September 2010 - Reviews - London

User avatar
Billy Whiz
Gallery Admin
Gallery Admin
Posts: 5537
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2009 11:26 pm
Location: England

Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by Billy Whiz »

I do believe it was a different girl.
.
Billy Whiz is the Gallery Admin. Please send your photos, articles etc to forum.gallery[at]billyelliottheforum.me.uk Please replace [at] with @

In the email can you also please let me know the date where and when the photo(s) was taken, who is in the photo(s) as well as your forum name.

When you send photos to the gallery can you also please PM me to let me know that you have sent them. If I don't receive them after a couple of days I can then chase them up.
BILLYFAN
Debbie
Posts: 907
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2009 2:28 pm
Location: Torquay, Devon

Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by BILLYFAN »

Thank You Porschesrule,Billy Whiz and ERinVA for your condolences for the death of my brother
and Thank you Dutchboy and AJHolden and Billy Whiz for the reviews of the Sat Mat show that I was unable to go to
It certainly sounded like an extra special show, and it would have been 2 firsts for me, as I have not seen Aaron or Reece
Once again, Thanks to all
User avatar
dwallen
Small Boy
Posts: 96
Joined: Sat May 09, 2009 8:05 pm
Location: Derbyshire

Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by dwallen »

Wednesday September 29th - Matinee

Billy: Dean Charles
Michael: Connor
Debbie: Francesca

This special matinee was my 46th show and I really enjoyed it as usual, although it had some differences. We were not let into the auditorium until 2.20pm and after Tuesday nights cancellation I was concerned that the same thing might be about to happen.It didn't, of course, and the show started a few minutes late but nothing to worry about.

Having been at Ollie's final performance on Saturday I knew it was going to be a different Billy. I say that because my last 5 visits to the VP have coincided with Ollie playing the part. I am not complaining about that as I am a great fan of the boy and will miss him greatly. However, there are now 3 Billys I haven't seen and I wondered if it would be one of them today. As it turned out it was Dean who I have seen more than once before including his debut. (Is he going to replace Ollie as the one I see most?) Never mind though as I really enjoyed his performance. I think he is a fabulous actor and his facial expressions are a joy. He is very aware of the emotions he needs to inject into the part. He also reacts well to what other people say or do. He never lost concentration for a moment.

I am going to jump straight into the highlight of the show for me and that is his performance of electricity. It was magical. I really do like the ballet version and Dean danced it perfectly. His timing and pure ballet skills were so evident. I also like the way the music is arranged. It suited Deans performance so well. He beamed at the end which was certainly to the liking of the audience. I was sitting next to a lady who had not seen the show before and she was just entranced by it. It is always good to see new comers enjoying what we fans may sometimes take for granted.

One comment that I am sorry I have to make though ( and I am very rarely negative in my reviews) 'Born to Boogie' was not at its best. I have never really liked the new boxing and skipping version but on Saturday night I was beginning to change my mind as it went well - not today though. I really would like to see it return to the original although perhaps keeping the new musical arrangement. It is the skipping that is the problem.

Back to the positive. Expressing yourself was fabulous. Connor was really funny and made it for me. He worked the script so well and it was obvious that Dean enjoyed the number as well. Connor continued in this vein in the post party scene. I made some very funny noises that were just right. I can't describe them in any other way. I can't wait to see him in action again.

Now there were some changes. The cage did not come up in the Angry Dance and obviously it was not planned to come up as Dean knew to pick up the ballet shoes from the side of the stage. Actually, I quite liked it as I am sure that the movements across the stage were better and more dramatic from the cast. It was a very powerful scene with Dean performing with incredible power. His scream at the end was enormous!

The biggest and for me very disappointing change was that the Finale was omitted completely. I love all of the show but the Finale is one of my favourite parts. I don't know if it was cut because of the Question and Answer Session (more about that in a moment) or for any other reason. I think it was wrong because the majority of the audience did not stay for that and were denied the spectacle of the cast in that wonderful dance routine. It also deprived us from giving them the usual standing ovation as the curtain fell suddenly when were not expecting the show to end. Oh well I suppose that's show business but I think it is wrong considering the cost of tickets among other things.

[Edit] I have since heard that it was cut because of on going problems with the stage as it was cut again in the evening. Seems strange though.

Back to the positive (again) - The question and Answer session with Ann Emery, Jo Caffrey and Mike Scott was great. They answered quite a lot of questions (including one from me) really well. It was interesting, funny and delivered with great warmth. Ann is just fabulous and it was great to hear about her past in many shows. When you consider that she is 80 years old she is just incredible. Nick chaired the occasion and answered some of the questions as well. Jo was very amusing but also seriously answered many of the questions. I was particularly interested in the answer to my question about rehearsals and show changes mainly from Mike.

And so ended another great day at the VP (despite my slightly negative bits). I loved Dean's performance and look forward to seeing him again, but I still have 3 other Billys to see. Still that gives me the excuse to keep coming to the show - not that I really need one!!
67 wonderful shows
21 marvellous Billys
Travis, Sam, Layton, Corey, Josh, Hogan, Fox, Brad, Tom, Tanner, Ollie, Dean, Rhys, Scott, Ryan, Josh Baker, Adam, Harris and Kaine, Harrison and Tade
2 First Nights - Ollie and Dean-Charles
8 Last Nights - Layton, Hogan, Brad, Fox, Tom, Ollie, Scott and Dean.
6 Anniversaries - 4th, 5th plus the second 5th Anniversary (May 12th 2010), 6th (March 2011) 7th (May 12th 2012) 8th (May 11th 2013)
1 Gala Night - May 30th 2012 - celebrating 7th Anniversary and 3,000 show.
User avatar
ERinVA
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 17964
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:33 am
Location: Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by ERinVA »

Please tell us more about your question and the answer you got, dwallen. Would also love to hear what some of the others were as well.

I do hope they get the stage problems sorted out soon and get back to the finale being in the show. It is such an important part of the whole BETM experience, and it just needs to be there!
Ellen



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


To follow the forum's Twitter at http://twitter.com/BEForum, click on the direct link in Applies to All Forums above.
User avatar
athadj
Miner
Posts: 431
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 5:44 pm
Location: Athens,Greece

Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by athadj »

Thank you for that review dwallen. I would also like to hear more about the Q&A session. Your question sounds really interesting, as well, since this show is so unique with all these different kids having to rehearse the same parts with different people. Sounds too complicated...
Also, do we know if the change in Angry Dance is permanent or if it was due to the new stage as well? (which I do hope they fix soon...)
Athina

London
Liam x 1, Ollie x 4, Dean x 11, Rhys x 8, Aaron x 4, Scott x 9, Josh x 10, Ryan x 10, Adam x 6, Kaine x 7, Harris x 6, Harrison x 2
New York
Peter x 1
Bungie
Small Boy
Posts: 90
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2009 5:02 pm
Location: London

Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by Bungie »

Apparently they are having huge problems with the surface of the new stage. I would think that everything that is going on just now is attributable to that. Hopefully they will get it sorted out fairly quickly, but its nice to see the Company really protecting the cast, by reducing the risk of injury.
User avatar
burtond
Michael
Posts: 2396
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2009 7:53 am
Location: UK

Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by burtond »

Angry Dance at both performances on Wednesday was performed in trainers and not tap shoes due to the new stage being so slippery and dangerous. Finale was cancelled for the same reason. However, in the pub afterwards, one of the cast said that the Finale was likely to return to the performances today. Lets hope so, I'm going tonight! Lets also hope that Angry Dance is back to normal too - it's just not Angry without the noise of the taps and the deliberate foot and leg movements. Same cast member also said that with each performance the stage floor is getting 'roughed up' - i presume this means back to normal and suitable for the dance numbers that it has to endure. We'll see!
An ex-Regular and someone who was Passionate about the show but who has now found the rest of the WEST END.
User avatar
jen
Miner
Posts: 366
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:14 pm
Location: London/Essex Border

Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by jen »

Please tell us more about the Q & A session thank you.
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)
User avatar
patc
Mrs Wilkinson
Posts: 1406
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 5:26 pm
Location: Dublin, Ireland

Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by patc »

Thursday Matinee 30th Oct.

Dean Charles, Joe, Fleur
Mr. B : Daniel Page
Grandma: Romy

Angry Dance: There was some tapping early on but at the point when the hut usually rises (but didn't) Billy went to the LH side and changed into trainers whilst the riot took place. The remainder of the dance was "silent".

Finale: None.

This was a magnificent tour-de-force from Dean despite the above. An unforgettable Electricity was cheered to the rafters and a sensational, gloriously happy smile from Dean as he took the applause. Another special moment for us fans to savour.

With no Finale, Joe's heartrending stare at the final curtain that progresses to him riding off in tears (brilliant, brilliant acting) had no antidote and those of us who find this scene so emotional were left floundering with the theatre lights still on instead of being dimmed :oops:

Daniel's Mr. B is a well thought out masterpiece and the whole B2B scene beautifully paced.

Even with two of its outstanding scenes either missing or diluted the cast provided the usual wonderful three hours of enjoyment and thanks go to all of them once again from all the grateful matineers.

Pat
Image
User avatar
athadj
Miner
Posts: 431
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 5:44 pm
Location: Athens,Greece

Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by athadj »

Thank you everyone for their reviews on these past "slightly" changed shows. I do have a question though. The problem with the new stage seems to be that it is slippery and tap may be dangerous. But from all the above comments I understand that both Express and B2B, which are mainly tap numbers, have not been affected. Now I understand that none of us actually works in the VP so we might not know all the details, but does anyone know why the problem has only affected Angry Dance and the Finale?
Athina

London
Liam x 1, Ollie x 4, Dean x 11, Rhys x 8, Aaron x 4, Scott x 9, Josh x 10, Ryan x 10, Adam x 6, Kaine x 7, Harris x 6, Harrison x 2
New York
Peter x 1
Locked

Return to “Reviews Archive”