Birmingham Reviews

kport
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Re: Birmingham Reviews

Post by kport »

Culture Editor Olivia Boyce is astounded by a momentous touring production of Billy Elliot, the award-winning British musical
http://www.redbrick.me/culture/review-b ... ippodrome/
Real Geordie
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Re: Birmingham Reviews

Post by Real Geordie »

Review of Thursday evening performance - Haydn as Billy

http://www.shropshire-events-guide.co.u ... ly-elliot/
Real Geordie
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Re: Birmingham Reviews

Post by Real Geordie »

Review from Celebrity Radio http://www.celebrityradio.biz/review-bi ... our-dates/

5* Review Billy Elliot Tour

Billy Elliot is one of the world’s most magical, moving, brilliant, inspiring and captivating musicals in history. I was lucky to be at the West End & Broadway opening nights. Tonight I visited the UK Tour at the Birmingham Hippodrome and was once again blown away by this show's utter brilliance and genius…. This has to be the BEST BRITISH MUSICAL IN HISTORY. It’s just perfect. Simply perfect. You cannot fail to be moved by the stunning talent of the children, the crafted and cutting script, the perfect set design and incredible music and sound. BILLY ELLIOT will make you laugh & cry in equal measure and then amazes you with some of the most brilliant choreography to ever grace the UK stage. It’s not scaled down for the tour – it’s just as beautiful as Broadway and as wonderful as the West End. A 5* masterpiece! With music by Elton John & written by Lee Hall – it truly is one of the most magical & brilliant 3 hours of British theatre & performance. Elton’s ‘Electricity’, ‘Solidarity’, ‘Deep into the ground’ & ‘The Letter’ are simply showstoppers. Bring tissues – it gets heavy! However, do not think this is Disney, It’s not! It’s an adult & emotional story of a boys struggle to fulfil his dreams. It’s a story of a decimated community fighting for survival. With powerful imagery, huge showbiz dance numbers and heart breaking pathos – this is a joy of a standing ovation inducing musical. Billy Elliot has incredibly strong language throughout.

Set in a northern mining town in County Durham, against the backdrop of the miners’ strike, Billy Elliot is the inspirational story of a young boy’s struggle against the odds to make his dream come true. Tonight’s Billy was Lewis Smallman, ironically from Brum not the North East. He perfectly covered the “all right am ya’s” with impeccable “wye aye man’s”. Such breathtaking talent can only leave you in absolute awe. Only 12 years old and an incredible Star – he’s worth the ticket alone. Just inspiring. Nods also to the captivating Annette McLaughlin as Mrs Wilkinson, Martin Walsh as the perfect ‘Dad’, Scott Garnham as the distressing brother & the delicious Andrea Miller as Grandma. It’s very rare a show rolls into town of this quality and brilliance.
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jmh2014
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Re: Birmingham Reviews

Post by jmh2014 »

Saturday Matinee

Haydn worked his little socks off delivering his customary confident and spellbinding take on Billy. With Bradley for company, Express was a joyous riot and, as Bradley egged the audience on, he received possibly the loudest cheer of the afternoon. With this type of support, the muted reserved nature of Southampton must have already been forgotten.

Interesting to see that Bradley has reverted to "f****** freezing" in the winter scene. Wonder if this will continue for the entire run? We also had the shortest "Policeman" I've seen during Solidarity - hardly taller than Haydn.

Virtually a full standing ovation at the end of the show and you can tell that, even after a year on tour, it still means so much to all up on stage.
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Re: Birmingham Reviews

Post by Sheffan »

A somewhat downbeat review, but I've included it anyway. Probably only the second one ever on the tour, the first being one of the Dublin reviews which was posted previously.

http://www.weekendnotes.co.uk/billy-ell ... ippodrome/
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Re: Birmingham Reviews

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cheltonian
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Re: Birmingham Reviews

Post by cheltonian »

I saw the show twice last week, consecutive performances on Wednesday 15th at 7:30 pm and Thursday 16th at 2pm.

On Wednesday, Billy was played by Adam with Samuel as Michael, on Thursday Emile was Billy and Bradley was Michael. For both performances Charlie Martin played Dead Mam and Richard Anderson was MD. For the Thursday matinee Charlie Martin again played Dead Mam and Tom Bainbridge played Tony.

Given that everyone knows I think the show is brilliant, let's focus on the variables.

I've only once previously seen Adam as Billy and I think, perhaps, I was a little harsh. His dancing was sublime, and especially so in the big numbers. Very possibly the best angry dance I have seen, sublime Dream Ballet and wonderful Electricity. It was kind of comical to see Billy and Michael dancing "shoulder to shoulder" with Adam and Samuel, the height difference being quite extreme. Adam also pulled off the kick up and catch of the keys at the end of the boxing scene, a rare success in the performances I've seen.

I was very disappointed with Charlie Martin as Dead Mum in this performance, I didn't feel her voice was right or that she was in control of what she was doing.

I also had a real problem with Richard Anderson, and I hope he will read this and take note. He bobs his head from side to side continusouly. It looks, frankly stupid, and is horribly distracting to the audience behind. Please stop!

So moving onto Thursday.

Obviously the biggest change was Emile as Billy, then Bradley as Micheal, and Tom Bainbridge as Tony. Charlie Martin was again Dead Mum and Richard Anderson again was MD.

I'd only seen Emile once before, in Manchester. I felt he had improved a great deal since then and in particular had gained vocal strength both in his speaking and singing. For both performances the Birmingham audience were superb, easily the best since Bristol. On press night in Bristol, with Haydn as billy, the high wire spin during Dream Dance got spontaneous applause, and here in Birmingham, for the first time since in my experience, with Emile, we got it again. Audiences love Emile and the applause after Dream Dance and Electricty were prolonged.

Tom Bainbridge did a wonderful job as Tony, at no time did I feel I was watching 2nd best, in fact I preferred him as Tony over Scott as, for me, he conveyed the same emotion without being so unrelentlessly shouty.

As for the battle of the Michaels, well how do you choose? They are all wonderful and show stoppers in this gift of a role. But I have to say that I thought Bradley played the role to perfection.
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Re: Birmingham Reviews

Post by Sheffan »

Just a short review as this was an “extra” day trip for the Saturday 18th March matinee – my main forthcoming “Billythons” being 29/30 March and 28/29 April. I visit this city fairly regularly, but in common with many of the venues on this tour, it is my first visit to the Hippodrome since the early 1990s.

Wow, what a week it has been, my trip to Newcastle on 14th March to see the UK tour of Blood Brothers at the Theatre Royal Newcastle, also taking in another trip while I was up there, to follow in Jamie Bell's footsteps in Easington followed by Dawdon, the scene of “Angry Dance” in the film which I did for the first time. Henry Farmer, so I'm told, had made a similar private trip with his family when the tour was in Sunderland. More of that in a separate post which I'll submit soon on my existing thread in this forum.

I was lucky to get a ticket at such short notice. I managed to get the only seat left in the front area of the circle. I was somewhat tired on arrival considering the above, but my spirits were immediately lifted when I found the theatre with ease, located in the heart of Brum's vibrant Chinatown, which will be very useful for relaxing on my forthcoming trips. The theatre foyer is very stylish and spacious with lots of Billy advertising on the large VDU screens.

I killed a few hours by visiting the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery in Victoria Square (where the Billy jump publicity photos were taken) followed by a stroll to visit St Philip's Cathedral.

Back to the show...a sell out!! I'm not a great fan of the circle in any theatre, but the steep rake meant perfect sightlines from almost any seat even when people in front leaned forward. I could even see our very own star MD Patrick from my row H seat. This was only my second time seeing this show in the circle, the only other time being in Dublin. I normally like to see the actors' faces close up, but this was another chance to fully appreciate the stunning lighting and staging created for this show. The stage is particularly deep, so in Once We Were Kings I could almost smell the coal dust in the cavernous space that depicted the pit. In the massive dance at the end of Solidarity, this routine has never looked tighter and slicker than now. The staging for He Could Be A Star looked as atmopsheric as ever - every beat of the story coming through with pristine clarity. Theatrical storytelling at it's very best.

I hope to see all the Billys in Brum, but I'm so glad to have seen Lewis on this first visit. What a great double act he makes with Henry, the chemistry between them is so joyous and plain for all to see. The greatest variety act since Morecambe & Wise in the making!! Charisma just drips off this pair – they had the audience in the palm of their hands from the very beginning.

After a rather quiet start, the audience started to relax during the boxing scene. Lewis efforts in putting off Henry had several people next to meet almost fighting for breath, they were laughing so much. In fact the audience laughed and clapped in places which don't get any most performances – for instance Daniel Page's antics even before he starts to dance in Born to Boogie. Also when the red curtain goes down prior to the audition and when Grandma tells Billy she has rented his room out!!

Lewis seems to have adopted a new hairstyle, his trademark spiky look now giving way to a combed back one, which suits him now he looks a little older.

The applause at the end of Angry Dance can often be subdued but certainly not on this occasion. The cheering that accompanied it sounded very affectionate and authentic. I think some of Lewis' dancing school friends were in the back of the stalls.

The response at the end of Electricity was the best that I've witnessed for some months. A few people were standing in the circle – there was a wild roar which almost died then was revived four times as Lewis looked at different parts of the auditorium with widest grin imaginable. It must have been very emotional for him. The show had almost come to a halt, only dimming the lights allowed the show to continue.

Lily is like an old friend to me – it was a joy to relive the rendition she gave when I first saw this tour in Sunderland. So few lines in the show, but what a massive amount of pathos she evokes.

Tom Bainbridge was Tony on this occasion, the first time I have seen the tour show without Scott. I'm not going to fall into the comparison trap, but I initially thought his portrayal was too mellow in the opening scenes. But no worries, by the end I 'got' his take – I felt his portrayal during He Could be a Star was very heartfelt and he captured the emotions of the character beautifully. He also had an almost dour, mournful demeanour at times which enhanced this enormously.

It was pleasing to see a very immediate 100% standing ovation even in the circle.

It was really nice to listen to the crowd as they exited the theatre after the matinee. There was a real buzz and elation in the air as if they had forgot about everything else for the afternoon.

Billy Elliot is proving to be the perfect touring musical – the shows themes and messages have very little in common with the London area. Looking at what happens with musicals after they close in the West End, almost all tour not once but several times before the are revived in the capital. It is also obvious that the producers of this show have underestimated the demand for tickets at several venues including Manchester and Birmingham – the Hippodrome run was initially advertised to end on May 6, but was changed to its present April 29 when booking opened.

Perhaps I should mention that I never knew my paternal grandfather as he died 33 years before I was born, also leaving my dad fatherless at 4 years old. He was a ganister miner. Ganister was a mineral used in the early 20th century in the lining of furnaces. He died of Phititis (TB of the lungs) – this is one reason why I am moved so much by this show.

Myself and Real Geordie are meeting after the show (very informally) in the Old Fox pub opposite the theatre on the last night of the Birmingham run which we are thinking of renaming as the Rose & Crown for this occasion. Anybody is welcome to come along. Please PM me to let me know.
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jmh2014
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Re: Birmingham Reviews

Post by jmh2014 »

Sheffan wrote:The response at the end of Electricity was the best that I've witnessed for some months. A few people were standing in the circle – there was a wild roar which almost died then was revived four times as Lewis looked at different parts of the auditorium with widest grin imaginable. It must have been very emotional for him. The show had almost come to a halt, only dimming the lights allowed the show to continue.
This was largely down to Lewis "toying" with the audience. Normally he is fairly quick to flash his grin whilst soaking up the applause, but not this time. For a moment it seemed that he would not, but after an age he did and this started the prolonged and multiple rapturous cheers. He then made the most of this ovation as he looked round at those in the stalls who were standing

Henry was having great fun in the wings during the "Finale" - mimicking Lewis's movements to perfection - something that did not go unnoticed by Lewis. At times it was like they were having their very own dance off.

It was a stunning show from start to finish which was hugely enjoyed by the near full house.
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porschesrule
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Re: Birmingham Reviews

Post by porschesrule »

Dluxe Magazine has a great review of the show in Birmingham:

http://dluxe-magazine.co.uk/birmingham/ ... ippodrome/
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