Monday, October 19, 2009

Haiku-sical.

So almost a year ago to this day (note: don't go fact-checking that, it's probably not right, it just sounds cool) Maddy and I were joking around about musicals, as the cool kids did in those days. I had written one, she had written one. It was the centre of both of our small worlds.

We came up with the concept of a haiku-sical, that is, a musical written entirely in haiku, songs and all. It was a joke, we had a laugh, and moved on.

Except I didn't.

I wrote the idea down. I re-discovered it the other day. And it has been bugging me ever since.

I'm not interested in writing a whole musical, however what I will do is convert a number of popular musicals into haiku format. For example:

Rent

Look, eight New Yorkers
Most are gay and some have AIDS
Death makes them arty

Or what about this one:

The Producers

Make a Broadway flop
World War Two is funny now
Mel Brooks irony

And finally:

Hairspray

Fat girl on TV
Dances away racism
Man in drag plays mum

Add your own ideas in the comments if you want. This may become a regular column.

6 comments:

  1. Phantom of the Opera

    Ugly Man in Mask
    Seeks attractive opera chick:
    Must like lairs

    ReplyDelete
  2. rachel, that doesn't fulfill the criteria of a haiku.
    fail.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Matt the Musical

    Matt shits on Haiku stylings
    Writes hurtful comment
    Tuna on toast for lunch

    ReplyDelete
  4. furthermore:

    "Most writers of literary haiku in English use about ten to fourteen syllables, with no formal pattern" (veritable source land, 2009)

    so don't pull your 'criteria pachooly' with me please.

    ReplyDelete
  5. nun makes children sing
    dad digs her habit and tunes
    wedding then nazis

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jesus Christ Superstar

    Jesus gonna die
    Judas has a conniption
    Hooker Mary sad.

    ReplyDelete