Birmingham Reviews

Real Geordie
Ballet Girl
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Location: England

Re: Birmingham Reviews

Post by Real Geordie »

Real Geordie
Ballet Girl
Posts: 267
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2015 8:02 pm
Location: England

Re: Birmingham Reviews

Post by Real Geordie »

Real Geordie
Ballet Girl
Posts: 267
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2015 8:02 pm
Location: England

Re: Birmingham Reviews

Post by Real Geordie »

Real Geordie
Ballet Girl
Posts: 267
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2015 8:02 pm
Location: England

Re: Birmingham Reviews

Post by Real Geordie »

Real Geordie
Ballet Girl
Posts: 267
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2015 8:02 pm
Location: England

Re: Birmingham Reviews

Post by Real Geordie »

A review from Fashionmommy's blog

http://www.fashion-mommy.com/2017/03/09 ... brilliant/

Billy Elliot – Just Brilliant! March 9th, 2017

Growing up in Durham during 1984/85, as the Miners strike was at its height was difficult for anyone. But for a motherless 12 year old boy who longs to be a ballet dancer, despite being pushed towards a boxing ring, life is damn near unbearable. Dad and brother are on strike, caught up in the terrible times they are living in, but not too caught up to not react with anger and horror when they discover the boy’s secret. This is the story of Billy Elliot, which left me open mouthed with awe at the Birmingham Hippodrome last night. It is, quite frankly, the best musical I have ever seen – a masterpiece.

The scene is set right from the opening, as the Durham miners get the news they are on strike. It is immediately clear that this is no ordinary musical, it is hard hitting and real, with characters, including the children, who can swear like troupers and are volatile in their anger. Early dance sequences juxtapose the awkward innocence of the young ballet dancers, with the violent clashes between the miners and the police as the strike escalates and the violence and tensions increase. And yet this malevolent atmosphere is always tempered by real humour, whether it be Billy’s nan putting up two fingers to the world, Billy’s best friend Michael introducing him to cross dressing, or the brilliance of the scenes where Mrs Wilkinson tries in vain to get the mini ballerina’s to dance with grace, even as they grimace and gurn. She knows they will never trouble Dame Margot Fonteyn, but goes on, all the same, collecting those 50ps and barking instructions through a haze of cigarette smoke. It is a majestic performance from Annette McLaughlin, more acerbic than Julie Walters in the film version, but still filled with heart.

It was fitting for the press night that Billy was played by an enormously talented local lad, Lewis Smallman from my home town of West Bromwich. He is perfection, his Billy is loveable and capable, in the scene where he reads the letter from his mom, of breaking your heart (my tears flowed freely). This is no saccharine performance, Billy is real, and is the soft heart of the story, which is why it is shocking when he responds to another child with violence. Lewis carries off all the dancing with aplomb and with his faultless accent, and tender scenes with Grandma ( a brilliant Andrea Miller) and best friend Michael, he shows he is a real find and star.

He is ably supported by a superb cast. Martin Walsh plays his dad, first as an oafish character, but he brings so much pathos to the role, particularly when he tries to go back to work to get the bus fare for Billy to get to London. Scott Garnham also gains our sympathy as brother Tony, his future looks bleak and the audience can totally feel his pain. Another standout is Leo Atkin as the hilarious George, quick with one liners as he tries to push Billy and Michael into boxing, whilst Daniel Page delights as the larger than life Mr Braithwaite, surprisingly light on his feet in a Fame t-shirt.

As you would expect from a musical with songs from the pen of Elton John, the songs are exceptional, with highlights being Grandma’s bittersweet torch song ‘Grandma’s Song’ , the heartbreaking ‘The Letter’ and the Dante’s Inferno style staging of ‘Angry Dance’, complete with smoke and red skies. It is also a stunning moment when Billy dances with his older self in Swan Lake, a stunning turn from Luke Cinque-White.

Billy Elliot has been called the greatest British Musical of all. Who am I to disagree?
Westletonion
Miner
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Location: Suffolk Coast

Re: Birmingham Reviews

Post by Westletonion »

Looks as though the show has got off to a fantastic start in Birmingham! I have heard pretty much the same thing said at all the venues I have been to, that: 'There has never been anything so dramatic and captivating as this on this stage ever before, nor ever likely to be in future!'
cheltonian
Small Boy
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Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2016 12:10 am

Re: Birmingham Reviews

Post by cheltonian »

All of the reviews quoted or referenced above are outstanding and reflect my own experiences of the tour production which I have now attended in Bristol 4 times, Manchester once, and Southampton twice. So far the Bristol audiences have been the best, but if these reviews are anything to go by, the show seems set for a great reception in Birmingham which I know is all but sold out.

I've seen Shakespeare at the RSC, Barbican and the NT, seen many WNO operas at the Bristol and Birmingham Hippodrome, but I had never previously seen any show that touched me and moved me like this. Whether it helps that I lived through that period, not that different in age to what Billy would been, or whether my own experience of being bullied and regarded as "queer" for liking classical music (including physical abuse) growing up in 1970s Britain makes this show resonate with me, I don't know. But for me it is quite simply the best piece of musical theatre I've ever seen and, as an opera lover, I'm including the whole operatic oeuvre in that!
Sheffan
Tall Boy
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Location: Sheffield, UK

Re: Birmingham Reviews

Post by Sheffan »

A very positive review from the Walsall Advertiser:

http://www.walsalladvertiser.co.uk/revi ... story.html

Wow, what a buzz is developing over BETM in Birmingham!! It's great the forum is busy again. All seemed to go quiet on here during the early part of the Southampton run and for a while it seemed mine would be the only fan review.

I'm going to add extra performances over the remainder of the run. Next Saturday matinee should be interesting as I see the show from the circle for only the second time. My next blog will be more about my impressions of the themes of the show and how they have resonated with my own life. Having just read the previous comment by ckm1926, I must admit my experiences have been similar.

Looking forward to trying the Old Fox, thanks to the advice of Real Geordie!!
Real Geordie
Ballet Girl
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Location: England

Re: Birmingham Reviews

Post by Real Geordie »

Love Midlands Theatre review

http://www.lovemidlandstheatre.co.uk/re ... hippodrome

I don't know why, but press night on 8th March was just one of those special evenings you experience now and again. Possibly it was a "one off" - time will tell. You could feel the expectation of the audience beforehand, and this felt like an "occasion". Something was going to happen - and it did. I have always praised Lewis for his acting skills, and he is a great dancer - he classes Electricity as one of his "strong points". On that night he just pushed himself to the limit and gave an astonishing performance which all of the professional press reviewers have made reference to. This was the real Billy Elliot before you. From West Bromwich ? Nah nee chance, this was a local lad from Easington, with a more authentic Geordie accent than my nephew. It was mesmerising, and the audience recognised it and responded accordingly. The rest of the cast seemed reinvigorated, and enjoying the evening, no doubt helped by an audience which gave frequent, loud and long vocal support. I left The Old Fox in a state of some merriment.

Incidentally Sheffan, when you are in Newcastle visiting the Theatre Royal you might venture into the Crown Posada - see link below. It's one of my favourite pubs in Newcastle, and has been since my first job just by the Tyne bridge (offices now converted to a Premier Inn !). The bar staff are happy to wax lyrical about their beers and you get the occasional quirky customer - there's always some real Geordie in there. From the Theatre Royal go downhill along Grey Street and then Dean Street which curves to the left leading to the Tyne bridge, and becomes Side. The Crown Posada is on the right at 31 Side.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/uv?hl=en& ... oioIgQEwDg
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patc
Mrs Wilkinson
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Re: Birmingham Reviews

Post by patc »

Thursday Matinee 9th March

Operation “Buzzification of Brum” is in full swing.

It’s exactly a year since since I paid my first visit to the Tour show down in Plymouth and, as I got home last night after a flying visit to Brum, I was all set to tell everyone about the phenomenal buzz inside and outside the Hippo before, during and after the show this afternoon. I've been beaten to it by all of those fantastic reviews - they say it all. Thanks to everyone for posting them - such a pleasure to read.....and to concur with.

The last time (of many times) that I was in the Hippo was for Matthew Bourne’s Lord of the Flies and the name Nat Sweeney shows in my programme as “Robert”. I didn’t know then what I know now. Nat went on to take the VPT by storm and that’s exactly what Emile did at the matinee. Willed on by an expectant audience who patently came fully prepared to wallow in and enjoy all of the emotions that go hand-in-hand in this show of shows, he showed them in no uncertain manner how he “gorrin” topped off with an exquisite Electricity that, inevitably, was followed by thunderous applause that was further extended (and extended again) by the progressive smile. Normal service resumed.

I always enjoyed Bradley's brilliant Michael in the West End but he really has taken it to altogether new levels since he joined the Tour and how the crowd loved him. The sequence in the Winter scene leading up to "signed photo" and Sindy was a masterpiece of comedy timing and brought the house down as did Nutcracker.

At the end of the show I was overjoyed to see this top o' the range cast get their just rewards. Beaming smiles all round as the cheers rang out from what was probably a full house in this very comfortable theatre.

In terms of facilities the Hippo is probably the most user-friendly I have visited in the UK. It is so well thought out, well signed and, in contrast to all the others I’ve been in, everywhere you want or need to be is very spacious including the large toilets. The audience facilities appear to have been the first considerations by the designers. I’ve never really understood why toilets in most theatres seem to have been an afterthought and usually tucked away in an almost inaccessible cupboard size area. The disabled are very well catered for having their own “enclosure”.

On the way back to the train station I passed some decorative graffiti on a pillar. One of the items on it was “Elliot Emil”. Next time I wouldn’t be surprised to see an “e” added on. I might even add it myself.

Pat
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