Sing-a-Long-a-Musicals Trivia Quiz

Answer: Mary Poppins

The magical "Mary Poppins" first came to our screen in 1964 and starred Julie Andrews in the title role, alongside Dick Van Dyke as Bert the lovable Cockney. The Sherman brothers wrote the songs which included all time favourites "A Spoonful of Sugar", "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" and "Chim Chim Cher-ee". Mary Poppins bought life and magic to the Banks household, especially the two children, Jane and Michael, who just wanted their father's love. The children visited their father at the bank, and young Michael was pressurised into handing over his tuppence, when all he wanted to do was feed the birds at tuppence a bag.

"Early each day to the steps of Saint Paul's, the little old bird woman comes
In her own special way to the people she calls, "Come, buy my bags full of crumbs.
Come feed the little birds, show them you care, and you'll be glad if you do
The young ones are hungry, the nests are so bare, all it takes is tuppence from you.
Feed the birds, tuppence a bag, tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag
Feed the birds," that's what she cries, while overhead, her birds fill the skies."

Answer: South Pacific

World War 2 in the South Pacific was the backdrop to this 1958 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. A secret love affair between two young lovers went completely wrong, while a budding romance between a young US Navy nurse and a middle aged widower flourished, but not without a fraught journey and much soul searching along the way. Meanwhile, a group of naval Seabees brought a comedic touch to the film with their rousing rendition of "There Is Nothing Like a Dame".

"We've got sunlight on the sand, we've got moonlight on the sea.
We've got mangos and bananas we can pick right off the trees.
We've got volleyball and ping-pong and a lot of dandy games.
What ain't we got?
We ain't got dames!"

Answer: Les Miserables

A well deserved Oscar award was given to Anne Hathaway for her stunning performance in the 2012 film version of "Les Miserables", especially when she sang the gut-wrenching tear jerker, "I Dreamed a Dream". She was accompanied by a very strong cast which included Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried and Eddie Redmayne. Harsh realities faced ex-convict Jean Valjean (Jackman) as he searched for a better life while those around him struggled with poverty at a time when Paris was facing a major rebellion. Based on the 1832 Victor Hugo book, the film also featured the songs "On My Own", "Do You Hear the People Sing?" and "Bring Him Home".

"I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high, and life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving.

Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted."

Answer: Moulin Rouge!

The Baz Luhrmann production of "Moulin Rouge!" (2001) featured a plethora of cover versions but the love song "Come What May" was the only original. Composed by David Baerwald, the song was sung by the two lovers, Christian and Satine, played by Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman, just before Satine succumbed to tuberculosis in the sleazy Paris nightclub.

"Never knew I could feel like this
Like I've never seen the sky before.
Want to vanish inside your kiss
Every day I love you more and more.
Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing?
Telling me to give you everything
Seasons may change, winter to spring
But I love you until the end of time.
Come what may, come what may
I will love you until my dying day"

Answer: Oliver!

Based on the famous Charles Dickens book, the 1968 film "Oliver!", which told of the orphan boy turned trainee pick-pocket, featured many colourful characters. These included Artful Dodger, Fagin, Bill Sikes and his downtrodden girlfriend, Nancy. Nancy was played by British actress, Shani Wallis. She sang two songs during the film before her untimely death; the energetic "Oom-Pah-Pah" followed by the sentimental "As Long As He Needs Me ".

"As long as he needs me...oh, yes, he does need me.
In spite of what you see, I'm sure that he needs me.

Who else would love him still, when they've been used so ill?
He knows I always will, as long as he needs me."

Answer: Chicago

The 2002 Oscar winning film "Chicago" starred Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma and Renee Zellweger as Roxie, two women imprisoned for murder. It was here that they were 'looked after' by the larger than life, Mama Morton, the corrupt matron who was played by Queen Latifah. Bribery would get you anywhere with Mama!

"Ask any of the chickies in my pen
They'll tell you I'm the biggest mother hen.
I love 'em all and all of them love me
Because the system works
The system called reciprocity...

Got a little motto
Always sees me through
When you're good to Mama, Mama's good to you."

Answer: Gypsy

Gypsy Rose Lee was a vaudeville stripper whose real life story was told in the 1962 musical film. "Gypsy". The film starred Natalie Wood in the lead role, and the powerful Rosalind Russell as her domineering mother, who sacrificed love and relationships by trying to get her daughter's name put in bright lights. It featured the songs "Together Wherever We Go", "Let Me Entertain You" and "Everything's Coming Up Roses".

"You'll be swell. You'll be great.
I can tell. Just you wait.
That lucky star I talk about is due!
Honey, everything's coming up roses for me and for you!"

Answer: Evita

Madonna seemed an unlikely choice to star in the 1996 film, "Evita", but she carried it off perfectly. Supported by Jonathan Pryce as Juan Peron, and Antonio Banderas as Che, it told of Eva Peron's rise to prominence in Argentina, her relationship with the men in her life and her country. Such was Evita's popularity that she was given a state funeral on her death. With music written and composed by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, it featured the songs "Oh What a Circus", "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" and "I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You".

"I don't always rush in like this
Twenty seconds after saying hello,
Telling strangers I'm too good to miss
If I'm wrong I hope you'll tell me so.
But you really should know
I'd be good for you, I'd be surprisingly good for you."

Answer: Mamma Mia!

The 2008 film "Mamma Mia" followed on from the huge success of the stage shows performed at different venues around the world. Starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard, it told of a daughter who wanted her father to attend her wedding, but was unsure who he was, out of a choice of three. This feel-good film had many popular Abba tracks, including "Dancing Queen", "I have a Dream" and "Our Last Summer".

"I can still recall our last summer.
I still see it all
Walks along the Seine, laughing in the rain
Our last summer
Memories that remain."

Answer: White Christmas

The timeless seasonal favourite "White Christmas" starred Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye as World War 2 entertainers and Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen as the sisters whom they met after the war. They travelled together to Vermont where they staged a production to save the ailing hotel owned by their former commanding officer. The lesser known song "Sisters" was written by Irving Berlin in 1954, who also penned the musical scores for other films including "Top Hat" (1935), "Easter Parade" (1948) and "Annie Get Your Gun" (1950).

"Sisters, sisters,
There were never such devoted sisters,
Never had to have a chaperone, no sir,
I'm there to keep my eye on her.

Caring, sharing,
Every little thing that we are wearing.
When a certain gentleman arrived from Rome,
She wore the dress, and I stayed home.

All kinds of weather, we stick together
The same in the rain and sun.
Two different faces, but in tight places
We think and we act as one.


Those who've seen us
Know that not a thing could come between us.
Many men have tried to split us up, but no one can.
Lord help the mister who comes between me and my sister
And lord help the sister, who comes between me and my man."