April 2016 Reviews - London

Reviews of the show
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Then I saw her face
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Re: April 2016 Reviews - London

Post by Then I saw her face »

What a wonderful review, emcpow. Thank you so much. I just want to add my own additions. I have been sitting in the Grand Circle high above the stage and am partly not sure, if I have recognized the Billys, Michaels and Debbies correctly. Please correct me, if I am wrong.

Gillian Elisa performed Grandma's song highly energetic and impressive with her voice clipping towards the end of her song, which gave her an enthusiastic applause.
emcpow wrote: Then the miners and policemen gathered at the front of the stage with not one but two chairs behind them with two Billys, Nat and Brodie. Deka (dad) then came over to talk to them and when Tony shouted “Dad!”, Deka said “give me a minute” and then turned back to deal with his now two sons. He finished with “I’ll see you two later”,
which was replied by the two Billys, still standing on their chairs, by both pointing to Tony, shouting "Tony's waiting."

In the pre-Angry Dance scene Billy did all to prevent Mrs W to disclose the dancing class secret, but after sortening out, Tony "helped" Billy so massively up the table, that the table wobbled and Billy needed a most welcome helping hand from Big Davy (?) not to go down the table

At the start of the second act, George got a proposal from the audience concerning the winning ticket, but instead of the proposed 83, he went for 85.

I never had the chance to see Nat before last nights show, but have heard about his stunning capabilities. He just blew me away during his performance of Electricity.
emcpow wrote: Euan took the letter up to his bedroom to read it and up the stairs appeared the other 3 Billys and then all 4 of them sat on the bed together reading the letter. The other three peered over the bannisters as Euan announced that he “didn’t get in” and then they disappeared along with the bed.
As the three other Billys disappeared along with the bed into the stage underground, the kitchen was missing, as was the bin. Euan crumpled the letter of the RBS and threw it instead on the floor. After "He's got in." and the dinosaurs, Matthew provided a reference to the last bad news from the steel industry and ended the list of "this village, the next village and the village after that" with "and in Port Talbot", which gave him an extra applause. When he brought his monologue to the end, he said "We can't all be f**king Billy Elliots.", which gave him much laughter.

When Mrs W called the girls for the toilet break in the goodbye to Mrs W scene, and emphasized her request particularly to Debbie, when she approached Euan ("Debbie, go on"), she slipped away, plunged on the ground, stood up and had any justification to growl to her mum.
emcpow wrote:Saturday 9th April – final London show
When the ballet girls and Debbie had left, Euan said the first line to Mrs W and then each Billy appeared one by one,
They entered the stage from different access routes, one by the near left door, one by the far right door and one by the kitchen.

I think it was Brodie, who approached Deka with such a pace during the course of Once We Were Kings, that he barely couldn't stand Brodies jump.

I have been become a BETM fan after I have seen BETM Live. Last night's show has been a culmination and the climax of a theatrical masterpiece, no one can evade from. If you try to persuade non-theatre-goes and non-musical-goers after numerous disappointments to go to the theatre, this one is it. Sadly, last nights show has not been preserved for those, but only in our hearts and our memories. Sadly this show has come to an end. Sadly such a talented cast spreads away now. But I am thankful to have had the opportunity to see the extraordinary Billys I haven't seen yet (a most elegant and mature Brodie, a sensational Nat and a gifted Euan) and I am glad to have been part of the audience on this particular event, which has been theatre as it should be, performed with passion and skill by a phenomenal cast, emotional and sensational, in front of an audience full of joy and full of tears.

Then I saw her face
(Now I'm a Billyver)
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CJ-Rochester
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Re: April 2016 Reviews - London

Post by CJ-Rochester »

Here's a press review of the final show from the Guardian, including a couple of photos from the curtain call:

Billy Elliot the Musical review – seeing quadruple in West End farewell
http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/a ... are_btn_fb
Flyin high
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Re: April 2016 Reviews - London

Post by Flyin high »

Thank you for the brilliant reviews that describe, not just the intracacies of the tag teaming, but also the high emotion and magic of the evening. It leaves me really regretting not trying harder to get a ticket for the final show, but also provides fantastic description of what I missed.

It sounds like quite a complex operation (the first time that all the young cast have taken part in the tag teaming?) and I imagine a lot of rehearsing would have happened. A big job for the creative team but also the people cueing all the action on the evening too, to make sure it all worked smoothly?!

I have a few questions about what's been described...

Just wondering if all 3 Michael's did the last bit of expressing together? The bit after billy and the dresses have left the stage. How did that work?

Also, in the goodbye scene with Mrs W, did the billys all say 'we could never have done it without you miss' all at the same time, or separately?

I read somewhere that all 3 of the small boys said 'wa***er' to George, or was it just one of them?

Finally I was wondering if former cast members were wandering around during the interval, and in general what the interval atmosphere was like with so many family and friend there.

Thanks! And thanks again for the wonderfully detailed reviews!
Todd
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Re: April 2016 Reviews - London

Post by Todd »

Flyin high wrote:Just wondering if all 3 Michael's did the last bit of expressing together? The bit after billy and the dresses have left the stage. How did that work?

Also, in the goodbye scene with Mrs W, did the billys all say 'we could never have done it without you miss' all at the same time, or separately?

I read somewhere that all 3 of the small boys said 'wa***er' to George, or was it just one of them?

Finally I was wondering if former cast members were wandering around during the interval, and in general what the interval atmosphere was like with so many family and friend there.
Although all three Michaels did the dancing with Billy and stood together when they said, "Finish," I seem to remember that only one Michael - the one who began the scene - took the final bow before leaving the stage.

In the goodbye scene, I believe each Billy took turns saying the lines in the "And Miss . . . . I just want to say . . . .thank you Miss . . . for what you did" part, but that only one of them spoke for the group when he said, "We could never have done it without you." Someone may want to correct me on that if I mis-heard any of that part. All of the small boys said their line to George in unison.

As for former cast, I did see a few of them in the bar area during the interval, but I think most of them stayed in the stalls area and visited. Only the former cast, VIPs, family, etc. were allowed access to the downstairs seating - at least before the show and probably during the interval - as everyone else had to enter through the outside Dress Circle or Grand Circle entrances before the show depending on what ticket you had. The former Billys and Michaels did do quite a bit of mingling with patrons before the show, as they had to walk through the crowd amidst all the construction walk-ways to get to the front door. Many of them took their time, visiting and posing for pictures. I didn't see all of them out there who were in attendance, so some of them must have entered through the stage door to avoid the mob.
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Then I saw her face
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Re: April 2016 Reviews - London

Post by Then I saw her face »

Todd wrote: Also, in the goodbye scene with Mrs W, did the billys all say 'we could never have done it without you miss' all at the same time, or separately?
Flyin high wrote: In the goodbye scene, I believe each Billy took turns saying the lines in the "And Miss . . . . I just want to say . . . .thank you Miss . . . for what you did" part, but that only one of them spoke for the group when he said, "We could never have done it without you." Someone may want to correct me on that if I mis-heard any of that part. All of the small boys said their line to George in unison.
I may be wrong, too. But to my impression "We could never have done it without you." has been spoken by all of them as one.
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DenP
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Re: April 2016 Reviews - London

Post by DenP »

Some of my photos (http://www.musicalnieuws.nl//album/cat/728) and my report in Dutch (http://www.musicalnieuws.nl/news/read/l ... ver_1672/1) can be found through the links.

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jmh2014
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Re: April 2016 Reviews - London

Post by jmh2014 »

Then I saw her face wrote: I may be wrong, too. But to my impression "We could never have done it without you." has been spoken by all of them as one.
That is my recollection too.
Flyin high
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Re: April 2016 Reviews - London

Post by Flyin high »

Thanks a lot for answering my questions. The goodbye sounds like it was very poignant, and I suppose that very line ('I couldn't have done it without you miss'), like so many other parts of the show really does epitomise the real life Billy Elliot stories that happen before our eyes on the stage each night.
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jen
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Re: April 2016 Reviews - London

Post by jen »

It came to me today that there will be no more reviews from London sad
It is a great show that people do come and see. Because it's not
just a show for adults, or just for children, or just for people that
like theatre, I'd say for everyone, and it's got so much emotion
behind it. Because who ever comes and sees it, feels the story -
so I think: it's brilliant!" (GM)
Barry Appleby
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Re: April 2016 Reviews - London

Post by Barry Appleby »

Its so nice to see all the reviews come of the final weekend of the show, I've done reviews when we have struggled in the past, but I think you forum members have said it all, I hope Pat c has something up his sleeve but maybe its end of an era, not just because its the end of the London show but how many friendships have been made by the forum members and some we might never see again. Its o.k for me because its 95 miles up the road for Sunderland on Tuesday, for a start. I know its difficult for many, but please make that effort to see the tour because there is some wonderful theatres to visit, after all we are their to support Billy Elliot The Musical, also by the way the beer is cheaper up Norf.
“BRILLIANT “ that's what the Final Show was.
So,so many great things that went on that evening, but Nats Electricity was just magic!
All the reviews, at the moment, have said it all, to honest I'm just short for words, except I'm going to say when Brodie shead a few tears, he got me going also. I hate to think what is like at the empty “Billy” house now.
For all you wonderful kids in the show, you are “Outstanding” and I hope all your dreams come true and to "ALL" the Senior cast I wish you “All the Best” in the future and Thank You, this includes also the stage hands, orchestra and Stephen Daldry and his team, for a Great Production.
“Big Thanks” to all the front of house staff, you've been great, you will miss us, but we will miss more!
So Cheers, London
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