February 2015 Reviews - Denmark

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porschesrule
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February 2015 Reviews - Denmark

Post by porschesrule »

Here's a press review of the show. The reviewer saw Nicolas Markovic as Billy:

http://www.teateravisen.dk/en-forrygend ... lling.html
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ERinVA
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Re: February 2015 Reviews - Denmark

Post by ERinVA »

Here's a review from a mother who took her daughter to the show in Copenhagen:

http://www.sjovforborn.dk/artikler/billy-elliot.asp

Translation:

The musical Billy Elliot the Musical has won great success in all sorts of scenes, so it has been something of a scoop for the New Theatre, to present this musical for the Danish audience. But one thing is that a musical success abroad, but what little Denmark? Will the show excite us? Will the show appeal to the Danes when the action is so different from what we saw in the 80s? Yes, it may well come to the test, and my daughter and I will the next few hours scrutinizing this musical carefully the context of this incredibly beautiful theater is certainly in order. I found my notepad - my daughter Diana is ready, now begins Billy Elliot the Musical.

The plot

We are in the city Easington in northeast England in 1984/85. The men working in the coal mine, and this is where the show begins. We follow a family: the family Elliot with Billy\'s father who is a widower. Billy\'s grandmother also lives in the house with Billy\'s older brother. Grandma is a nicely confused old lady, but she is absolutely stunning, and her dialogue with the family is unique. There certainly can not afford much in the family, but Billy is forced to go to boxing. Billy is just not quite fond of boxing, and he's certainly not happy to beat the other. After a boxing hour, he is in the House, to deliver some keys to Mrs. Wilkinson, a teacher for a small group of ballet. Billy almost forced to attend classes, and soon it turns out that he is a natural talent. He dropper, without his father's knowledge, boxing and dancing ballet instead - and he is good .... really good. Billy's father is suddenly told that Billy has been boxing a long time and find the way out of his son's interest that neither he, Billy's brother or miners understand and Billy gets so grounded. All while this happens, will be Billy's father along with his colleagues from the coal mine were locked out. This lockout will last a whole year.

We also meet Billy's friend Michael, who is quite happy to go in dresses. Michael is a good support for Billy, and they have a fantastic track wearing dresses.

Billy's great fuming ballet teacher Mrs. Wilkinson has such great faith in Billy's abilities that she wants him for admission to the Royal Ballet School, but now the question is whether the young Billy Elliot at all come to the entrance examination? And if he comes to this admission test, he will then head to have a chance when his mother died and a father who works in the mines? I will not say more about this, as there is a lot happening in the 2 ½ hour that the show items, but the question is whether it is a performance that can be displayed successfully.

Can definitely recommended.

This performance CAN and MUST be recommended. There is a lot going on stage and you are entertained. You laugh, shudder and then sit my daughter and I and is good old-fashioned touched. I admit it, I shed some tears along the way, my daughter shed some tears along the way, but that's how it goes when the communication is in order, and you live into action. We laughed, we clapped, we cheered and yes, we were directly ecstatic with the performance. However, I as a mother some culture shock, since in the first 5 minutes of the show, was produced enough 20+ curses - and profanity.

Oh dear for a language, but suddenly I forgot these to you, and gave me the act and the amazing communication. I must honestly admit that this masterful piece took both my daughter and me by storm. We talked during the break that we would enter and see it again for the show can certainly be seen more than once. We were also quite impressed by the songs that during pieced the story in the best way. We hummed with the song “Solidarity”; and we felt with Billy when his father was in a fight. We devoted ourselves to the action, and the 2½ hour just went too fast.

Impressive achievements

My daughter was deeply impressed by Carl-Emil Lohmann, who at the premiere had the role of Billy. He was also an eminent dancer and communicate and think, he's only 13 years WOW what a future the young man has. Diana also seems really good about Mrs. Wilkinson in the person of Julie Steinke. She's also someone Denmark's response to an international musical star, and she was terrific. I think myself that it was difficult to name any more than another, but I think probably that I will mention Magnus Sterling Borchert in its role as Michael. He is probably the world's most courageous boy, but of course also star as Billy's father, grandmother and ballerinas burned through and mediated the chief.

And we must not forget the amazing music made by Elton John. The program is a lot of great pictures from the show, but also some good stories include about Elton John\'s inspiration for the music. I have heard that there are three young, where part role as Billy Elliot. Grunden to this would be, that there is an incredible Kraev role as the young have TRÆNA in a year's time. And TRÆNA shown the right formulation for secur an ability where going to both the dance ballet, low several acrobatic elements in the dance, and then sing, so we almost tabte kæben. It was a fuldkommen præstation.

We can only give the notion max 6 out of 6 solid stars, this was just a performance, which must be seen by all, large less. Dog, Diana and I talked about, that they totally small enough not to get so much ud af performance, but children from 6-7 years said see, and they do not understand all the action, so they can feel, lovely or and cry - the older will get a little sense af, how it was in 80s in a small town in Northeast England.

But back to my question at the beginning: Will the show excite us? Will the show appeal to the Danes when the action is so different from what we saw in the 80s?

And the answer is simple. 'YES.'
Ellen



"I don't want people who want to dance; I want people who have to dance.”
-George Balanchine 1904 -1983


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Re: Chat about Billy Elliot Denmark

Post by Darth_Revan »

I saw it on Saturday and I quite liked most of the changes.
I missed the smallboy at the beginning, but the miners coming up from the mine is a great start though.

The sets are quite clever. I sat in row one and from there you couldn't really see the upstairs of Billy's house, but there were not much going on there anyway. That huge set, a 2 story house stopped just one or two centimeter from the edge of the stage. I liked the all the other sets as well, but I have to admit it took time to re-arrange them between scenes, but there were not annoyingly long interludes.

The Det Ny Teater has a larger orchestra than Victoria Palace, and they were wearing black tie. They were more visible, the orchestra pit was open.

Michael came into the stage pushing his bike instead of riding it, but again at the end he was riding it while the curtain fell down.

I liked that Billy danced a little with his Grandma during Grandma's song, it was sweet.
I'm not sure about the Angry Dance though. It painted a vivid picture about the fight between the miners and the police and I did like that, but Billy's role was less in there and I was not happy about that.
I missed Billy at the end as well. but again, it was very sweet that the small boy started the dance. And he was good!

Michael was great in Expressing yourself, and although I was expecting the dancing dresses it was ok to leave them out.

Billy did not have the chance to dance in front of the ballet school officials, and all but one left before he started singing the Electricity and the last one left before he started to dance. I understand Billy needed the stage for himself, but it seemed he danced to himself only.

it was a great show, I recommend to everybody. You should not sit in the first row though.

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ERinVA
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Re: February 2015 Reviews - Denmark

Post by ERinVA »

Darth_Revan wrote:Billy did not have the chance to dance in front of the ballet school officials, and all but one left before he started singing the Electricity and the last one left before he started to dance. I understand Billy needed the stage for himself, but it seemed he danced to himself only.
I think that's exactly the point. Billy is dancing only for himself. When he dances, he loses himself in the dance, just as he says in the words to "Electricity."

Thanks for your thoughts on the Copenhagen show, Darth_Revan. It's great to have forum members' perspectives on the differences.
Ellen



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Re: Chat about Billy Elliot Denmark

Post by angelenroute »

Darth_Revan wrote:The Det Ny Teater has a larger orchestra than Victoria Palace, and they were wearing black tie. They were more visible, the orchestra pit was open.
I prefer to have the orchestra hidden, when possible, during a theatrical event, although the traditional staging of the musical Chicago has always worked well. I saw Matilda and Les Mis a couple of weeks ago in New York, and at the conclusion of one of the shows, while everyone took bows, the orchestra members were suddenly on stage too, getting all the applause and cheers they deserved. When possible, that works great! I fully appreciate the music and the artistry, but I don't think they should be seen much during a show like this. Darker lighting or recessed more when possible, but not pulling from the focus. Maybe this theatre requires that though based on the setup of the stage and pit?

Sean

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Re: Chat about Billy Elliot Denmark

Post by Darth_Revan »

angelenroute wrote: but I don't think they should be seen much during a show like this. Darker lighting or recessed more when possible, but not pulling from the focus. Maybe this theatre requires that though based on the setup of the stage and pit?

Sean
You can only see the musicians from the first row in the stalls. You wouldn't see even the conductor's head from row 2. I'm not sure how it looks from the dress circle though.

In London the orchestra does not get the credits they deserve, it really bothers me that the audience starts leaving before they finish the last notes of the music. And even then, some who are in the auditorium they won't clap.

I saw Billy in Oslo as well and the orchestra members came to the stage there as well. I liked that, too.
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Re: February 2015 Reviews - Denmark

Post by angelenroute »

Thanks for the answer, and I agree! I always clap for the conclusion of the music, even though I'm usually walking out by then with everyone else.

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Re: February 2015 Reviews - Denmark

Post by thm »

The orchestra pit is hidden, exactly like London - just not covered. The stage doesn't reach out much onto the proscenium, thus you can look into the orchestra pit but it is in no way distracting. A little difference to London: Like at a concert the audience starts to applaude when the MD enters the pit - but still the MD is less in the view field than at the VPT. And yes, the musicians don't wear leisure clothing but the pinguin dress you would expect at the opera or concert house. The music after the final bow plays longer than at the VPT, since here's no Billy encore-jump nor following again-final ensemble bow.
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