Billy Elliot the Forum

jacob wrote:Saturday December 26th eve

Fox
Connor
Francesca

A few random thoughts about the Boxing Day Show. This year Christmas Day falling on Friday has made things quite tricky for cast, crew and Front of House. They did a Christmas Eve mat (which I believe was not very well attended), had Christmas Day off, and then were back in for Saturday eve with Sunday off. As most people had travelled to be with family it meant that they had done a lot of travelling around at a time when there was little public transport. Why oh why are there no trains on Boxing Day? Pretty tiring for all concerned.

Agree - this (in my view) has been driven by the Financial aspect no doubt by the producers of the show. The cast and crew deserved a well earned rest for Christmas day and Boxing day - Sunday is a natural day off with a return to work on the Monday. In this way no messing with public transport or big journeys. In the end, the paying public probably voted with their feet by not attending in such large numbers (which I think is very demoralising for the cast).

I say - learn the lessons for next year.

The Christmas week must have been pretty exhausting for some, if not all of the cast. Not only would there be those that actually performed but also the stand bys. My last show was the 15th. and I couldn't get at all since then due to commitments, but the Christmas week must have been interesting. 21st.- Evening. 22nd. Mat. and Eve. .23rd. Eve. 24th. Mat. 26th. Mat. and Eve. 28th.Mat. and Eve. Anybody any idea of who did what that week.? (Tracking Billy seems to be getting neglected). Christmas Eve to Boxing Day must have been a logistical nightmare. Finishing 5.30pm. getting to wherever, then getting back for the Matinee, Boxing Day, when there was no trains outside of London,as far as I know. The cast,crew and the staff deserve congratulations for putting it all together.

Bungie wrote:The Christmas week must have been pretty exhausting for some, if not all of the cast. Not only would there be those that actually performed but also the stand bys. My last show was the 15th. and I couldn't get at all since then due to commitments, but the Christmas week must have been interesting. 21st.- Evening. 22nd. Mat. and Eve. .23rd. Eve. 24th. Mat. 26th. Mat. and Eve. 28th.Mat. and Eve. Anybody any idea of who did what that week.? (Tracking Billy seems to be getting neglected). Christmas Eve to Boxing Day must have been a logistical nightmare. Finishing 5.30pm. getting to wherever, then getting back for the Matinee, Boxing Day, when there was no trains outside of London,as far as I know. The cast,crew and the staff deserve congratulations for putting it all together.

Here, Here.
Congratulations Cast and Crew of BETM for your tremendous efforts Christmas week

Monday 21st - Billy - Fox; Michael - Connor (I think)
Tuesday 22nd - Billy - Tom; Michael - George (I think) -the Michaels could be the other way around - sorry!

It was George on Monday 21st

Yeah, I can't think that the cast would have been too happy about having to do a show on Christmas Eve. . . even if it was a matinee. Hopefully the low audience turn-out will make them re-think that idea next year.

To think that I was actually trying to get myself and family to the Christmas Eve show.
Glad I didn't in the end. In my experience, a good audience makes for a great show. All to do with the interaction between the cast and the audience.

Well here's a surprise. I've managed to speak to some friends who were at the Christmas Eve show, and they estimate an audience turn out of "75% or maybe more." Apparently there were a lot of children in the audience, some of whom were quite enthusiastic, more so than a lot of the adults, but overall it was a mostly subdued audience. However they all agreed the show itself was great. Maybe the members of the audience had other things on their mind.!! (Billy - Fox Michael - Jake Debbie - Francesca)

Bungie wrote:and they estimate an audience turn out of "75% or maybe more."

Disappointing.

Bungie wrote: Maybe the members of the audience had other things on their mind.!!

Like what? (tongue in cheek comment before I am taken to task!)

75% sounds pretty good to me taking account of what I have often seen on weekday evening performances.
In my view, a Christmas Eve performance is better suited to traditional Pantomime which clearly, BETM isn't.

Great review can't wait to see Dean