Billy Elliot the Forum

A nice long detailed review liberavieve!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

I have to agree with the others. A great review liberavieve.

Welcome to the forum. I hope you like it here.

porschesrule wrote: In a word: WOW!!

Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a marvelous analysis. Not only is it well written, but it brings the performance alive for the reader and gives one the sense of actually being at the theater.

Welcome to the forum as an active participant. I, for one, hope this isn't the last post you'll make (and definitely hope it isn't your last review).

Porchesrule pretty much stole every word from my mouth! Hahaha. What a MARRRRVELOUS first review! Absolutely loved reading every bit of it. Can't wait until you go see the show again - so I can read another one of your reviews!

Love reading about the London Billys, as I live much too far away to get to see them perform. Thanks for sharing your experience so that I may live vicariously through your wonderful writing.

x
M-D

Excellent review and very enjoyable reading ! Glad you got to see Fox before he left. I would echo your sentiments about being amazed at how fast he was able to propel himself through the air during his flips and spins in "Electricity." I remember cringing several times when I saw him - thinking he wasn't going to finish his flip in time before hitting the floor - but miraculously he always landed on his feet. Made me wish I could see him again before he goes !

I do enjoy reading all your reviews, especially the long ones.
Perhaps I should get my thoughts from first seeing the show in order and post them way back in the december thread... I'll try and do that in the near future I think.

Someone recently referred to one of the long review as a Thesis. I am not sure they were being complimentary.
I love reading the reviews long and short. Am just as content reading a few lines as well as getting dug in. They're all wonderful.
Keep em all coming.

Thank you, everybody, for your kind words. :] I'm glad that the review brought a little bit of the show to you, and I know that you'll all believe me when I say that I hope to have another to share sometime in the not-so-distant future. After all, there are still so many Billys to see!

Thursday matinee 25th February

Fox, Connor K, Francesca
Mrs W: Caroline
Big Davey: Phil
Older Billy: Sergio

1500 souls got a 3 hour trial period in Heaven today. Archangel Fox returned to duty at the matinee after a considerable period of much-missed absence therefrom and left nobody in doubt of his legendary status. This was a performance of such mindblowing quality that, for the first time in my experience, the "ordinary" members of the audience beat the Forum members to it for the standing ovation at the end. They were on their feet first and that is saying something. BTW, I feel certain that Fox threw in a few new moves and shakes during the Finale but can't be specific.

The other young angels, namely Connor and Francesca, strutted the stage like seasoned pros. Connor's version of Michael has to be seen (and heard) to be believed. I wouldn't even attempt to spoil it for anyone who has yet to see him but I can tell you that you will be falling out of your seats watching this. You will also be bawling your eyes out at the end. Francesca showed for the umpteenth time that she has that special star quality and stage presence that reaches out and grabs an audience with an ease that belies her age.

The Ballet Girls, as always, left their mark on a really appreciative audience. They do a fantastic job show after show but I truly believe that you have to see Billy more than a few times before you get to fully realise just how good they are. There must be hundreds of hours spent rehearsing all those moves in Shine let alone all their other scenes in the show. There is so much going on at the same time that you couldn't possibly see it all in one viewing. I think it is time that a kind of "we are Billy" extended video of the girls behind the scenes was put up on the website.

At the end of the day, though, it is the performance of Billy that makes the show and, in this regard, Fox proved that he is absolutely at the top of his game. As I watched this heavenly entertainment, every now and then (like during Swan Lake) a tinge of sadness struck my heart with the thought that there is so little time left before he leaves. There was one consolation, at least. As my Ryanair 737 lifted off at Gatwick this evening and broke out of the clouds I'm sure I saw Fox's million dollar smile reflected therein and you couldn't have a better send-off from London than that.

Pat

Great review Pat (as usual).
Devastated that I was not there especially as Fox was on top form.

Pat,

As always, a simply heavenly review. It is just another example of what forum members have been saying for years -- BETM is a religious experience