Jukebox musical was led by the success of "Mamma Mia!", built around the music of ABBA. Reception of jukebox musicals has been divided, with the most common criticism being that there is too much focus on how many songs can be fit into the musical. Some jukebox musicals, like "Lennon" and "Good Vibrations" have been critical and financial flops. Others, like "Jersey Boys" and "All Shook Up" have been popular with both fans and critics. The term "jukebox musical" dates at least to 1962, following "Jukebox" (1939), though the general genre—motion pictures consisting largely of hit recordings—dates to the 1940s and 1950s.
Prince of Wales Theatre "The Great Dictator". The film had been banned in many parts of Europe, and the theatre's owner, Alfred Esdaile, was fined for showing it. In 1943, "Strike a New Note" was notable for Sid Field's London debut, and he returned to the theatre in "Strike it Again" (1944), and yet again in "Piccadilly Hayride" (1946, a revue that ran for 778 performances). In 1949, "Harvey", Mary Coyle Chase's comedy about an imaginary rabbit, was a success, as was "Diamond Lil" in 1948 starring Mae West. In the 1950s, the theatre hosted variety and revues, starring such famous performers as Norman