September 2010 - Reviews - London

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dutchboy
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Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by dutchboy »

Matinee on Saturday 25th

Billy : Aaron
Michael : Reece
Small Boy : Paddy

The matinee gave us again the incredibly talented Aaron Watson. He has got so much potentential and charisma going for him that he really shine on the stage. I feel very lucky that i got to see Aaron 2x this week as i missed him last time. Sorry to keep this short but my internet minutes are almost gone. Aaron and Reece did an amazing job. Of course all the focus this weekend will be on Ollie , but let us not forget the other incredbible performers who give us so much joy every time we see the show.

See you next time

Dutchboy
All Property Is Theft Comrade
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Billy Whiz
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Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by Billy Whiz »

Reviews from both Saturday shows to follow when I get home but here are some photos from Ollie's last night for you to be going on with.

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dwallen
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Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by dwallen »

Saturday September 25th 2010

Ollie's Last Night

This review could be simply 2 words:' Absolutely Fantastic.' Last nights are always very special and this one was no exception. For me it was even more special as I was at Ollie's first as well. His performance was flawless and so professional. He stayed in the role he has made his own right until the final curtain. He is an exceptional actor and dancer and his singing was outstanding as well. As the producer, Nick, said at the stat of the show, he will be greatly missed by everyone. His warm smile will be a particular lose for the company and he seems to have been in the show for ever.

The show started as usual with Nicks thanks to Ollie and his supportive family and noted that Ollie was a very special boy.

The show itself was great and as always every member of the cast played their hearts out and supported Ollie so well. The audience, which included a number of past and present cast members, was very appreciative from the start. I was in the Dress Circle as were many of them and they were really enjoying the occasion. It was nice to see Tom back with the others. There was also a Bride and Groom sitting in one of the boxes still dressed in their wedding clothes. True fans they must be if they have come straight from their wedding reception! Still that is the measure of Billy Fans.

I was pleased with Born to Boogie tonight. Ollie danced and skipped perfectly and the adults have certainly got into it now. I did not like it at first but it is warming on me especially with Ollie showing his skills to perfection.

This was the first time I have seen Joe in the role of Michael and I was impressed. He played the part with skill and humour. He and Ollie obviously enjoyed Expressing and the audience loved every minute of it. One other comment about other cast members. The small boy, whose name I don't know, was very interesting. When he was sitting on the stage watching the film he was moving his head from side to side as if watching everything that was going on. You could also hear him sitting along in the Maggie Thatcher Song and was obviously enjoying the experience. He was acting the part of a small boy at a Christmas Party with considerable energy and accuracy. I guess he is very confident on the stage. Well done, young man, I say.

The finale contained the usual energy and entertainment and concluded with an explosion of coloured paper and a whole theatre standing ovation. The photos from Billy Whizz are great, by the way. Thanks.

And so Ollie's last show ended as all the shows do with a very happy audience leaving the Theatre. I don't know if it was a total sell out but it took us a long time to get out, not that we were in a hurry.

Many thanks to Ollie from all of us for all those wonderful shows you have performed.

I must check but I think I have seen him perform as Billy for the most times. What I do know is that every one has been perfection. I am certain that we shall be seeing much more from this very talented young man. His Parents must be so proud and we will miss him enormously.

Good luck in the future, Ollie. Be yourself and keep performing.
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.
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Billy Whiz
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Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by Billy Whiz »

Thanks for the review dwallen. It was indeed a great night.

The Small Boy in question is the fantastic Charlie Salsen.
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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.
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athadj
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Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by athadj »

Just a few comments on last night's show as I'm too tired for a full review after a full day of travelling to get back home.
As it has been mentionned it was an amazing show! Ollie was phenomenal, perfect from start to finish the best show I've ever seen and probably his best performance ever! I know it has been mentionned before that his letter scene was not the most emotional and I do agree with these comments, but last night he was so emotional I couldn't believe it. Don't know if it was because of the special day but it easily reduced me to tears (now that's an understatement, I was shaking uncontrolably...). Express with Joe was fantastic and in the end instead of the normal ending Ollie took little Joe on his back! That was a nice surprise! As mentionned B2B was flawless and actually the only think that went wrong with last night's show, if we can really count it, was the bloody tape which would not get fixed with the pencil so poor Ollie had to give it directly to the stage manager unfixed and without even returning the pencil. This was my first "last" show and I thought that every moment after Billy gets accepted to the RBS was very emotional as it has special meaning for the boy leaving the show as well. Everyone saying goodbye etc. As a result I found myself once again sobbing and shaking uncontrolably... :oops: The best moment was the goodbye between Billy and Michael with both Ollie and Joe being trully emotional. Especialy Joe's expression in the end while the curtain was going down was so so so sad I could have sworn he was crying real tears! Well, the truth is that moments right before the curtain fully went down (naughty) Joe changed his facial expression to a content smile and turned away with his bike! You got to love the boy!
Finale was great, as was the audience who gave Ollie very very long applauses and numerous standing ovations. Ollie was nice enough to come out during his party, which was attended by all current and many former cast members, to sign autographs and take pictures. He was even nicer enough to come back a 2nd time 'cos some of us didn't manage to do that the first time around so I really really want to thank you Ollie for talking to us and of course for your phenomenal performance last night and the past year and a half! Good luck with whatever you chose to do in the future! I'll miss 'ya mate!
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
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*Lottie*
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Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by *Lottie* »

Well...it happened, the countdown ended and it came around. It was a night worth the wait and will be one never to be forgotten.
Me and Caz being the first in the day queue I am very proud of. The cold and early early start were worth enduring. Not that we didn’t know they wouldn’t be ;)
What a show though. THE best Ollie show. He pulled out all the stops and left nothing and gave everything.
I don’t think I have ever concentrated, as much in my life, I did not want to miss a moment. But it was the whole cast not just Ollie who gave everything, with Joe and Fran giving their all. I’m sure they, nor him will ever forget it.
What I loved was that often the audience would get a glimpse of ‘Ollie’ as the Billy Guard fell down last night and not just at the end of Electricity as normal. For example; the end of the beautifully danced dream ballet, as Barnaby unhooked the harness Ollie’s face seemed to say “I’ve done it”, he was beaming, he had set out what he came to do and enjoy and perform everything with precision and meaning for that last time.
Shine was a big fun fest, loved it, very enjoyable to watch and it was obviously an audience pleaser last night, cheers could not be contained!
Angry Dance – wow wow wow. Strong and forceful tapping, powerful attitude and raging emotion. Such a way to end, because each Angry Dance I have seen from Ollie has gotten better and better each time yet I still always come out thinking he can’t top it. Well he went out with a ‘bang’!
Electricity – “I haven’t got the words has never been more apt.”
A very touching winter scene from Joe and Ollie, obviously feeding from raw emotion there.
The scene where Billy says goodbye to Mrs Wilkinson was so real and full of emotion, you could see Genevieve fighting back the tears as her eyes filled up. And that is not what I have seen in her before. It was genuine. A fictional/real life parallel for sure.
The final curtain with Joe shedding tears (or so we thought), as Athina said, it finished with a cheeky smile just before the end. But this is just a credit to Joes acting that he fooled so many ;) !
Special mention to small boy Charlie though, what a great little actor. As mentioned a few posts above in MCMT especially.
A huge thank you for Ollie being kind enough and taking time out of his party to sign and do photographs with us ALL. Couldn't have asked for more.

“You are very Fu****g special”



Note; We attended the matinee as well, but I will keep the review for now and post it when all the Ollie reviews have fizzled out. (few comments in Aarons thread though, couldn’t give him praise enough for yesterday afternoon).
Charlotte

The Musical Vs The Film - " there's more depth & passion to it" - Scott Mckenzie 9.3.11
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AJ HOLDEN
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Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by AJ HOLDEN »

Saturday 25th September

Well just 3 months to the great day but I felt Christmas came early.

Aaron/Reece/Emily

I couldn’t not mention the matinee. It was a great show. I would have left the VPT more than content that the cast had given their all and from where I sat in row O I could tell the audience were thoroughly enjoying every scene. Aaron was on excellent form from start to finish and will no doubt be happy the slippery floor is being replaced after a slip in Dream. A well deserved ovation at the end and endless comments from the crowd around me about what a brilliant show they had seen and how great all the kids were. I couldn’t agree more.

The ballet girl Tracey Atkinson (sorry I don’t know her real name) disappeared after Shine and the remaining girls adapted very well to her absence for the rest of the show with another doing the kamikaze spins towards the front of the stage and Mrs Wilkenson saying her name and not Tracey Atkinson. It meant that at one point there was a missing chair which a miner quickly brought on, shortly after a stranded chair was rescued by Susan Parks, the placement for some of the policeman and miners helmets went wrong when they incorrectly ended up with their own headgear (if you know what I mean) and corrected at the back of the stage hastily before being swapped over again at the front. But my entire point is to say well done to the ensemble and ballet girls for carrying on when a member suddenly goes missing while the audience are virtually oblivious to the changes – just so utterly professional.

Evening show

Ollie/Joe/Francesca

As mentioned in an earlier post Small Boy Charlie was so animated in the opening scene reacting to every change to the film. Was he told to do that or is that his own interpretation because it was very cute and set the show up nicely. In a way that I feel Shaun Henson has made the mincing sound man in the audition scene his own, I know feel that Charlie can now claim the opening scene as his own.

A huge cheer when Ollie came on. Thankfully the forum behaved itself and Ollie was allowed to carry on virtually uninterrupted except of course for the deserved extra long applause after each scene and the ovation in electricity. I am not a fan of the Street Electricity but I feel that the power and emotion portrayed by Ollie in this dance makes his interpretation the best at present so will be missed by me.

Joe almost went over the handlebars for his entrance. But a great show for Joe and as usual a wonderful cheeky smile one minute and portraying other emotions equally well the next. It was weird sitting behind Connor Doyle and seeing his reaction to Joe’s Michael. (Of course it was positive) but it must be strange for former cast to watch the show and I bet they wish they could come back, just perform that one last show for old times’ sake.

And it was nice to see some old faces (and new) in the audiences. I kept having to jump out the way as some very excited kids kept running around the aisles and foyer and you kept realising it was yet another old Billy or Michael. Nice to see Scott running too so hopefully back from the foot injury very soon.

Well done to the cast for not reacting to the audience member who laughed like a donkey, I kid you not. The audition scene was hysterical as the entire audience reacted to this braying. Thankfully this didn’t carry on too long, but Joe Caffrey and Ollie kept a straight face somehow.

It was a fantastic day. It was great to meet so many forum and hear all their Billy anecdotes. I still feel like the school boy at the first day at school amongst all the alumnae and still get green with envy when you guys name drop all the Billy’s you have seen. But I can count myself lucky that I got the chance to see Ollie and was privileged to have been there for his last performance. As I write this Ollie should be back at school and probably reflecting on what will surely be his first normal day in several years. I know we shall miss him and will look forward to following his undoubted long and brilliant career.

Alex
PS Many thanks to David and Keefy for their organisation and amazing hard work to make Ollie’s day extra special and allowing the Forum to celebrate together.
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burtond
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Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by burtond »

Ollie's Finale - Saturday 25th Sept 2010 - Ollie, Joe Massey and Francesca Mango.

What a wonderful atmosphere at the VP on Saturday night for the celebration of Ollie in the role of Billy Elliot. There was of course the usual buzz around the stalls with Forum members congregating at the front eagerly anticipating the forthcoming performance. What a sight – almost a row of Ollie T Shirts and other OllieT shirts scattered around the auditorium – badges recognising Ollie as Billy Elliot pinned to shirts, lapels and blouses – Banners will OLLIE GARDNER and various pics of Ollie plastered all over them. And that’s not even the half of it. We had Ollie fans from Germany, Holland and even one who flew specifically from New Zealand to see the show – lots of people, all ages, had made the journey from all over the UK too – people from Newcastle, Scotland and the South West too.

Many of us met outside the Stage Door Pub before the show and then wandered around to have a quick, cheap and cheerful meal at the popular Noodle Noodle House – some great conversation over a few noodles. Then back to the Theatre where we met Ollies Mum and Sister. We also met Ollies Grandparents and Ollie’s Headmaster who took one of the T Shirts and promised to wear it at Ollie’s first Assembly back at Kingswood School today.

Then the show. WOW! WOW! WOW! – what a fantastic, vibrant, energetic performance by ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE. The whole flippin’ cast pulled out all the stops for Ollie and gave a show like none other I’ve seen. It was just wonderful –the whole experience delightful, highly entertaining, happy and of course filled with emotion too. There were lots of ‘extras’ that we noticed just for this occasion – can’t remember all of these but included Michael (Joe Massey) jumping on Ollie’s back and flinging his hands in the air.

Express was exceptionally funny as was the boxing scene with Ollie’s unique and exclusive dancing including his many pelvic thrusts towards Michael. Dream Ballet was extremely poignant but a lovely moment in the show concluding with Ollie and Barnaby sharing a knowing look ‘well that’s it mate – thanks’ . An Ollie electricity like none other I have seen including yet more little embellishments just for his final performance. Great reaction from the audience and a very long and well deserved standing ovation from everyone. Finale itself was plain fun and Ollie was superb right to the very end when his guard went down and I detected a tear or two.

And then what an audience – certainly up for it – apologies to the MD and the Band for the noise – I appreciate that it can be loud and distracting but it was a very special occasion, it didn’t spoil the show one bit indeed in enhanced the show but most importantly, we’re all back to normal again for the time being.

Personally, I and my two girls had a night that we shall never forget. Thanks so much Ollie for the memories Mate. We really miss you – its like losing someone close. But we, the Burtons, wish you all the very best for what will undoubtedly be an amazing future.
An ex-Regular and someone who was Passionate about the show but who has now found the rest of the WEST END.
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Billy Whiz
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Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by Billy Whiz »

Saturday, September 25th, 2010 - Matinee

Billy - Aaron
Michael - Reece
Debbie - Emily

The matinee was a double first for me having not seen Aaron or Reece before and what I treat I was in for.

Aaron is a terrific Billy and is definitely the complete package. Acting, singing and dancing are all out of the top drawer and I cannot wait to see him again in a few months when I am next at the Victoria Palace. I loved his dancing and his Angry Dance and Electricity were as good as it gets.

Reece is a little gem. Small in stature but a big presence when on the stage. He is a terrific Michael and he had the audience eating out of his hands. They all loved him.

Emily is such a gem. She huffs and puffs her way round the stage and is hilarious. I thought her timing in the toilet scene with Billy was excellent. She took her time over her lines and delivered them beautifully.

Nice to see Sean Hensen back after his injury. He has made the role of Cassette Man his own. Nobody does it better and he has the audience in hysterics with his actions.

As has already been posted the ballet girl that plays Tracy Atkinson went off after Shine but anybody seeing the show for the first time would not have noticed and this is all down to the professionalism of the cast. Well done to everybody. I hope the young lady is now ok.

All the cast were on top form and it was a thoroughly enjoyable show. A nice warm up before Ollie’s leaving show in the evening.
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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.
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pinknick103
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Re: September 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by pinknick103 »

Re the tracey atkinson that went off during sats matinee - was it a different girl on the eve performance then ??? Ballet girls would normally do both shows - wondereed if they had to call one of the other girls to come in and cover xx
Dean x1, Leon x1, Trent x1, Josh x12, Layton x10, Corey x5, Fox x10, Tom x15, Brad x5,Ollie x7,Tanner x2, Dean CC x 9, Aaron x 2, Rhys x3, Scott x5, Ryan x10, Adam x2, Kaine x5, Harris x3, Harrison x12, Redmond x3, Ali x1
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