Why "Falsettos" succeeds as a Broadway Musical where "Rent" fails

[@pudding1255]

i love falsettos so much for not romanticising whizzer's death. it doesn't represent anything, he's not some guiding light or whatever like angel is forced to be, he's a person who's life is horrifically cut short. his death is unexpected, it shatters everyone's character arcs and completely derails the story. it doesn't happen for any profound reason, just like in real life. i always hate when story try to give characters dying some purpose, or try to make it feel okay, because it's not. i like that falsettos just let's us sit with the grief.

[@mel-burnes]

arguably it's there to make the men grow up and leave the falsettoland, but i do agree that it is by far the much more "real" death of the two

[@bpdmachine777]

@@mel-burnesi also argue that it’s not necessary there TO make them grow up, but more so a natural progression after the event ya know? whizzer passes, in turn the boys grow up when someone passes like that, it makes you reevaluate everything so it makes complete sense why they’d do that i just wanted to share my thoughts :3

[@justananonymouspotato]

whose* but I 100% agree

[@Anxiety_333]

I agree so much with you 🫶🏾

[@amodelbello2794]

and I love how you don’t truly get shown the aftermath and the effect whizzer’s death at all. The scenes move so fast- you’re at Jason’s bar mitzvah, you get a tiny interaction between Marvin and whizzer, a maybe 20 second long funeral, and boom, you’re at bows. You’re expecting the padding time where it shows the impact of the death on all the other characters and how it impacts their stories, but those scenes just never come. It symbolizes how sudden and unexpected whizzers death was to EVERYONE. He got cut so short and unexpectedly, and so did the show. It lets the audience experience that sudden shock too.

[@__Black_Sheep__]

I've played Marvin in Falsettos before and I feel bad for anyone who has the pleasure of playing him. Though not a difficult role vocally, I truely believe it is one of the most difficult roles in all of musical theatre. I was a mess after every show and basically couldn't be talked to for an hour or two afterwards. It is such a heavy role. Just hearing the instrumental of 'What Would I Do' makes my eyes start to tear up, just on muscle memory alone.

[@alojzy3943]

this reminds me of both Andrew Rannells and Christian Borle mentioning in some interviews (Christian in "Christian Borle Talks About Broadway Musical "Falsettos" | BUILD Series" at around 6:00, but Andrew mentioned it somewhere too) that at some points after performing Falsettos they would just cry at home after it to let the emotions out. i can imagine performing these roles is incredibly emotionally taxing, even if you know it's just a performance, it must feel almost real to your brain

[@AndyRandyIsMyHyperfixation]

@@alojzy3943 thank you for the title and timestamp!!

[@microwaveboy3683]

I'm hyperfixating VERY hard on falsettos rn so I'm very happy to find a semi-recent video about it

[@DaisyReyReviews]

Falsettos is great! Thanks so much for watching it!!

[@lizzie2069]

no literally same

[@astaroth_angel]

ME 2!!

[@justtippinmytophat2u647]

WOAH me too.

[@irongirltoni]

I was you, like 2 years ago. My fixation,, calmed down, but this is still my favorite show so

[@kazza6078]

My only problem with falsettos is that if I hear any piece of any song from that show it will get stuck in my head for two weeks, no matter what I do. Worth it!

[@nestbones]

falsettos means more to me than any other piece of media ever has (i say this with the level of sincerity only a gay trans man who’s middle name is whizzer can have lmao) and it makes me so happy to see other people who understand how incredible it is. super well written video btw!

[@wrenclark4907]

whizzer is a fucking sick name

[@theCaptainFinch]

Ok whizzer is the best middle name to have :D

[@jinorism]

i concur. oh to be named whizzer

[@palesgensler3099]

Sick but kicking. Sorry I had to.

[@redscrunchie222]

Permission to steal your name?

[@rathsatyr3553]

Whizzer’s death had me hysterically sobbing on the bathroom floor.

[@lizzie2069]

bro i was barely able to breathe at the end of falsettos i was crying so hard

[@_aceywacey]

SAME i watch it when i want to cry GOOD

[@emmagill6237]

I started crying around Unlikely Lovers and was straight up sobbing by the end 😭

[@mariana.okimoto5823]

Falsettos and come from away just KILL ME from excess crying. The ending of hadestown too, of course

[@orionsbelt25]

In Rent, Angel's death feels very dismissable, especially since Mimi essentially comes back from the dead at the end of act 2, so it's really just another plot point and seems to only be used as a motivator for Mark to make his movie. In Falsettos, Whizzer's death comes at the end of two acts of this complicated family unit trying to get along with each other and settle into some form of normalcy. It just feels a bit more genuine in Falsettos imo

[@LaurenLaass]

I saw RENT for the first time recently and Angel’s death was so short. I didn’t cry because they just brushed it off and moved on. Then the straight character lives? It’s weird.

[@orionsbelt25]

@@LaurenLaass Yeah! I always thought that was a bit weird. They gloss over Angel's death and move on and then Mimi dying is such an event that needs her to be brought back

[@afoolishfopdoodle3284]

I would say more than a bit. I would say it feels infinitely more genuine and heartbreaking

[@freddieperkins6953]

Rent is a queer musical for straight people Falsettos is a queer musical for queer people

[@leoriolover]

ok that’s a bit awkward for me😭😭

[@LeNoLi.]

i prefer falsettos, but i'm straight, so this can't be right

[@hannah-io1zf]

unlikely lovers is one of my favorite musical numbers ever it truly has such a special place in my heart and i think the character development in the second act of falsettos truly makes the ending so heartbreaking and i can’t watch it without crying

[@blue.berry.b]

That song always makes me sob

[@misteryA555]

Jonathan Larrson was an excellent composer, just not a good writer. If he had had someone working on Rent with him, it easily could have been one of the greatest musicals ever about one of the darkest times in recent LGBT+ history

[@antheiheiant]

Sorry, Rents success disagrees.

[@stefannydvorak7919]

@@antheiheiant Something being successful/popular doesn’t necessarily indicate it’s quality.

[@golvic1436]

@@antheiheiant Rent lives and dies on it's catchy songs and... That's about it. Plot, story, characters and just about everything else is mediocre at best (although most of the time it is at it's worst). Oh, and the numbers show this is the case. Rent (2005)- $31 Million worldwide Phantom Of The Opera (2004)- $153 Million Worldwide Les Misérables (2012)- $438 Million Worldwide

[@jordandeangelo2315]

Wrong

[@emalaw1329]

I would go as far as saying he's also a more than decent lyricist. You can hear the Sondheim influence in his fluid rhyming schemes and the natural purposefulness of most of his song-form compositions (as opposed to recitative pieces such as the Tune Up's and the Happy New Year's, that mostly feel meandering imo). His mistake was to insist on writing the book himself, which he wasn't cut out for.

[@MeganMind13]

I also think it’s healthy to remember that RENT is unfinished. Jonathan Larson died during previews which is where a lot of those problems would be sorted out but his unfortunate passing meant that RENT is forever unevolved in the way it could have been

[@caitg4414]

welll.. technically, Jonathan Larson died the night before the show opened to the public, so it was a bit too late to make large changes. that being said, it was for sure at a point where changes could theoretically be made.

[@TheAmyrlinSeat]

​​ its actually really common for shows to change a ton after they first open

[@fabrisseterbrugghe8567]

Did you live through the pre drug-cocktail era of AIDS? it first was bizarre in so many ways. I had a blood transfusion when I was living in Belgium. When I found out the blood supply used there was contaminated, I was living in Boston. I asked my doctor for the AIDS test and was told not to take it through my HMO because there could be repercussions. This is pre-HIPPA. I remember losing friends. I remember the sheer fear I felt waiting for my results when a positive result had no treatment. Rent feels right for all of that, including the fact that not all the HIV positive people were gay. The specificity of Falsettos deepens it, but Rent's wide net reflects the other communities impacted by the disease.

[@DaisyReyReviews]

I was born in 2000. I completely understand where you're coming from and respect your opinion on this matter as someone who survived the HIV/AIDS crisis, and I also do respect Rent for a lot of the stuff it did. Most of my opinions are on the story more than the impact

[@tedtubs]

I was fortunate enough to be cast in falsettos and stumbled across this review. And while I agree with you on every aspect… why doesn’t this video have more attention. Seriously. I was shocked to see less than a thousand views. Not only that, you seem like a really chill person to talk to and listening to this while I drew made me really happy. The bit at the end where you encouraged new musical fans just made me light up and it was just so sweet. Thanks for this, I really hope you have a good day :]

[@DaisyReyReviews]

I'm a woman actually but I appreciate your comment!! It's gaining more attention slowly but surely lol

[@tedtubs]

@@DaisyReyReviews shit my bad!! i tend to forget to read about pages on channels- I’ll edit the comment real quick! and hopefully the video will spike up and gain some more attention!!

[@zombiesoclock6012]

i also LOVE how in Falsettos it shows how much Wizzers death affected Jason and everyone in the family. it helps to show that HIV aids affects so many people and not just the gay couple

[@triple_L_Prod]

William Finn is super underrated. Not very many people know about 25th annual Putnam county spelling bee, and even less know about falsettos. He is super talented, and I wish more people gave him the attention he deserves

[@Mossishere]

I know right! It’s like him and his frequent collaborator James Lapine don’t get enough credit for how much they’ve revolutionised theatre. James Lapine wrote into the woods and various other amazing book musicals with falsettos, and people still give Stephen Schwartz more recognition than him. Meanwhile, William Finn has found his own style that feels like a blend of all the iconic musical theatre composers whilst still being unique, and makes it work really well. William Finn and James Lapine are on par with Sondheim, they just dont get the recognition they deserve.

[@aconerty6392]

WAIT that's HIM

[@Ryan-hh4yv]

James Lapine also wrote Sunday in the Park and won the Pulitzer prize for drama!! Rarely ever done by a musical

[@rebeccag8589]

I totally agree! I was fortunate enough to be in A New Brain in my community theater in high school, and I saw Elegies in NY at around the same time. Both experiences were moving and just incredible. Ever since then, I've been such a Bill Finn fan! And I do think he's very underrated, even amongst musical theater people.

[@MsRiahC]

Yesssss all of this. And how the music from all his musicals flow all the way throughout the show perfectly, dialogue in the lyrics, perfectly describing settings and what’s occurring with lyrics. Very little talking without music in William Finn’s musicals and that’s something I just love so much. I really hope he releases more 😭

[@user-c4c6g]

I clicked on this video so fast because I always compared these two musicals and I always felt the same way. I wish Falsettos would get the dame recognition as Rent, the music is phenomenal

[@user-c4c6g]

Love is Blind is such a brilliantly written song and I'm breaking down? *chefs kiss*

[@susie6233]

in trousers is also one of my favourite musicals along with falsettos, it really contextualises marvin and trina a lot (and it bangs tbh)

[@Tully-tittles]

The saddest part in falsettos imo was during Jason’s Jewish thing (I’m not even gonna attempt to try and spell it…) when the doctor, if I recall correctly, pulls Whizzer away because he’s too sick and Jason just give the most soul crushing look like he knows this is the last time he’s gonna see Whizzer

[@pho_is_not_interesting]

Bar Mitzvah 😭

[@snugglyjewelsies9344]

That final moment of Falsettos is the most powerful ending of a musical I’ve ever seen. It’s a beautiful, soul-crushing end to an amazing musical.

[@theCaptainFinch]

I am completely obsessed with Falsettos at the moment (and Andrew Rannells and Christian Borle) and falsettos just doesn’t get enough credit for how amazing it is. And it’s also great to see other people who also think that Rent isn’t all that amazing (don’t get me wrong I think Rent did amazing things for musical theatre and the media in general, and the media most likely wouldn’t be where it is today without it.) I’ve just never been able to consider myself “a fan” of Rent, especially when you compare it to falsettos. This video explains it all amazingly and your commentary is great!

[@QuikVidGuy]

Weirdly enough, Angel is one of the parts of RENT I DIDN'T have a problem with. It felt more like how people will do immoral things out of desperation to avoid dying and then will be flippant and irreverent about their compromises because "you just can't deal with that shit right now." A lot of people don't think of small dogs as being valuable, especially if owned by rich people. They'll moan about how rich people use their tiny dogs as props and how the dog must be suffering, but then still wish harm upon the dog for... being taken advantage of and neglected. If the audience sees it as just a joke with no depth, then yeah it didn't hit its mark, but for the people who see the class divide and know about harmful thought processes that provide coping it's a real dark sort of comedy, rather than a shallow dark comedy. I actually appreciated how the closer a character was to her, the more likely they were to all her "her" because that felt real As for the friends treating each other like shit but still staying together... I wish I didn't relate, but I've seen it too many dozens of times

[@_gremlinboy]

I think my biggest issue with rent is always just gonna be that I feel like it's about the group of outcast kids in my school who were somehow just as mean as the popular kids. Like I could barely stand to be around those people in real life, and have no interest in seeing a musical about them.

[@QuikVidGuy]

@@_gremlinboy BASICALLY

[@afoolishfopdoodle3284]

@@_gremlinboy I think that's a perfect summation of this show

[@honkytonky7043]

falsettos will always be my favourite musical because it had such an impact on me. rent was sad but it just wasn't the same. also tracy being in both rent and falsettos is so iconic

[@silvercheetah92]

Rent is Larson’s first draft. Since he died the night of the first preview the show will always be locked in this rough state

[@LaurieSwenson]

It may not have been perfected at the first Off-Broadway show, but it wasn't anything close to a first draft. Larson reworked it for years and made major changes before its first performance in 1993 in a workshop and during subsequent workshop productions prior to the 1996 Off-Broadway opening. Like it or not, it was probably more of a 100th draft. :)

[@Pugkin5405]

@@LaurieSwenson They didn't say it was the first draft of Rent

[@2ndRoman]

@@Pugkin5405they did though?

[@Pugkin5405]

@@2ndRoman Not really

[@2ndRoman]

@@Pugkin5405 “Rent is Larson’s first draft” is literally the first sentence in the OG comment

[@ForeverLovePizza]

I'm so glad it's not just me who thought this. Rent is a terrific musical and an important piece of LGBT+ representation in media, and Jonathan Larson's contribution to the world of musical theatre deserves respect - but it completely pales in comparison to Falsettos, for the reasons you so beautifully illustrated. As a gay man myself, I just felt like I could connect to the characters in Falsettos so naturally, whereas in Rent I struggled to really feel anything towards them in that way. At the end of the day though, it's like comparing Gold to Platinum - they are both fantastic and I think anyone starting out in the world of musical theatre should give them both a watch.

[@AmeliaDavies-kz8iz]

I feel like Falsettos makes you grow a connection with the characters and especially in Act 1 when they get introduced and are then further explored throughout duets and solos that have so much emotion and passion. I also love how it ended with the song 'Father to Son' which definitely showed how much Marvin truely cared for Jason even though it must be very difficult for him to try and connect with his son after leaving him and his mother for another man. Act 2 is very consistent at the beginning and closely follows what happened in Act 1 which makes it feel like a very consistent story rather then a musical. It then of course slowly introduces the prospect of AIDS in the song 'Something bad is happening' and i really like that this song inspires panic in Charlotte which then passes to Cordelia after she realises how severe this situation is and how distressed her girlfriend is, this also shows how much she cares for her. This mention of a new unknown disease can also make the audience contemplate what might happen to characters that are so near and dear such as Whizzer and Marvin. These two have a sweet but complicated relationship that only makes you feel more heartbroken after Whizzers eventual demise which is also built up on song by song. I can't help but mention the way Whizzer is portrayed in the song 'You gotta die some time' with the shift of him originally welcoming death and then later becoming emotional over his description of death being very similiar to Marvin. This makes him realise how much he'll miss Marvin when he's gone which is a tear jerker for sure. Christian Borle's and Andrew Rannell's passion in the song 'What would i do' is what made me ball my eyes out the most and it is a extremely emotional, fantastic and heart wretching song that is very powerful and an amazing close to this masterpiece of a musical, for sure my all time favourite.

[@amroncaddet3464]

I still have to watch the actual performance of Falsettos, but I've been listening to only the soundtrack and GOD even without the speaking and actual dialog that isn't singing makes me feel dread by the end. It sets everything up so well and happily just to pick away at it slowly until whizzer is gone

[@AmeliaDavies-kz8iz]

@@amroncaddet3464 I 100% reccommend watching it. The actors are seriously so talented and hold so much passion and emotion, it's just great to see.

[@kooklandz8696]

falsettos was the first musical to ever make me cry like. full on SOBBING at the end. that's one of the reasons why it's on my list of all-time favorite musicals. to be able to move someone emotionally THAT well can be quite the triumph. it still makes me cry whenever i watch it. that's how much power it has.

[@afoolishfopdoodle3284]

My favorite part of Falsettos is Father to Son. The whole song is filled with things that I wish that either of my parents would say to me, and it's just so affirming as a young trans boy. It makes me cry every time I hear it.

[@gerbilfantastic]

Falsettos is probably my favorite musical, and Rent is one of my least favorites. (however, I understand why some enjoy it. Its message is for a good cause but I guess I'm not personally a fan of the music and other aspects of it.) I'm very happy you made this video, there are a lot of great points here! Thank you!

[@thelifeofme5221]

Glad to see Falsettos finally getting the love it deserves. When I was about 12 I fell in love with the musical and even went as far to invite the cast to my Bat mitzvah the following year (cringe but actual fact)

[@Belladonnacore]

I can’t even listen to what would I do as background music I just start sobbing like crazy

[@iDKVibe]

"fun" fact about the pro-shot version of falsettos: in Days Like This, Jason says "I'll let you win, Whizzer", referring to a game of chess. at the end, after the final line of Falsettoland - Reprise, Jason walks up to his grave and places a king :')

[@IsaalsaArt]

JESUS- WHAT YOU CANT DO THIS TO ME RANDOM STRANGER ON THE INTERNET

[@iDKVibe]

@IsaalsaArt >:)

[@m_here1]

Also, placing the chess piece on the grave is a reference to Jewish practices of placing a stone on a grave when you visit, not flowers. Stones (or chess pieces) last forever, flowers die. It is a very layered move, and is another example of how amazing falsettos is.

[@SidebySidebySophie]

I saw your post on reddit about this video and couldn’t wait. Falsettos is my favourite musical and Rent is very high up on my list and I really love diving and and exploring the similarities and differences between the two. Your video was fantastic and I really loved your analysis of the two shows!

[@carniethedat7071]

What you said about Marvin being the only person who's severely toxic in Falsettos is definitely a huge boon to its story, and I never really understood how much that was the case until you gave it context. You want to like him because he's a closeted gay man whose life choices have led to him trying to juggle too much. It's just so hard because he's such an insufferable ass at the best of times. Whizzer, Trina, and even Mendel (as awful as he can be in Act 1 too) have nothing compared to the deep-seated issues Marvin has, and it really makes you invested when he tries to turn his life around in Act 2. Seeing him get back with Whizzer and actually be a decent lover gives you all the warm fuzzies. Everything seems to be going so well! He even opens up - granted, while Whizzer is asleep - about his feelings in a way that Act 1 Marvin NEVER would have in a million years. And then the reality of what's going on sinks in: the realization that Whizzer slept around while he and Marvin were broken up (a part of his character that was first mentioned in a throwaway line from "The Thrill of First Love") and accidentally contracted a disease that's guaranteed to kill him comes out of nowhere with all the force of a speeding tractor trailer. Marvin's character arc through Falsettos exemplifies the theme of the show: live the best life you can while you have the chance. The disease was simply how the latter part of that theme came into play. It doesn't set out to be a lecture about HIV/AIDS like Rent can feel like at times; Falsettos relied on a story about relatable people navigating a tough social situation that gets totally derailed by the disease. Yet the inclusion of HIV/AIDS doesn't feel tacked on. In an ideal world, there may have been a happy ending to Marvin and Whizzer's relationship... but that's how so many tragedies in the real world during the HIV/AIDS epidemic played out too, especially in the early days when nobody knew what exactly was going on.

[@msamyrose100]

What gets me the most at the ending is those piano notes from In Trousers when Marvin says welcome to falsettoland. It’s just so hauntingly beautiful to me.

[@notlucyb]

as someone who’s used this talking point more times than i can count, i am *so* ready for this video

[@luvaboy420]

rent was so pivotal for me early in my queer journey but looking back it has a less realistic view on lgbtq history while falsettos spotlights jewish culture and mixes it with lgbtq issues!

[@visagrunt]

I feel that the comparison of the endings is further accentuated by Mimi's resuscitation. La Bohème's power comes, in part, from Mimi's death, which was not adapted into the book of Rent. Her return to life might provide a happy ending for Roger and Mimi, but completely undermines the theme of the show. Much could have been salvaged of Rent's potential greatness with a tragic ending.

[@VegasMace]

beautifully made video!! falsettos is my favorite musical of all time, and I live for this commentary.

[@tyrakristiansen7188]

God when i watched Falsettos for the first time i sobbed harder than i've ever sobbed. And still to this day i cry every single time

[@Swirlzberry]

I’m so glad I’m seeing a recent rent AND falsettos fan!! This is a well written and an amazing video! Keep up the great work!

[@shirin9216]

I saw the recommendation for this and immediately started SHAKING with excitement I love falsettos to pieces and this is such a well made and well written video!!!!!!!! Yr killing it !!!!!!

[@catecorno]

Thank you for talking about falsettos with such passion and adoration, this is my favorite musical and your video genuinely enriched my understand and appreciation of this moving masterpiece :)

[@BigRedGlowingNose]

Falsettos easily belongs to my top 3 musicals of all time. Storywise and theatrically an absolute masterpiece. The tone, the setting, the CHARACTERS, the character development, the staging is fantastic. I think it's not quite as popular bc the music (while absolutely amazing) serves more to the narrative and might maybe not be enjoyed outside of the context that much, in contrast to other musicals where the music is the focus and the story 'only' serves as a sort of excuse to sing. Falsettos fits (in my opinion) more into the category for theater set to music, than music set to a story, if that makes any sense. I am so incredibly glad this showed up in my recommended! Spread the Falsettos love!

[@HMAsai]

Falsettos is literally my favorite piece of media ever. I haven’t even started watching yet but I literally bring this topic up daily to all my friends.

[@Saki_IkeaStore]

Just to add, at the end of Falsettoland reprise, the motif from the start of In Trousers The Dream from In Trousers is there at the end of the song! And, for me, it adds so much to Falsettos that I never would have thought.

[@Falsekingofbeans]

Haven’t finished the video yet but I think it says a lot that I’m on the verge of tear at you explaining Falsettos, literally one of the best works to ever be on broadway

[@yikesaroney5865]

For me personally when I discovered Falsettos I was a somewhat a depressed theatre kid who didn't know anything about herself. And around a month later I realized I was queer and I whole-heartedly believe that without Falsettos the process of accepting myself would have been a lot harder and might have ended with me unaliving myself. So in short I owe my life to Falsettos and I will always be grateful.

[@BaskGurrl]

I've thought this about RENT for so long and I get slammed everytime I say it, THANK YOU, and now I've discovered Falsettos thanks to you ! Keep it up, it was super interesting!

[@katelynhutchinson7235]

you articulated everything perfectly that i’ve always thought. falsettos is by far my favorite show and hearing someone else say it makes me so happy

[@Th3aft3rl1f3]

hearing you say that "Rent" is the first mainstream piece of media with gay people made me cringe so hard that I almost turned inside out.

[@fishtaccos]

Falsettos is easily one of the best stage shows ever created. The sincerity and depth of all the characters, the arcs and developments, the score, the ACTING, the harmonies, the ending. The thing that makes falsettos so much better than rent for me is how you can see this family fight and tear apart, but in the end repair and love each other, just to abruptly be destroyed by Whizzer’s death. That’s it. No uplifting song about moving on from death, it just derails and ends the whole show. It’s so accurate as to how HIV/AIDS actually affected families. There was no explanation. And I agree, Marvin’s amazing development makes the death so much more impactful. They’re happy and have a loving, healthy relationship, and suddenly it’s all over. I could talk about this show all day- god it’s just amazing!!

[@glasspomegranate]

How am I only seeing this video two whole months after it was posted??? My KZbin recommendations really failed me there. Great video! I really wish more people talked about falsettos since there are so many different aspects to talk about. I appreciate rent for bringing more mainstream attention to hiv/aids, even if I don’t love the musical, but a part of me really wishes it had been falsettos that had gotten that attention

[@genieinalampproductions4431]

falsettos has 'whizzer going down' and rent doesn't. nuff said.

[@violetlunablossom817]

Yes! Yes to all of this! Falsettos just grabs your heart and soul in such an aching way that leaves you feeling emotionally drained in the end. I couldn't feel that when I watched Rent (maybe it's my younger age showing) but you explained it all so well.

[@maddie.bolland.7]

Falsettos is an incredible musical; it’s one of those stories that sticks with you. I’ve seen it many times and I still bawl every time, especially in the second act. The music is a masterpiece and the story is so meaningful. It’ll always be one of my favourites 💜

[@lyss.the.panini]

the fact that just discussing the songs in falsettos makes me tear up while half of the songs in rent i cant remember says a lot, love rent but i love falsettos so much more

[@TrickyDryad]

This feels so confirming. I paused this video 5 minutes in, realizing that I had somehow never watched rent despite hearing about it so much, and came away from it feeling deeply unimpressed. Some of the songs were good but most of them were a few good lines with a whole lot of fluff surrounding them. The spotlight kept shining on extras like i was supposed to know or care who they were, as if the show didn't have enough main characters already? Benny was set up as a major antagonist and just as quickly became a bestie? There were so many plot points that just weren't discussed with enough detail to know what the hell was going on? It felt great to come back to this video after watching rent for the first time and not hear its praises sung like I'd expected lol. It's not bad its just... people talk about this show like it's les mes.

[@laviniademouralopessne]

I'm so glad this video appeared as an indication to me! Falsettos is my favorite musical of all time and I miss the time when there was often new content about it. So I was very happy to find this well written video. I started to admire more Rent! after seeing tick tick boom! But in fact, as much as Jonathan was an amazing composer, his not being gay makes all the difference when it comes to developing characters. Both pieces are sooo important for their time (creation and production) and I understand the relevance of Rent for Broadway (musically), but I want more people loving Falsettos too!

[@trillwillyum]

I agree with a lot of points that you made. I think the quality of the AIDS storyline is definitely affected by whether it was a straight person or a queer person writing it. Also, William Finn is objectively better at writing characters who feel like real people to the audience. I think RENT was very underbaked, and it didn’t help that Larson passed away before getting to make adjustments to it (*hot take: I don’t think Rent would be as iconic as it is if he hadn’t died right when it opened; I think that his death just added to the novelty of the show and kept people from examining it critically*). I also think that Falsettos benefited from being a focused narrative with, at most, 7 characters throughout the show; but I also believe that’s what kept it from winning best musical (a musical without an ensemble doesn’t tend to win mainstream awards, even if it’s better). The music in Rent isn’t super complex overall, so it was more accessible to the masses; while William Finn is out here writing some interesting, complicated music and tying up the story very clearly and effectively.

[@kazza6078]

I wish you had more video essays about musical theatre, I really liked this a lot!

[@lilsleepy1553]

I honestly can't help but wonder how rent would have evolved if Larson had the ability to revise and go over the material more. Would we have lost many of the issues that the show struggles with and come out with a more concise and streamlined musical? I forget that what we're looking at is basically Larson's first draft. I absolutely adore falsettos and agree with your rent grievances. this is just something that's been on my mind since Lindsay Ellis and Kaveh Teherian talked about rent on musicalsplaining EDIT: do you know anyway to convince my friends to actually watch falsettos? haha they all don't want to because they know its sad but its so tragic that I can't share something so good with them because of the heavy topics

[@maddygraham3499]

Yes!!! this is what everyone forgets, I agree with many of the points made in this video but if you look at any other musical it goes through so many changes in previews and throughout its run and Jonathan didn't even get to see it let alone make changes or tweak it. I think what he achieved on basically a first draft is incredible.

[@sushicat999]

Falsettos is a masterpiece that help me understand my queerness in a special way. It is probably one of my favorite pieces of media ever

[@muffinslawl]

At the end of watching falsettos i was left at a loss, but mostly overwhelmed by confusion. I think it's because i'm pretty young and can't read in between the lines well. But I liked the songs a lot, so i'd listen to the playlist every now and then, and with every re-listen, i'd get the time to really let what happened in the play sink in. So with each listen, the tragedy that the play was unraveled. Ha ha. Love the play!

[@thatdogisjet2892]

whizzers death ripped my heart out and it made me want to cartwheel off a skyscraper

[@carmymb]

i grew up with rent because my mother loves it so for that reason it will always have a place in my heart but i’ve just recently watched falsettos the first time and i can’t put to words the many emotions i experienced while watching it, i listen to the music every day and i’ve lost counts of how many times i’ve watched it. the characters are each so complex and i love them all. falsettos is my favorite musical and i say that wholeheartedly it’s a masterpiece

[@notenoughtreble]

This needs a MILLION views!!! Seriously amazing Exposé! Can’t wait to see more!

[@ChristineDaley]

I played the kosher caterer in a small production of falsettos and frankly nothing has ever come close to that experience.

[@poseidons_child.]

CORDELIA HER NAME IS CORDELIA

[@rinnthepooh]

YOU GET IT FALSETTOS IS MY FAVORITE MUSICAL AND I LOVE YOUR INTERPRETATION AND COMPARISON SO MUCH

[@IlastarothTayre]

SURE talk about the second act of Falsettos with Undertale in the background, as if I even needed my heart not to flood with feelings (these two works of art have owned my soul since I was a teen)

[@got_the_morbs]

i found falsettos years ago but never actually watched it until recently and it has swallowed me whole. ive watched it countless times in the past like week. it means so much to me. and i know it means even more to others who can draw personal relations to it or have known it for longer. i love rent, i really do, but nothing can top falsettos.

[@fanboy3761]

i dont feel crazy for hating rent anymore thank you

[@oyveytotebag]

you have perfectly encapsulated what i have been saying for quite some time. i am also jewish and openly gay, and falsettos has meant so much to me since i was a teenager (and i'm approaching 30). i wish i could be more eloquent, but i thank you so much for this video.

[@alyson00]

I'M CRYING... I'M CRYING AND YOU MAKE A SPONGEBOB MOVIE JOKE (just a joke that was fucking class)

[@BonnerDoemling]

I feel like "Rent Isn't As Good As We Thought" is its own video essay subgenre. This is at least the fourth one I've seen and I NEVER get tired of hearing it

[@denisesudell2538]

I'm surprised you didn't mention the controversy surrounding Rent -- author Sarah Schulman asserts that many of the details of the show were stolen from her novel PEOPLE IN TROUBLE. More significantly (at least IMHO), she points out that Larson depicts the queer characters through a distinctly heterosexual lens, robbing them of their agency. I don't think KZbin allows external links in comments, but you can easily find articles on the subject if you do a search.

[@intarotbangs]

I love this video. Rent was one of the first musicals I got into back in like 2009 when I was in middle school. I found Falsettos in 2020 I think? Maybe 2021. I loved Rent for it's bombastic edge, and for some of my first interaction with queer representation in media. Now, over a decade of living as a queer woman and being deep into musical theater has definitely granted me better insights and critical analysis of my favorite shows. Watching the Falsettos pro shot for the first time was a punch to the heart that reminded me how much I love musicals, and how powerful they can be. You come away from this story about a family splintered, broken, and reforged but with no happy ending. It stays with you. Rent feels like a freshman course in queer musicals, whereas Falsettos is a masterclass.

[@leiikos]

Great video! Loved the analysis and humor all throughout 😭

[@salmin320]

wow, havent seen anybody talk abouit falsettos in a while. It was my favorite musical back in 2016 and on, glad to see it get coveredtalked about again!

[@___owlo]

I don’t think anything has made me cry more than falsettos….

[@xXMusicMixxiXx]

I'm so grateful slime tutorials exist!

[@pearcake4291]

I am so glad you've made this video, and I've managed to find it. I'm a queer woman and falsettos has been my favorite musical for years, and I'm usually unable to explain why it is I love it so much. Unlikely lovers, holding to the ground, and what would I do? Are my absolute favorite songs from the show but i still love and enjoy the rest. (Also I only recently read In trousers but it was relatable and fascinating as well)

[@Thommy2n]

Jonathan Larsons passing was truly tragic. Not only because he really could have gone on to make even bigger and greater stuff, but because between the off Broadway and Broadway run I imagine they could have ironed out some off the rough edges. But to me it seems like after his sudden passing before the off broadway preview it became a case of not wanting to be disrespectful to his vision. When so many other flawed pieces have been worked on since their songwriters passing (just look at how many people have contributed to 'Candide' since Bernstein died, also based on other classic pieces, but each contribution still respectful to what he first set in stone).

[@flourvase_]

If you want a really thought-provoking and out the box musical, I cannot suggest Assassins enough. This musical is fantastic in every element, and the 2004 production, in my opinion, is one of the best musicals ever staged.

[@DaisyReyReviews]

I've wanted to check out Assassins for a while actually! Maybe it'll be a future video!

[@flourvase_]

@@DaisyReyReviewsYou absolutely should! there's a couple 'slime tutorials' online for it on KZbin. I really enjoyed your commentary in this video, so I'd be delighted to see what you have to say on one of my favorite shows!

[@bellaclutter537]

Falsettos had been my favorite musical for years now. I had just recently seen/listened to rent and I don't really understand the hype behind it. ( Although Seasons of Love is one of my favorite songs in general) There's just something about Falsettos that just draws you in, takes your heart, smashes it, and then gives it back. Rent just doesn't hit the same way.

[@Debonairhomo]

Falsettos my absolute beloved, my favourite musical ever 😍 the 2016 revival cast is amazing and it songs live in my brain rent free

[@misfittoys5873]

I strongly recommend reading Sarah Schulman's book Stagestruck; theater, AIDS and the marketing of gay America

[@j0anzi3]

I’m obsessed with Falsettos and have been trying to force my friends to watch it for such a long time. It speaks to me on such a deep level and oh my god. It’s just the best.

[@mooonblooom]

i just finished watching falsettos and it was so amazing yet heartbreaking ??!?!?!! i absolutely loved it

[@TheLadysAtelier]

Just wanted to say I love the Kingdom Hearts, Persona 5 and Undertale music in the background ♥

[@matildamwh]

i would love to share my love for the props in the 2016 revival of falsetto, specifically the sets and stuff, and how "the block" is so iconic?? (be forewarned I'm about to write a lot (also spoilers lmao)) I've seen people say that the block represents family, and how in the start jason breaks it apart, breaking up their family. i think this premise is so accurate and I love seeing it this way. the block exists as a way to also tell stories, and in act one and the start of act 2, falsettos is mostly based around family, about whizzer and marvins relationship, about jason, about mendel and trina, about them all, being a family. and every single set piece comes out of this block - but when whizzer is diagnosed with aids, and when trina sings holding to the ground, we see the first real set piece, and every single set is no longer "the block" but real actual sets. i didn't even notice this until my most recent rewatch, but its such a wonderful detail, when whizzer is diagnosed with aids, it isn't just a musical about this wacky family anymore, it gets *real*, and that is why the sets get real, the main focus is whizzer and marvin and everything there. then whizzer dies. and this is when marvin has to go back to his family for his main support, to help him grieve. then the block returns. but not without a piece of the block being taken away to represent whizzers grave, which not only represents that, but how the block, the "family, will forever have a part taken out of it, a hole, a void, which represents the loss of whizzer who was so vital to the family but mainly jason and marvin. okay I'm done now I just had to share

[@TheItsmemaya]

the thing abt queerness in rent is that is was clearly written by a straight man….especially maureen

[@DaisyReyReviews]

JESUS yes, as brilliant as Larson was he was not equipped to write about queer subjects

[@reneeangely8446]

Falsettos has a more complete story for me in the ways you pointed out here. I listened to the cast recording for the first time and it’s fantastic! Rent on the other hand, well, its plot is all over the place and the ending feels rushed. I truly wanted to like it, some of the songs are good, everything else just falls flat. I can understand the impact of Rent for theater and the LGBTQ community, but Falsettos truly gets everything right!

[@emephante]

"It be the tears of the gay lovers!" fucking got me lmaoooo great analysis! I'm so happy that Falsettos is getting some much needed love

[@auroraskylights13]

As a long time fanatic of Falsettos (I've listened to the soundtrack hundreds of times, saw the West End version 3 times & saw the Broadway proshot multiple times too) I gotta say you totally nailed what makes Falsettos so great! I can't personally compare it to Rent because I've never watched the full thing but I totally agree with you that Falsettos honestly deserves more recognition than it gets ✌️ If you ever make a full length video on Falsettos, I'd definitely watch it - it's my fave musical of all time too 😊

[@oliviaasmann1956]

This video is so well done. Rent and Falsettos are my two favorite musicals and seeing them go head to head is genuinely anxiety-inducing lmao. I agree that Whizzer's death is done much better than Angel's and many of the story elements are stronger in Falsettos. In terms of music though, they're hard to compare because the styles are so different but I think I prefer Rent. Great video!!!

[@rategg4407]

I got so excited when I saw this video recommended to me. Falsettos is my favorite musical ever and I also happen to be an avid Rent disliker lol. I’ve literally made similar points that you did in your video numerous times to myself in the shower because I just love Falsettos so much more than Rent and think it deserves more recognition. This video is gonna revive my Falsettos special interest, I can tell

[@knightandneedle]

I got to see the proshot of Falsettos in theaters, it was one on those theatres that had trays for food attached to the seats. Mine had puddles of tears on it by the end. Rent cannot compare to that emotional depth (for me)

[@Strabius]

The spongebob edit killed me 🤣 Wonderful analysis my dude, and your sense of humor is also delightful.

[@TheAmyrlinSeat]

I basically agree with every single point you made, except for the La Vie Boheme slander. I love that song so much how dare you.