June 2014 Reviews - London

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porschesrule
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June 2014 Reviews - London

Post by porschesrule »

To start off the month, here's a brief but very positive review from the media:

http://sosogay.co.uk/2014/review-billy- ... e-theatre/
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Re: June 2014 Reviews - London

Post by porschesrule »

Here's another very positive media review, this one from the London Theatre Tickets website:

http://www.lastminutetheatretickets.com ... june-2014/
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Re: June 2014 Reviews - London

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Thursday 5th June – all day.

Matinee: Bradley/Zach A/Dayna
Evening/Elliott/Zak B/Kyria

Just a flashback to a fantastic Billy double-whammy on Thursday with brilliant Bradley leading the cavalry at the matinee and equally brilliant Elliott (yes, it was definitely him) in the evening. Despite all the shows I’ve seen that was my first time to see Elliott perform for a whole three and a half months. That’s like being dropped in the Sahara Desert and being told that somewhere out there is a fridge containing a 10 gallon bottle of Volvic with a touch-of-strawberry and it takes three and a half months to find it. There ought to be a law against it. Come to think of it there is. If it happens again I will consult with Amnesty.

Both shows were of magnificent standard with the new cast now fitted in like a glove, no doubt the reward for slave-driven hard work in rehearsals. Ruthie was fantastic. I could hardly keep my feet still during Shine as she and the superbly trained precision-like Ballet Girls cavorted at various angles all over the stage. Like the TV cricket graphic that shows the areas of the ground where a batsman has scored his runs it would be interesting to see their angles from, say, an overhead drone camera.

It was great to welcome Small Boy Lewis at the matinee, back after a short absence, and giving the audience some great laughs in all the usual places. Little Liam in the evening also played his part similarly and looks so cute wearing those sensational glasses. It was also our first glimpse of impressive New Tall Boy, Ryan, who has an unusual but very effective method of head-on-curtain bashing.

Unusually, for a Thursday, we saw both Grandmas in action Gillian (matinee) and Ann (evening.

Dayna and Kyria (pronounced Keera after the original Irish name Ciara :D , I was informed) were on top form with Kyria still bravely doing the climb up in the toilet scene which we have not seen in the show since………………………..? must be 4/5 years now, maybe longer.

As always, though, the show is carried on the small but sturdy shoulders of the Billys and both Bradley and Elliott displayed their stunning range of talents with sensational performances that got them standing ovations. When you compare their talents (and hard work ethic) to the instant (mish) mash of tedious second-ratedness that pervades the current world of entertainment there is no contest.

Thanks, as always, to everyone at the VPT for a great day.

BTW, the new June 2014 program is out with stunning pictures and still only a mere £6.

Pat
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Re: June 2014 Reviews - London

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Thursday Matinee 12th June

Elliott/Zak B/Dayna

There comes a time when one must put one’s hands up and say that one had a really great day. That was Tuesday back at home. Today, one puts one’s hands up and says that one had an unbelievable, fantastic, ballistic day at one’s favourite London venue. Nobody told one last week that there would be a second fridge found in the desert so soon afterwards with a 10 gallon bottle of Volvic with a touch of strawberry.

Three cheers for Maggie and Arthur. Without these two monoliths there would be no Billy Elliott The Musical and, therefore, there would have been no Elliott Hanna to bring 1000+ people to their feet at the end of another remarkable and unforgettable afternoon.

This was a beautifully paced Billy performance from the young Merseyside dynamo. Building from his quiet entry on stage through all the phases ‘til finally hitting the heights with a stunningly danced ballet Electricity, so magical, foot perfect and enchanting. It was like that special moment when you’re out hill walking and, having crossed over several high points, you finally reach the summit and there, before your eyes, is the full beauty of the surrounding countryside and waves of emotion sublimely wash over you.

What a truly remarkable dancer we have here. It doesn’t seem to matter, from tap to Ballet he has it all. I’d pay good money to see him dance the Charleston
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI9qWXRxr-E

Angry Dance was something special, too, with his feet a thundering blur as they tapped their way into impassioned immortality yet, at the end of it getting up off the floor without as much as a shallow breath where mere mortals would be gasping for air and drinking the London reservoirs dry.

Oh, and Dream Ballet was pure poetry in motion beginning with a floor dance of precision and delight then followed by a soaring swallowlike fantasia all orchestrated and conducted by the smiling, mercurial Barnaby Meredith. Maybe all the Billys actually fly the same track but, to my eyes, Elliott seems to fly higher and wider. Perhaps it’s just an optical illusion. The audience began cheering and applauding very shortly after he took off.

Elliott also has this unique smile and it was used to great effect especially in the funny moments with Zak Baker. Zak’s zany Michael is full of hilarious eccentricity and there are no holds barred in Expressing or in the smoking guns of the Winter scene. Even the act of putting on the tutu (I’ll rephrase that, getting himself into the tutu) is touch and go but always ends in go, eventually. In the old days Michael used to say that the tutu “smells like Tracey Atkinson” but the current tutu would never stretch that far.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago Dayna’s acting is quite superb and the lead up to the offer in the toilet scene was excellently done as was Elliott’s delayed response.

This week’s Ballet Girls group were right up there at the top of their game. I could be wrong but I thought that the shocked reactions of the girls, when Dad expresses his disapproval of Billy dancing in the hall and Billy's response, had been moved up a notch or two with each girl being required to do their individual bit in a more pronounced manner.

Charlie Martin has been doing a great job as alternate Dead Mum these past couple of weeks. Gentle with such a beautiful singing voice. Great to see Lucinda Collins back recently on stage after such a long absence and Wendy Somerville has her unique way of playing the RBS receptionist. Talking of unique, Lee Hoy’s Adult Ballet Dancer takes some beating, LOL. Posh Dad is back with a bang in the shape of David Stoller (hope I have got that right but it is a brilliant take). I’m trying to work off the new program here so please do correct any errors.

Although with completely different approaches to their predecessors, Ruthie and Chris have really settled into their respective roles and their scenes with Deka and the Billys are working brilliantly.

Ann Emery was just awesomely terrific as Grandma and living up to her undisputed title of Queen of the West End.

It has not taken long for all the cast old and new to gel together. The show and its musical treats are as delightful, emotional and passionate as ever. I left the theatre full of all the joys of life, emotions fully put through the washing machine, thoroughly cleansed and looking forward with immense anticipation to next time. There is never a dull moment.

My grateful thanks to everyone concerned and most especially to the shining light that is Elliott. If one wins the Lottery, one will definitely buy a fancy sports car, bring it over by ferry and park it in Victoria Street just so he can enjoy “spotting it” :D.

Pat
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Re: June 2014 Reviews - London

Post by Westletonion »

Agree with Pat. A really memorable day and a lovely hot one to be in London. First time I had seen Elliott in ages. The dynamic youngster and all the cast had the highly enthusiastic audience in raptures. The new cast are doing a great job.
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Re: June 2014 Reviews - London

Post by Todd »

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Billy - Elliott Hanna
Michael - Tomi Fry
Dad - David Bardsley

After having seen "Billy Elliot" in St. Louis just two days ago, I headed across the pond for my big summer trip and celebrated my first night in London by seeing the show here ! Very interesting to see it in two such different venues just 48 hours apart.

As always, it's great to see the London show in its original location. I'm amazed at how the cast changes but the experience stays the same high quality every time. The only negative to the evening was my jet lag, which found me in a near zombie-state by show time, especially in the dark theatre with Row B stalls seats where I could get comfortable with my legs extended.

I found Elliott to be an extremely likeable and talented Billy. I got a chuckle at how he often had a half-smile on his face, like he had some sort of mischief up his sleeve. He also was finding Tomi Fry quite funny, as he was openly laughing several times at Tomi's antics. In Elliott's two big numbers - "Angry Dance" and "Electricity" - he performed with such gusto and concentration that both of these were etched into memory as highlights which rank towards the top of any performance I've seen. The audience gave him an extremely long ovation for "Electricity" and Elliott soaked it in, looking around the theatre in amazement at the appreciation that was coming his way.

"Angry Dance" sometimes moves me to tears, not because it's a sad number like "The Letter," but because the scene does such a good job of showing someone frustrated to their wits end, not knowing how else to release their anger. When it's performed with the fire that Elliott did it tonight, it's theatre at its absolute best.

I always enjoy "Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher" in London because of the extra bantering in front of thge curtain at the beginning of the scene, and because of the girls chorus singing "Oh My Darlin" to end the song, which has never been included in any U.S. productions. The cast seemed to be having a grand time, and it was impossible to not join in with their enjoyment.

So it was a great night back at the Victoria Palace Theatre. I plan to see the show again next week when I'm back in the area - minus the jet lag !
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Re: June 2014 Reviews - London

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Thursday Matinee 19th June

Matteo/Tomi/Demi

Grandma: Gillian Elisa
Mr. B: Phil Snowden

Well, Holy Moley. Gadzooks and Godzillas. Oh, what a great, grand, glorious afternoon of entertainment. A cracking show from a cracking cast. Glory be, what exciting times they are to be down at the “Palace” where they’ve been “changing the guard” recently. There’s “new” everywhere and in combination with the “old” we are being served up so many varied and sumptuous offerings.

It was pure excitement and joy to be present to see Matteo step on board and steer this gargantuan vessel of fun, tears, emotion, drama, and high-octane dancing through all classes of seas and return us all safely to shore with our hearts, minds and souls fully refreshed and uplifted.

If I’d been taking notes on the unique points of Matteo’s Billy I’d have run out of ink by the end of Solidarity. In just about every area he has firmly attached his own label and I have this wonderful feeling that there is even more to come.

Acting-wise, every scene has been carefully thought out and he has such an endearing voice that makes even Jack Gielgud sound like HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Displaying a wonderful sense of poise and balance he might well have made being a professional tightrope walker but I’m glad he chose Billy instead because this is what he was born to do. From hedgehog to Billy in 12 months. The stuff that dreams ARE made of.

Matteo does a ballet Electricity. Now, there’s a sentence of understatement if ever there was one. With Deka’s emotional sideshow of astonishment, pride and delight (in seeing his son really dance for the first time) accompanying this dance of dances it’s one of those unforgettable scenes in theatre history that will never fade away. As he did when I saw him four Thursdays ago, Matteo finished off his sensational Electricity with an inserted spin sequence quite like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It’s one of those times when you wish for an action replay machine to be installed at the VPT so we can see it again and check “did he really do that?”. With the thunderous applause ringing in his ears he did something else that he did four Thursdays ago. He smiled. There’s another understatement. This was that 20 million smile now doubled in value. I’m going to bring some spare cash with me to the theatre from now on. We may soon be charged extra for that smile and I’ll be first in the queue to the box-office on the way out.

Tomi was a fantastic Michael again. Without any doubt he was born with a comedic yen that has already burst upon the scene and I predict a great future for him in that line of business if that is what he wants to do. But, in Billy, there is much more to Michael and Tomi manages the thin balance between comedy and pathos with quite remarkable insight. Four simple words, “Why, I’d miss yah”, brought 1200+ people to pin-drop silence for a few spell-binding minutes and then it was back to fun and games with the tutu but followed by the resigned to walk-off. Add in the final curtain farewell, not to mention, his brilliantly executed Expressing and you get the picture. At 11 years old I’d probably have thought that pathos had something to do with throwing pennies up against a wall.

Ruthie Henshall and Chris Grahamson were magnificent in their respective roles. Claudia returned as a wonderful Dead Mum after a fortnight’s absence and Gillian, as usual, captured the audience very early on and never let go.

Craig Armstrong provided some great laughs with his Posh Dad and, as far as I can see from the program, it was Mark John Richardson who did a brilliant caricature for the Adult Ballet Dancer.

Howard Crossley is still the perfectly cast George.

It has been some years since I last saw Phil Snowden as Mr. B so it was an extra special delight to watch him do it again on his return. In a nutshell, he was priceless in B2B. He did the “It was all down to Diaghilev” in the old style of straight deadpan recital (a la Alex Delamare), the dance/skip sequences with Matteo and Ruthie were hilarious all-action, his wonderful “glide and slide” footwork routine (that he used to such great fun effect in Kes up in Sheffield) had me in stitches but it was all too much in that moment when he looked down in mid-skip at his errant skipping rope. My throat could take no more.

I’m running out of stamina at this time of night but cannot fail to mention the usual magnificent contribution from all the Ballet Girls and, of course, Super-Debbie Demi who has turned up her own interpretation a notch or two with some really great acting in addition to the cheeky stuff.

As always, it is down to the skill and dedication of the Billy boy of the day to carry this great show on its continuing road to history and Matteo stepped up to the plate in magnificent style. He comes across as really enjoying his role as Billy and I immensely enjoy watching him do it.

Grateful thanks to all the cast, crew and music gurus for what was another day to remember.

Pat
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Re: June 2014 Reviews - London

Post by dancingboy »

Thursday ( matinee)

I cannot agree with all Pat has said about the show, but I will say this. Matteo has an abundance of energy, effort and enthusiasm, for which he must be applauded. To my mind he isn't the finished article yet, but I am sure that will come. Considering how he started his Billy career, he looks as thrilled as everyone else at how things have progressed since then. He looks a very exciting prospect.
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Re: June 2014 Reviews - London

Post by kport »

dancingboy wrote:Thursday ( matinee)

I cannot agree with all Pat has said about the show, but I will say this. Matteo has an abundance of energy, effort and enthusiasm, for which he must be applauded. To my mind he isn't the finished article yet, but I am sure that will come. Considering how he started his Billy career, he looks as thrilled as everyone else at how things have progressed since then. He looks a very exciting prospect.
He is still young. He has time. He has a smile that is unmatched. He will grow into the role, as have all his predecessors. Watching that 'growth' into a role is what it is all about, for those who see it from time to time.

He is, as someone else noted, a 'keeper'.
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Re: June 2014 Reviews - London

Post by ERinVA »

One of the greatest joys for me as a fan of the show has been to be able to follow the progress of a Billy by seeing performances over the course of his run and watching that wonderful progress he makes. The first Billy I was able to follow in this manner was Leon Cooke, and it was a privilege to witness his development in the role. I think that is a large part of what keeps loyal regulars coming back to the show time and time again.
Ellen



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