Lily Casson is bringing her show, I Heart Musicals, to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with English Cabaret this summer, which will coincide with the launch of a new website that will share her exploration of a century of song. Leading up to her show's premiere, we are offering a preview of some of her musical thoughts.
In this post, she explores her love of travelling through musical escapism and how shows have the power to transport you without leaving your seat!
One of the downsides of the digital revolution is the way paper tickets are gradually falling out of use. It obviously doesn't take away from the experience of the show itself, but there is something special about having a ticket in your hot hand as you queue, or a tangible souvenir of a past event to look back on. They conjure up all the feelings you felt when you visited and re-evoke them.
In a way, it's like a travel ticket - giving you the opportunity to journey to any number of different worlds on a wave of melody and song. Except with a musical, you can travel without ever leaving your red velvet seat. You can travel back to another time in history, visit a sunny destination or explore a fantasy to escape what's happening in the world outside. And they can stay with you long after the curtain has gone down.
Every musical takes you on a journey. Transported by the cast you share their experience as they follow their dreams and join them at their destination.
I love to travel, don't you? I love the change of venue, the change of menu, the feeling when you've eaten something strange, I love to travel, I love change...
The Frogs
Different shows take you to different places - not just physically but emotionally. Each time you take a trip with a theatre ticket, it can change your perspective on how you think and feel. It can provide a well-deserved holiday from our current mindset and give our brains a chance to recharge and reset.
This magic is made possible by a host of brilliant creatives - designers who bring to life these places on stage through intricate stage design, lighting, and costume. I always marvel at the artistry involved in making places look and feel authentic. Through their eyes, you can live in their perfect vision without the hassle of packing a suitcase.
There's no cure like travel to help you unravel the worries of living today...
Anything Goes
It's been said that travel is a tonic and for me, musicals are the best medicine. An antidote to the world as it is they are a natural mood-enhancer, and just the ticket for broadening your horizons.
Anyone you wanna be, And anything you say, Come tomorrow you’ll be free, Of who you are today, Action and adventure, When we change our fixed abode, Go live life out there on the road!
Big Fish
If I can't make it to the theatre, I love using musicals as the soundtrack to my own travels, no matter how everyday. There is nothing that makes me feel better than singing my heart out to a show in the car or listening along in my headphones as I travel by train. For the length of the journey, it feels like bonus time - to-dos on hold - a chance to escape into a better world.
If you can't go on a getaway in the near future, consider booking a ticket to see a show instead. You may not get a gorgeous tan, or holiday shots to bore your friends with, but you will filled with heart-warming stories to keep you going through the days ahead.
Need a soundtrack to your next journey? Have a listen to my YouTube playlist of travel songs from musicals here.
This post was first published on lilycasson.com. Her new site IHeartMusicals.co.ukis in development and her live show is playing at 21:20 on 11th, 13th, 20th, 25th and 27th August at C Venues at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. BOOK NOW!