March 2010 Reviews - London

[Meagan312]

Great review Burtond.

Nice to hear Fox giving it his all until he can't give it anymore, as you said a true professional.

[andrewcraig]

saturday matinee 27 march

Jetlagged after 22 hours in the air and 5 hours stopover and cold, I was delighted to see Dean Charles Chapman name as Billy, when I arrived for the matinee. His is a different Billy. So emphatic and precise in his [singing] delivery he adds a new dimension to the role.I was totally impressed with his presence on stage and it is hard to believe he is just in his first two months in the role.

I had not seen Joanna Riding before and I think she plays Mrs W perfectly.Younger and slimmer than others I have seen, she looks like she was a dancer and qualified to teach. I was also impressed with Craig Gallivan as Tony, an excellent performer who bought a huge range of acting skills to the part, not just volume as is in New York.

The Michael I did not write his name down was also good. Perhaps the only disappointment for me was Mr Elliot David Bardsley, he did not seem equipped for the part and that was disappointing.

Compared to my recent shows in New York, I thought the current Expressing in New York much better than London but the Royal Ballet interview in London hilarious.

I still am bemused as to why they have a drop curtain falling to the floor for the first scene, it seems so amateurish. Someone has to go and rescue small boy and it looks like a local high school play.

[andrewcraig]

sat night 27 march 3 final nights Fox, George and small boy.

Show started late and the resident director came on stage to make a speech, speaking about each boy in turn. I was surprised that Stephen Daldry did not attend but of course he is probably busy in Chicago.

In the previous 12 months I have seen 5 out of the 6 last nights in Melbourne. This one did not seem to have the same involvement and excitement that others had last year. Fox was professional someone mentioned, but there definitely no tears manufactured or real.It seemed a fun night for both Fox and George, not an emotional one.

I have seen videos of other final nights when Billys dad made a presentation and/or called Billy for a final bow.There was none of this , it all seemed so casual.

I was greatly pleased to see both boys and thought they will be hard to replace.I just wonder why Fox's last night after 201 performances went so quietly. No I am not forgetting the noisemaker that went off in the final seconds.

[chocchipcookie26]

sat night 27 march 3 final nights Fox, George and small boy.

Show started late and the resident director came on stage to make a speech, speaking about each boy in turn. I was surprised that Stephen Daldry did not attend but of course he is probably busy in Chicago.

In the previous 12 months I have seen 5 out of the 6 last nights in Melbourne. This one did not seem to have the same involvement and excitement that others had last year. Fox was professional someone mentioned, but there definitely no tears manufactured or real.It seemed a fun night for both Fox and George, not an emotional one.

I have seen videos of other final nights when Billys dad made a presentation and/or called Billy for a final bow.There was none of this , it all seemed so casual.

I was greatly pleased to see both boys and thought they will be hard to replace.I just wonder why Fox's last night after 201 performances went so quietly. No I am not forgetting the noisemaker that went off in the final seconds.

Are you saying it is unprofessional to have no tears? I think Fox did so well to keep it together, he was fantastic and managing not to cry, like Trent, shows how professional he is. It was a fun night for them, but i'm sure it was also emotional.. and what do you mean by saying it went so quietly?


Interesting comment about David Bardsley.. i really like him...why do you not think he 'well equipped' to play dad?
x

[BILLYFAN]

Saturday 27th March 2.30 mat.
Billy-Dean
Michael-Connor
Debbie-Emily
show started 2.31 finished 2.36
Several forum members at the show and very nice to speck to several of them
Every now and again you go to the show and it is extra good and this afternoons show was certainly extra good
Dean and Connor where excellant
When the small boy (I don't know his name, but has curly hair) climbed up on the stage someone behind me said
"look, we have a gatecrusher!" the small boy played his parts very well The boxing scene was very good and Connor can certainly "pack a punch" as George found out
Shine and solidarity where very good and the ballet girls pushed Billy around quite a lot
Grandma was played very well as was the letter scene, plenty of hankies out
expressing yourself;- this is the 2nd time i've seen Conner play Michael and he is better then ever, he made the audience
laugh so much at one point that the laughter drowned out his (and Billy's ) lines
Angry dance was excellant and very angry indeed
panto mime:- Last time I saw Billy, in January, the bunter was reduced and no "victem" I'm glad to say it is all back to normal Sunderland supporters was mentioned but no supporters in audience so George said good, B15 seat was the victem
this afternoon
Dean does the ballet version of electricity (my favourate) and he was better than ever,at least as good as liam mower was
In the final when the cast come back onto the stage, one of the ballet girls gave Conner a big push which sent him "flying", but he got up smiling as usual
A very good show
The sign outside V.P. tells everyone the Billy is the best musical of the decade, but the one outside Wicked say's the same bet the tourists are confused!
24 wonderful shows George?or James? 1 Liam 3 Leon 1 Travis 1 Layton 2 Corey 2 Oliver ! Josh 1 Hogan 2 Tanner 3 Brad 1 Tom 1 Ollie 3 Dean 2

[Thomas]

Are you saying it is unprofessional to have no tears? I think Fox did so well to keep it together, he was fantastic and managing not to cry, like Trent, shows how professional he is. It was a fun night for them, but i'm sure it was also emotional.. and what do you mean by saying it went so quietly?

I don't think it was a critique in Fox's behaviour more, that Andrew was surprised about it.

And I would agree, that it went quietly. Not even another curtain call, than in the usual shows. But that is something I am often complaining about. I have not experience with final shows of BETM, but I have attended a concert when the musical director of the opera of Frankfurt left. There were a couple of speeches and he got some presents also from the orchestra etc. With more than 200 shows and a large fan base, Fox is definitely a milestone for BETM. I would have expected something more. The best thing that happened was Francesca hugging Fox and the long standing ovation after Electricity.

Regards - Thomas

[burtond]

sat night 27 march 3 final nights Fox, George and small boy.

Show started late and the resident director came on stage to make a speech, speaking about each boy in turn. I was surprised that Stephen Daldry did not attend but of course he is probably busy in Chicago.

In the previous 12 months I have seen 5 out of the 6 last nights in Melbourne. This one did not seem to have the same involvement and excitement that others had last year. Fox was professional someone mentioned, but there definitely no tears manufactured or real.It seemed a fun night for both Fox and George, not an emotional one.

I have seen videos of other final nights when Billys dad made a presentation and/or called Billy for a final bow.There was none of this , it all seemed so casual.

I was greatly pleased to see both boys and thought they will be hard to replace.I just wonder why Fox's last night after 201 performances went so quietly. No I am not forgetting the noisemaker that went off in the final seconds.

Are you saying it is unprofessional to have no tears? I think Fox did so well to keep it together, he was fantastic and managing not to cry, like Trent, shows how professional he is. It was a fun night for them, but i'm sure it was also emotional.. and what do you mean by saying it went so quietly?


Interesting comment about David Bardsley.. i really like him...why do you not think he 'well equipped' to play dad?
x

[burtond]

Quote andrewcraig
In the previous 12 months I have seen 5 out of the 6 last nights in Melbourne. This one did not seem to have the same involvement and excitement that others had last year. Fox was professional someone mentioned, but there definitely no tears manufactured or real.It seemed a fun night for both Fox and George, not an emotional one.

I have seen videos of other final nights when Billys dad made a presentation and/or called Billy for a final bow.There was none of this , it all seemed so casual.

I was greatly pleased to see both boys and thought they will be hard to replace.I just wonder why Fox's last night after 201 performances went so quietly. No I am not forgetting the noisemaker that went off in the final seconds.

Quote chocchipcookie

Are you saying it is unprofessional to have no tears? I think Fox did so well to keep it together, he was fantastic and managing not to cry, like Trent, shows how professional he is. It was a fun night for them, but i'm sure it was also emotional.. and what do you mean by saying it went so quietly?

Interesting comment about David Bardsley.. i really like him...why do you not think he 'well equipped' to play dad?

RESPONSE burtond

Can’t understand where you are coming from on this andrewcraig. There was nothing quiet about this nights performance – never heard so much applause, shouts of glee, whoo’s and whistles the show was absolutely fabulous and the audience (from what I could see) were at one with it.

I also don’t think that tears are a pre-requisite for a Finale – OK some cast may not be as competent at controlling their emotions and may shed a tear or too but the fact that Fox got on with it simply demonstrated how strong a Billy he was. I for one am actually thankful that the tears were absent as it ensured that I retained my composure and didn’t embarrass myself both in front of my own Daughter and the first times sat all around me.

As for David Bardsley – I personally think he is a number one Dad, although I like Joe Caffrey a lot, including the consistent shouting of lines, I think David brings a whole new perspective to the character which includes a more sensitive element. Certainly, I am in disagreement with the comment that he didn’t seem to be equipped for the part – what do you mean?

[Muppet]

Of course, as we would expect, there were one or two embellishments saved specifically for last nights and this performance was no exception. The two significant gestures that I captured (there may have been more) were in Expressing Yourself when at the very end as Fox and George move to the back of the stage. Fox embraced George with a friendly hug which was perfectly in keeping with the scene. The second one was between Debbie and Billy in the scene when he has informed the Ballet Girls and Mrs W that he has been accepted at the Royal Ballet School. Again, Debbie was permitted to embrace Billy with a hug – absolutely delightful.

Nice

[Hesychius]

I have to admit that I was a bit disenchanted with Fox's last night, so I can see what andrewcraig is referring to. I also pictured it differently.
To be clear, I do not mean the performance itself. This was absolutely delightful, energetic and a pure joy to watch. George and Fox and the whole cast did a really memorable show. It was a celebration, not a memorial ceremony.
I also do not want to say that I need to see tears or overwhelming emotions at such occasions. As Burtond pointed out, there were some special and emotional moments. I, by the way, had the impression that at the beginning of the finale, Fox did not smile as brightly as usual; perhaps a slight hint that he was struggling with his emotions...
What I really missed was a warm and cordial speech at the end of the show, or at least more than one curtain call, as Thomas mentioned before, something unusual. I would have loved to see Fox and George being sent of to a great future with one or two encouraging words.
Well, the audience had to take care of that with their long standing ovations and signs of appreciation. Finally, I have to say that I am really glad I was there!