, there you have it; you’ve got some watching (and singing) to do! Do let us know in the comments below what your favourite musicals are, and shout out to the old musicals (Oklahoma, Top Hat, The Sound of Music, etc) that didn’t make the list.