I'm clearly getting lame in my old age. I just downloaded Rent (why! That ending for god's sake!) and have watched the One Song Glory sequence about four times feeling like I'm about to burst into tears. Since my other viewing for the day has consisted of Narnia and Mr and Mrs Smith, you might figure a dose of the bad AIDS would up the ante on reality stakes, but no.

It's nothing to do with the ridiculously grainy picture or the hamminess of the bridges and all about the spare, cold guitar and the real sadness of the flashbacks posted over the top. Yes, it's cheesier than the fauxmesan omelette I just ate for supper, but it perfectly captures the reason why the character hides away from everything (his nasty ex-girlfriend junkified him AND gave him the bad AIDS - beats the crap out of holding onto your books now, doesn't it?) and more importantly it reminds you why musicals are so popular.

Whether you go to them to have a good laugh or a really crap attempt at getting up to speed with 19th century France, the good ones get inside your head and irritate the hell out of you. Or mean that you and your housemates stand around and bawl out Phantom when the gin has really taken hold. No judging y'hear?