Edmonton Reviews

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BEtourfan
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Edmonton Reviews

Post by BEtourfan »

Here's a very positive review from the Edmonton Journal.
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/touch/st ... id=8132995
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angelenroute
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Re: Edmonton Reviews

Post by angelenroute »

BEtourfan wrote:Here's a very positive review from the Edmonton Journal.
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/touch/st ... id=8132995
Loved it, though as far as the "missteps" it's funny to hear the flying scene be mentioned there. So many others, myself included, never cease to be moved to tears at that moment. To each her own. =)
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ERinVA
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Re: Edmonton Reviews

Post by ERinVA »

I thought it was interesting that she placed Solidarity at the end of the show. 8-) Or maybe she just means that it's what you will remember most about the show after its over...
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jotunheim
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Re: Edmonton Reviews

Post by jotunheim »

Anyone have any crowd information on how well ticket sales are going Edmonton, or the other Canadian stops for that matter?
North American Tour - (15):

Milwaukee, WI - July 2012 - (1): Noah
St. Paul, MN - October 2012 - (4): Ben x2, Zach, Noah
Omaha, NE - December 2012 - (3): Ben x2, Noah
E. Lansing, MI - January 2013 - (3): Mitchell/Ben (split), Drew, Noah
San Diego, CA - May 2013 - (1): Mitchell/Noah (split)
Grand Rapids, MI - June 2013 - (3): Mitchell, Drew, Noah
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Billy Whiz
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Re: Edmonton Reviews

Post by Billy Whiz »

I just checked on Ticketmaster and tickets at Edmonton seem to be going pretty well.

It is a large theatre with 2,500 seats so will take some filling. The Main Floor seats are pretty much full with a few odd seats available. Quite a number of First Balcony seats towards the front have gone but hardly any towards the rear. Hardly any seats from the second balcony have gone and that does not surprise me. It looks as if you are quite high and far from the stage.

Here is the link to Ticketmaster if anybody else wants to have a look.

http://www.ticketmaster.ca/venueartist/ ... ?brand=bac
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LiamM
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Re: Edmonton Reviews

Post by LiamM »

Edmonton is experiencing unusually cold and snowy conditions, especially for this time of year. The front page headline of the Edmonton Journal on Friday read "It's supposed to be spring!". But the cold weather and a postponed opening night didn't dampen anyone's enthusiasm. The Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium was a lively place when I arrived for the Saturday matinee.

The theatre is clear designed for the Edmonton symphony rather than theatre. The orchestra pit leaves the largest amount of space I have ever seen between the front row of seats and the front of the Billy set. The "balcony" seats do not actually overhang the orchestra level, so the rear seats are really far from the stage. But that's not a problem for me, with a ticket right up at the front. As well, seats on the side have somewhat restricted view, more than in most theatres. The orchestra level was full and the balcony was mostly full, a good turn-out in a theater with room for 2,416.

Noah and Jake were on the board. Shortly after I sat down, the familiar sound of Small Boy's boombox announced the start of the show as he walked down the house-left aisle. Noah and the rest of the cast gave a wonderful performance like always. Noah's singing is a highlight, with his angelic voice having just a hint of vibrato.

I noticed a few minor changes to some scenes. One in particular: When Tony gets the crowbar, the two other miners exit before Dad enters, so their confrontation is between just the two of them. This means that Tony is no longer putting on a show in front of his friends. I think this is an improvement. Also, when Posh Dad walks over towards Dad, he walked normally instead of doing his silly prancing.

The audience was enthusiastic, with little bits of extra applause in various places, such as for Dad following "Deep into the Ground". Jake got great applause as he exited after the Winter Scene. At the end, the audience left to their feet right away for a long standing ovation.

It is Broadway Cares week. Cullen Titmas made the announcement and said that, since they are in Canada, one of the beneficiaries would be the Actors' Fund of Canada. Members of the cast were collecting in the lobby after the show. They were also selling signed show posters for $20 and photos with Mrs. W. and Billy for $25.
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rob_hanson1979
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Re: Edmonton Reviews

Post by rob_hanson1979 »

LiamM wrote: Also, when Posh Dad walks over towards Dad, he walked normally instead of doing his silly prancing.


It is Broadway Cares week. Cullen Titmas made the announcement and said that, since they are in Canada, one of the beneficiaries would be the Actors' Fund of Canada. Members of the cast were collecting in the lobby after the show. They were also selling signed show posters for $20 and photos with Mrs. W. and Billy for $25.
First, I've always found Posh Dad's prancing a little weird. I know its done to get a few laughs, but I've found it's almost done in a "look how gay that is" kind of way. Personally I wouldn't be sad to see it gone from the show.

And I wish they'd had Broadway Cares Week in Ottawa. I would've got the poster AND the photo :-(
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angelenroute
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Re: Edmonton Reviews

Post by angelenroute »

LiamM wrote:I noticed a few minor changes to some scenes. One in particular: When Tony gets the crowbar, the two other miners exit before Dad enters, so their confrontation is between just the two of them. This means that Tony is no longer putting on a show in front of his friends. I think this is an improvement. Also, when Posh Dad walks over towards Dad, he walked normally instead of doing his silly prancing.
Both sound like well reasoned changes. If Tony is punched in front of his friends, there's a chance they would have come to his defense. By having them leave or not there at all (like in the movie), this is a non-issue. Likewise with Posh Dad, I love the prancing and think it's very funny, but it's a bit too much for the time and probably wouldn't happen. Plus this is a show where no one should be made fun of for being themselves. The joke should simply be his posh background vs. Jackie's.
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LiamM
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Re: Edmonton Reviews

Post by LiamM »

This afternoon, I returned to the Jubilee auditorium. This show was special and the reason I travelled all the way to Edmonton.

My Grandmother is over 101 years old. Grandma in the show is living under the long shadow of her late husband. My Grandma had a similarly bad relationship with her father and I think she still lives under his shadow, even though he is long gone. As a child, my Grandma was barely allowed play. For example, making snow angels was not allowed. She even did tap dancing for a while in her 20s, but her father disapproved of that too. Music was only allowed if it was church hymns. Her father never became an Act II Dad, never supported her.

Today, we put all that behind. I took Grandma to see the show.

The Jubilee has excellent accommodations for wheelchairs, including a couple of spots in the front row. After our tickets were scanned, we go into a special corridor just for wheelchair access, so we don't have to navigate the crowds and the raked floor all the way to the front. An elevator took us down to the level of the front of the orchestra and we emerged through doors directly next to where we would sit.

Mitchell and Jake were on the board. But there was more: Maddie Barnes as Debbie. Soon Small Boy arrived to get things going. Maddie does a great job as Debbie, with just the right amount of sass. Last night, I had watched Billy Elliot the movie with my uncle and aunt, who also came to the show. They commented afterwards that Maddie as Debbie looks much like Debbie in the movie. I see the resemblance.

Mitchell is so, so small and this really works to help emphasize Billy's vulnerability and his determination. I had seen Mitchell in Ottawa and his performance then and today was so raw, authentic, and fresh. He is so believable as a child struggling to prove that he is bigger than his size.

When Mitchell sings his first solo, right away we hear a different approach to singing. He is not some perfect boy soprano. His singing has a boyish innocence, a more playful sound, a sound the captures and expresses emotion in its raw form, particularly during the Letters.

During the Angry Dance, he moves with such energy that it makes up for his small frame. He is such a tiny, vulnerable figure moving among the riot.

During Swan Lake, some Billys are so good at ballet that they match perfectly Older Billy's movements. This is a truly beautiful take on the part, but we should remember that the real Billy has just started ballet training and this piece is about his dream of being an accomplished dancer. Mitchell's dance captures this interpretation of the role. His dance has a playful feel to it. It really feels like we're watching the play of a child exploring motion who thinks no one is watching him. His huge smile during the flying indicates that he must be having the time of his life up there.

Mitchell's Electricity starts off with an aerial and continues with mainly modern dance moves, his strength, completing Billy's journey of increasing dance ability which has unfolded during the show. Now, his flaming bundle of energy, which we saw in Angry Dance, amply fills the nearly empty stage.

After the show, we got our photo taken with Mitchell and Janet as part of the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS fundraiser. My Grandmother enjoyed meeting Mitchell.

My Grandmother was very pleased with the show and kept talking about how it brought her back to when her children were part of school performances, many decades ago, and particularly to the one of her four sons, her most artistic, who had died young. She made sure her children had the chance to express themselves through music and theatre, and we remain a musical family. She also talked abou how she recognized many of the tap steps from her time dancing. I am so thankful the Billy Elliot offered this opportunity for me to connect with my Grandmother.
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Re: Edmonton Reviews

Post by porschesrule »

Liam, what a wonderful, personal review. I loved reading about how much your grandmother enjoyed the show. I also thoroughly enjoyed your take on Mitchell's performance of the role of Billy. I don't think I've ever heard it characterized the way you've expressed it, but it makes a lot of sense. So many other people have mentioned his tiny size and how it gives such a different feeling to his portrayal of the role.

Thanks for sharing your observations. It's nice to know that there are Forum members seeing and enjoying the show even up in the "frozen (and snowy) north". :lol:
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