July 2010 - Reviews - London

[*Lottie*]

But the bin thing? i'm sure that was Dean it happened to in the evening not Ollie in the matinee?

No i'm sure it was Ollie ?
You might be thinking of Dean going to the bin but not using it because he dropped the letter?

Hmmm i have it written on my phone in my evening memo and i wrote it straight after the show so.....
& i have definitely put about the rbs letter thing seperate so i know it's not the same thing

ok i've changed it.

[caaz]

sorry
just read the evening review love it so much
don't think i have anything to add as you've literally covered every aspect.
All i say is i love how each Billy, Michael & Debbie brings a completley different portrayal to the role as it made both shows so unbeleivably different and certain scenes stood out in one and others in the other. The different portrayals keep the shows, fresh, new and exciting

[Deanfan5]

Matinee 24th.
Another worthy performance from Rhys.
As I reviewed Rhys extensively on Tuesday I do not wish to repeat myself but want to save my comments for Joe. Joe Massey has been seriously under reviewed on this Forum and I want in a small way to redress the balance. Joe manages to bring together the ultimate conundrum in Michael. How does this macho scamp (note how he cycles on and those hefty whacks on George's gloves and body) end up with the desire to dress up? Maybe it does run in the family but somehow Joe manages to make comprehensible the incomprehensible. Joe's line delivery is exact and full of meaning. His wardrobe is chaotic and certainly today he fought with those shoes and the tutu. The wiggles were back with him big time and lend another aspect to the playful and emotional chaos that is Michael when played by Joe. He has a great sense of comedic timing and Joe also conveys so much by using to maximum impact his very expressive face. The quizzical expressions are so true to Michael. If he keeps this up I can see a great future for Joe in the performing arts after BETM.
Talking of conundrums, 2 occured to me as the show progressed. They are more to do with the plausability of the script.
Firstly:If Billy has no money (he spent it on boxing) how did he manage to buy Gran a pasty from the Coop?
Secondly: If Michael is so into lipstick for Billy why does he not use it? if my memory serves me right he does in the film.
Now there is pedantry for you.

[athadj]

Wow Deanfan5, that was fast! I'll try to write some sort of review later 'cos now I have to catch the evening show and -hopefully - Dean.

Firstly:If Billy has no money (he spent it on boxing) how did he manage to buy Gran a pasty from the Coop?

Haha and I thought I was the only one thinking about this...

[athadj]

I have a confession to make. Since I don't get to watch the show as much as other forum members, every time I manage to come to London and see it I am so mesmerized by the main caracter's performance that from beggining to end I can't really take my eyes off Billy whoever that is. That means that I cannot really review the show so much as it is mostly the performances of Billy that I have noticed and I am not sure weather that belongs here or in the seperate actor's thread.

So after watching both shows yesterday (Rhys and Dean) my general comments are first of all that they both were brilliant shows with all the caracters bringing out their best. This time I enjoyed Gennevieve's performances even more and as everyone else has mentioned, she has warmed up to Billy quite a lot. I still believe that B2B is far more difficult than it should be for no reason as the skipping and tapping is too much and both boys had, quite understandably, trouble with it. I mean I can just imagine these young boys having all this talent and ability, doing these sommersaults, flying in the air etc and their moment being -temporarily - ruined by that skipping rope. Must be frustrating.

Great audience especially in the evening show were they clapped and cheered when Billy got accepted at the RBS. Great moment. Also, they applauded Dean at the middle of Electricity after finishing the first dance part and started singing again, which I have never seen before but he was THAT good!

On another note, I believe that Rhys must really like the biscuits from the tin as he eats 2 of them while Dean must really NOT like them (or is on a diet -lol) as he cuts just one and eats half of it. Don't know if it has been mentioned before but I just noticed it.

Well, these are my thoughts for yesterday's shows, sorry it's not really a review but I will write more at each boys seperate thread.

[ERinVA]

Thanks for the review, Athina. It is perfectly okay to write a short one, and yours was very enjoyable to read.

[patc]

Well, that was the (Billy) week that was. An extraordinary and exciting week with so many incredibly talented young people from all over the UK showing off their performing skills.

The week got off to a great start with the Youth Gala on Sunday. The eloquent reviews here tell the full story (almost) because you had to be actually there to really appreciate what this was all about. I would just like to add that it was one of THE great nights at the VPT and I would love to have personally shaken the hand of every cast member that performed. Likewise, all the wonderful and dedicated people involved in the training of these youth groups. Big and all an effort that's required I hope they do it again sometime over the next few years.

I stayed over for Monday’s show. It is very unfair to compare Sunday’s young casts with Monday’s but during the three hours it was patently obvious just how extra good you have to be to be in the professional version. At the interval I remember thinking it was Stephen Daldry who mentioned “needles in haystacks” yet, somehow, he and his crew had managed to find the incredibly talented trio I was seeing in action this very night. At this stage Ollie is at the very top of his game. Even though I’ve seen and marvelled at it all before I still find it hard to believe you can be that good at that age. Joe is even younger still and only there a few short months but it is quite something to watch how he skilfully and subtly balances the “happy-go-lucky” nature of Michael with his other darker, sad side. What a feeling it must be to be onstage all alone as the final curtain falls ever so slowly and the music rises. Strange that almost always a very few audience members turn around in their seats to look at the departing Billy. Everyone else’s eyes are firmly fixed on Michael and Joe’s expression and eyes told a whole story in those last moments that is very moving. Thank goodness for the darkened auditorium that follows.

On Tuesday it was home for a few hours but it was back to the UK again on Wednesday to see the Billy Youth show at the beautifully constructed and very comfortable Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent. After what I’d seen on Sunday at the VPT Gala I think I could have been forgiven for thinking that, well, maybe, these Stoke guys and gals had not been in the Gala line-up for good reason. Well, shiver me timbers, how wrong can you get to be. This was an absolutely stunning production played to full houses for seven shows and no wonder. Billy was played by another Aaron (Bryan) who, apparently, had been in the Billy School for two years but became too homesick to continue. What a great shame. This was a superb performance that, IMHO, bettered all the others at the Sunday Gala hands down. Jack Moor in the role of Michael was equally impressive. Olivia Birkin as Mrs. W was amazing and could easily walk onto the VPT stage. I have seen BETM in London, Broadway and, now, Stoke and I enjoyed the Stoke production every bit as much. It was that good. It was an extra pleasure to meet and congratulate many of the group at the stage door afterwards and see what level-headed and well-mannered youngsters they are. I wish them all every success in their careers. They deserve only the best.

The week wouldn’t be the same without Thursday matinee so it was back down to London next day where Ollie again and this time with Jake and Francesca set the crowded house alight followed by another stunner from Dean Charles, Connor and Emily in the evening. I have never seen a more powerful and magnificent Electricity from Dean.

The final Billy entertainment of the week came on Friday evening courtesy of Aaron, Jake and Francesca. Like Dean the evening before, Aaron’s Electricity was just mind-blowing and I could have watched it all night. I always find Electricity to be an especially emotional occasion and, at the end when the applause rings all around, the hairs on the back of the neck bristle. But, then, for me, the whole BETM experience is an emotional one full of smiles, laughter and tears. The day it stops being like that for me will be the day I’ll call it a day. Hopefully, that day will never come.

There is so much more I’d love to say about all these shows and performers but this review really has already gone on far too long and some of it, probably, in the wrong place. But it was a unique Billy week that most likely can never be repeated so, at least, there is some record for the historians and evidence of the influence the show has everywhere.

What this great show and its dedicated team has done for the youth of the country is incalculable and it deserves to run forever.

Pat

PS The only downer was missing out on Rhys. What a coup that would have been

[Thomas]

On Friday and Saturday evening I had the chance to see Billy again. Since my last time I had seen Billy a new master has started in the title role: Aaron Watson. Lucky how I am I was able to see him on Friday!

Since Aaron is relatively new on the Billy stage, I did not expect a performance as perfect as from the "older" Billys - it is quite normal that the children develop over time. But I was proven wrong (actually that had also happened to me with Rhys)! Aaron is a fantastic actor and dancer! It was great to see him perform. Loved every minute of it and will be happy to see him again!

On Saturday evening I was surprised by Dean. He is a good example of someone who has matured over time. The last time I had seen him, he was already doing much better than when I saw him the first time (of course he was already good when he started!). But this time he was just perfect. To me his singing is the best of all, his dancing was wonderful - rewarded with some intermediate applause during Electricity and a standing ovation for Electricity - but what I really would like to point out was his acting. It was one of the best performance I have seen from a Billy in respect to acting. Dean outacted some of the adult cast! He was outstanding!

Another positive suprise on both days was Jake as Michael. As I pointed out in other posts, the most important part of the role of Michael to me is the winter scene, when he reveals his feelings to Billy. I think this is very hard to play for a young boy as he cannot fall back on any experiences, therefore the funny part of the scene is often emphasized. But Jake was very good at it in the interaction with Aaron and Dean; I was really moved! Also very good interaction during Express. Great performances on both shows!

I really like Francesca as Debby. She was terrific on both evenings!

Most of the adult cast was very good, as always. Craig Gallivan is definitely my favourite! Unfortunately I was not able to warm up to the new actress of Mrs. Wilkinson.

Concerning the major change of Born to Boogie: it was worse, than I expected! Terrible combination of rope skipping and dancing; Mrs. Wilkinson looks silly with boxing gloves. The dancing has nothing to do with Boogie. To me the actors looked awkward in this scene; it has totally lost its flow.

To sum it up: two memorable shows despite some little flaws.

Cheers - Thomas

[burtond]

Loved the review THomas. Sorry I missed you at the weekend. See you soon hopefully.

[BILLYFAN]

Saturday mat. 24th July

Billy==Rhys
Michael==Joe
Debbie==Fleur

As there is already a review of Sat,show, I will give only a short review
Once in a while a show is extra good and one of these shows was last Sat.mat.!
3 "firsts" for me- 1st time seeing Rhys 1st time seeing Joe and I don't know her name, but the lady who played Mrs Wilkinson, was the 1st time I've seen her
Rhys is certainly a "smiling" Billy,and played the part very well,
The changes seem to have settled in well, but i'm disapointed with what has been taken out , in the boxing scene, when Billy say's to George about being bullied at school etc, this is a shame this has been taken out as boys like Billy (& Michael )
do get bullied, also in the panto NO Victem, being in seat B15 I was prepareing myself to be the Victem!
The Letter scene was very emotional, a lot of hankies out!
Expressing yourself both Rhys and Joe were very good (I would like to see Rhys and Connor together, i recon they would made a good team)
Electricity was excellant! epecailly as Rhys did the ballet version
Overall a very good show
I did notice a lot of empty seats only 5 people in row A and in the front 6-7 rows only 2/3rds full on both sides
The next time i will be seeing the show is 25th Sept.mat. seat B15 again

26 wonderful shows GEORGE OR JAMES 1 LIAM 3 LEON 1 TRAVIS 1 LAYTON 2 COREY 2 OLIVER 1 JOSH 1 HOGAN 2 TANNER 3 BRAD 1 TOM 1 OLLIE 3 DEAN 3 RHYS 1