By Rhian Kille
The 67th Annual Grammy Awards included show stopping performances from artists like Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii and Charli XCX that are all considered to have had breakthrough years in 2024-5. These artists have found mainstream success after at least a decade of hard work. But in many people’s eyes they have abruptly burst onto the scene, complete with a curated and distinct brand for music consumers to latch onto. This is a phenomenon that might seem to be the result of the increasing role that internet virality and eye-catching aesthetic now play in the music industry. But their performances speak to something much more timeless: theatrical spectacle.
In their one-off performances, Chappell Roan strides a 10 foot tall pink pony surrounded by farmer-clowns, Sabrina Carpenter has several costumes changes and a faux-tap number, Charli XCX is accompanied by a cast of raucous party-goers on stage and Doechii’s celebratory performance is inspired by Broadway itself. Other than reflecting just how much audiences expect from artists financially and creatively in 2025 to attain and more importantly retain their attention, to me this also demonstrates a true revival of sensation. In a decade where young people are giving up night life but popular concerts sell out in minutes– the children yearn for the theatre, they just don’t know it.
Theatre is in many ways the antidote to the fast-moving, blood thirsty cycle of micro-trends that has young people in a vice grip. As a medium it is much more resistant to the urge to be contemporary and current, instead it has a tendency to thrive on timeless themes. The most successful musicals enjoy runs that last for decades – productions more typically repeat, reiterate and are revived rather than being released and quickly forgotten. This is largely thanks to the very nature of live theatre, like a concert, part of the game is being able to replicate something over and over for a different audience, which requires that it must endure and retain people’s interest over time. Musicals also undoubtedly take so long to create that they don’t attract people looking for quick success, not to mention the high financial investment required. Not to overgeneralise, musicals definitely aren’t exempt from cash grabs and commercialisation. It is definitely common at the moment for big production companies to use existing intellectual property, like films or the work of famous musicians as the basis for their productions. This attracts more theatre goers and a wider audience with less work than a wholly original project, which would be the equivalent of trendy ‘fast-theatre’. Largely, these musicals do not tend to last or accumulate cult followings in the same way – the impact of the spectacle and sensation is often dulled by the stale material, if it is not creatively and specifically adapted with passion.
I have recently been lucky enough to attend performances of two different musicals that currently have a home on the West End, ‘Hadestown’ and ‘Moulin Rouge’. ‘Hadestown’ is a wholly unique Jazz-Age inspired tragic romance based on the ancient Greek myths of Orpheus and Eurydice and Hades and Persephone. The tickets were super affordable making it very student friendly, and I have not been able to stop thinking about the poignant messages of love, hope and the importance of telling the right stories time and time again. ‘Moulin Rouge’ on other hand, takes the ideas of spectacle and sensation extremely literally, and pulls out all the stops. With all the extravagance of the overstimulating 2001 Baz Luhrmann film but live. The songs have been updated in this 2019 revival and I’m honestly not sure if I’ve ever experienced a purer thrill than a Bad Romance-Seven Nation Army-Toxic medley with full burlesque ensemble dance number. Maybe that’s just the ‘Glee’ fan in me, but it doesn’t disappoint. The expertise and dedication of the cast and crew in creating not only a performance but a spectacle, is unquestionable on the West End.
The pure theatricality of these performances really stayed with me as something that people are clearly craving at the moment, with clips of concerts and festivals constantly going viral what feels like every week, whether its Sabrina Carpenter’s Juno positions or Chappell Roan latest concert look. But how many people sharing and liking these videos are willing to endure live venues, gathering uncomfortably all together and spending money on something so transient? Especially on something they cannot record and share. These ‘slower’ mediums that repeat themselves in all their specificity really last in a way that is becoming rare. Both ‘Moulin Rouge’ and ‘Hadestown’ are beautiful stories of love and hope that are bound to always resonate with audiences. The sensation of a tragic love ballad or the energetic spectacle of an expertly choreographed ensemble are always a thrill. It is a human feeling, something you feel in your body. The performances provide a potent mixture of artistic spectacle, sentimentality and sensation that coalesces into theatricality in its purest form. It is this, when executed well, that endures with such longevity, despite popular complaints that it is over-the-top and just too much.
As pop culture starts to welcome bold and flashy spectacle back into the spotlight, cinema is changing too. People demand more and more reason to leave their houses to see a film. For many, provocative and shocking moments that create buzz on social media is a large, if not completely necessary, motivating factor. I’m not sure if you have noticed, but recently movies are getting notably freakier to get attention. Notable recent examples include ‘Babygirl’ (2025), ‘Nosferatu’ (2024), ‘Challengers’ (2024) and ‘Saltburn’ (2023). Or even the success ‘Wicked’ (2024), which had people either coming out as musical theatre fans, or eating their words. Shocking scenes like the Saltburn bath water create cultural moments. Internet content in general is rewarded for being extreme and provocative, and now that the internet is starting to influence cinema the same is starting to happen. Films seem to be looking to elicit visceral feelings like shock, scandal, arousal and disgust. At the moment, I think that this is having a positive influence on cinema, as it rewards more creative, transgressive and strange cinema as opposed to endless reboot franchise slop (as enjoyable as it sometimes can be). When art is challenging and generating discussion is when it is at its best. But this is a careful line to walk – provocation for the sake of provocation is a slippery slope towards extremism. As it stands, cinema is trending towards spectacle and sensation in the fight for its life to maintain its century old secure footing in the culture.
The sweethearts of the 2025 Grammys appear to have risen to popularity as just another product of some kind of Gen Z-internet hysteria or whim. It is easy to perceive their impact as all superficial surface and no substance. The truth is precisely the opposite. These women and their teams understand the art of spectacle and sensation, they understand how to fill a room with dynamic artistic energy in such a tangible way that people can feel it on the other side of their screens. Audiences and viewers are called equally for them to dance, rather than continue to let themselves stagnate in stillness. It’s no coincidence that these artists make music made to be played in night clubs and in concerts.
Especially for students here at Royal Holloway, West End tickets are the best kept secret for a great night out. Cheap tickets to musicals and an easy train into London is a no brainer. Disappointed you didn’t snag tickets to Chappell Roan’s London tour dates in September after queuing for ages and coordinating all your friends? Why not see ‘Moulin Rouge’ for all the same fun of burlesque leotards and a performance of Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance, but with much less stress? Sure, you won’t have concert videos to post and your friends might not be jealous, but you might surprise yourself at what a spectacular time you have. And if you won’t take my word for it, take your favourite artists, because there’s no doubt where they are pulling their inspiration from.
Image by Rob Laughter via Unsplash