February 2010 reviews - London

[James.R]

Wednesday 3rd February 2010 – UK London

There were real problems with ’Electricity’ this evening.
Well that is how it was for me. I'm sure the problems will be rectified for my next visit on Monday evening next week.

OK, I'm going to try to help here a bit.

The whole production is one whole big team effort..and a very complicated mix of technical and artisitic skills/elements - on, behind and below the stage. It all comes together most nights to provide the peak performance you can at times come to think is easy.

Irrespective of any elements of music/sound-effect being pre-recorded, the whole show is coordinated using a electroinic "cueing" system. The system pre-programmes and triggers nearly every element of the production from the starting of the rising of the bed to the lighting to the timing of the mics being active and to the setting of the sound mixing desk. Such a complex show would not be possible without it. Which is to say that whatever the musicians are playing, it is the automation system that is controlling what the audience hears.

As the New York production found out, once any of the many elements of a cueing system get out of step for any reason it's really very difficult to correct in mid flow . The fact that the crews manage to correct any problems in real time and keep the production flowing has always amazed me. Most normal jobs call for a tea break and a biscuit while the computers reboot ..but not in the theatre.

But all credit to the cast, MD and crew to be able to have kept it going {it's not easy conducting, talking on the phone and playing a keyboard all at the same time I'm certain!}.

99.5% {work it out.. } of the people in the audience I'm sure did not realise anything was amiss.

[Billy Whiz]

I spoke to Chris Hatt about it today and Electricity is a click track. He did explain what a click track is and basically it's a click in their headphones that keeps them to the required beat. There was more to it than that but to be honest it went over my head. Here is a link that explains it a little better.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Click_track

[andrewcraig]

I spoke to Chris Hatt about it today and Electricity is a click track. He did explain what a click track is and basically it's a click in their headphones that keeps them to the required beat. There was more to it than that but to be honest it went over my head. Here is a link that explains it a little better.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Click_track

Thanks for that definition of a click track. I have been pondering the problems of a conductor trying to keep pace with a prerecording, playing on a keyboard and conducting.

The click solves that but how he does it is another thing.

I tried to see the clip that showed the 3 women backstage doing backing vocals for Electricity. gave up too slowat my end .

[patc]

Extravagant music director. Is he auditioning to be a sign language man on the early morning “4 music” channel? Distracting and unnecessary

Having just got home today from this week's trip to London I've been trying to catch up on Forum postings and came across the above (IMHO outrageous) comment. No two Billy shows are the same whether you're talking about different Billys or different Pencil Men or different MD's for that matter. That is one of the great aspects of this amazing show that, in all my many visits over soon-to-be four years, has never ceased to sparkle, no matter who is on duty on or under the stage. Far from being distracting it is something that I look forward to when said Maestro is conducting. You can feel the whole production being lifted to a different level as the orchestra players and on-stage performers react to his promptings. As I usually sit near the front I get the same lift.
In Thursday's evening show, Tom Holland performed for the first time after his recent lay-off and was so full of waiting-to-be-used energy from the start that his Angry Dance was probably the angriest I've seen since that (in)famous day a couple of years ago when Corey left the rising hut in ruins and the stage floor needing interval maintenance. This raging dance by Tom was most certainly uplifted by the music and, watching it all from C15 - the dancing, the shouting, the riot shields being smashed down and then batoned, the red mist AND the powerful conducting - was, to put it in simple language, as magnificent a sight and sound as it gets.

Thank goodness they have lots of different ways of doing it and I love 'em all.

Pat

[dwallen]

Billy: Ollie
Michael: George
Debbie: Fleur

This was my 35th show and what a show it was. It is amazing, but true, that each show I have seen wows me like the first. My excitement at being in the Victoria Palace does not diminish at all. I was in the stalls for this performance and it was full. I presume the rest of the theatre was also.

On this occasion I took my grown up son who was keen to find out what this obsession with Billy Elliot was all about. He soon found out and loved the show. He told me after wards that he could see why I keep coming back time and time again.

Ollie was marvelous and seems to just keep getting better and better (of course, he was pretty good to start with!). His concentration and the way he stays in role throughout is great. You can really believe in him as Billy. I particularly enjoyed The Letter this afternoon, and there were many in the Theatre who needed tissues by the end. He works well with George and Fleur who I seem to be seeing almost every time I come at the moment. As a team they are fabulous and as individuals they excel.

My son particularly enjoyed Expressing and Electricity which he described as amazing particularly the smile on Ollie's face at the end.

The energy from the rest of the cast was incredible on this Saturday afternoon with Joanna at her Mrs Wilkinson best.
The whole of the stalls stood as one for the standing ovation at the end. Incidentally I was delighted today that the audience did not start the final applause until the red curtain was almost down and Michael was obscured. I think that his sadness that Billy has gone should not be interrupted by applause too soon. There is, after all plenty of time for that after wards.

I haven't seen Ann as Grandma for a long time, and although I like the alternative I would like to see her again soon. She hasn't left, has she?

The real magic of this show for me is that I am always ready for the next show as soon as the orchestra finishes playing at the end. I have a ticket for Fox's last night on March 27th and I can't wait for that (not that I want to see Fox go.)

Thanks everyone for another amazing afternoon at the VP and that is from my son, Edward, as well.

[burtond]

Incidentally I was delighted today that the audience did not start the final applause until the red curtain was almost down and Michael was obscured. I think that his sadness that Billy has gone should not be interrupted by applause too soon. There is, after all plenty of time for that after wards.

I haven't seen Ann as Grandma for a long time, and although I like the alternative I would like to see her again soon. She hasn't left, has she?

The real magic of this show for me is that I am always ready for the next show as soon as the orchestra finishes playing at the end. I have a ticket for Fox's last night on March 27th and I can't wait for that (not that I want to see Fox go.)

.

I am totally with you on the final applause. It wrecks the end scene when an appreciateive and enthusiastic audience start clapping before the full impact of Billy leaving Michael all alone in that God forsaken place has really set in. The final slow curtain is all so important too as to me, it forces the thought of loneliness even further. Thankfully, in the last three or four shows that I have seen, the audience have waited to applaud until the very end. Sweet

I would like to assure you that Ann is still a very evident Grandma and if she did not perform on Saturdday evening, it was unlucky. She was certainly very much in place on Monday and Wednesday evenings last week when I was able to go.

Like you, I am always ready for the next show as soon as the current show ends. It is magic. It is wonderful. It is addictive. I will be lucky enough to attend BETM on Monday and Tuesday this week and probably each week at some point for the forseeable future. Both me and my Daughter have tickets for Fox's last show and although we will look forward to the show, we are certainly not looking forward to all the emotions surrounding the departure of Fox. He is an awesome Billy and we wish he could go on forever.

[Marky]

On this occasion I took my grown up son who was keen to find out what this obsession with Billy Elliot was all about. He soon found out and loved the show. He told me after wards that he could see why I keep coming back time and time again.

Glad you enjoyed the show. Like yourself I also took some family members along to the matinee - My sister and 13year old nephew. My sister has always thought me a little strange that I should want to see the same show so many times over a four year period - now she understands! They both loved the show too. I think it's always a special occasion when you sit with someone you know who is seeing the show for the first time - we've all been there an know what it's like. The thing is, I've never known anyone to leave the theater not thinking that they will see it again very soon.

After the show my nephew said that he thought Ollie was amazing, then texed his best friend to say that they must get tickets! I mentioned the approaching 5th birthday show and that I had some spare tickets - "We can go! can't we Mum?"...needless to say eBay won't get to see those now. Another couple of Billy addicts!

[dwallen]

Glad that I am not alone in my belief that the curtain should fall before the applause starts.

Incidentally, could someone confirm for me the date of the 5th anniversary show? I believe it is in May but heard March mentioned some where.

[ilovefoxjacksonkeen]

Glad that I am not alone in my belief that the curtain should fall before the applause starts.

Incidentally, could someone confirm for me the date of the 5th anniversary show? I believe it is in May but heard March mentioned some where.

it is 31st March

[Clazzimay]

It is not just Fox's last night, it is also George's. Both boys will be sorely missed.