MR HENNELLY’S TOP 5 MUSICALS

Mr Hennelly tells us about his top 5 musicals and why they have a special place in his heart.

Rent is one of the first musicals I watched and thought, 'that captures real life'! Although it is sung through there is a rawness to every character. It’s a sad yet beautiful story about human connection. And the lyrics are fantastic!

Jukebox musicals can sometimes just be loads of good songs thrown together with an awful story. But Our House has a great plot, settings that spread across London, and one of the most energised ensembles ever seen. I was once in a production of it in the ensemble, playing 17 characters! It was the most fun I have ever had in a show.

Set against the backdrop of one of the most harrowing events the world has ever seen, this musical is about a small community that accepted over 9,000 strangers into their towns in the face of disaster. It is so uplifting and has the most captivating sense of community. With just 3 tables and 12 chairs, the cast creates a variety of settings with style and ease. A great show for any keen designers.

A famous biblical story but from a new perspective and with rock music! When this show premiered, it created a whole new style of musical theatre and the character depth that comes across from every song is something very rare in musical theatre. It’s an old but gold type of show.

It's a very long musical yet somehow never gets boring. The way it transports you through Revolutionary France through the eyes of so many characters is captivating. The music itself is beautiful. It was the first musical that made me go “WOW!”