July 2009 - UK Reviews

[Billy Whiz]

How long do you think Billy training will be?

I have no idea and there may be no guarantee that he will get to be a Billy at the end of it.

[hammy]

Like with every Billy the timing is different. It all depends when they are ready and there are no guarantees.

[bubsycm]

I hope he does get to be

[patc]

Thursday Matinee 30th July

Fox, Connor, Francesca
David Bardsley as Dad
Rhona McGregor as Dead Mum

Mesmerising it was, mesmerising.
Fox doing what he always does at the highest level but with some extra flavours. The Solidarity spin across the stage. So far as ballet is concerned, like Jackie Elliot "I wouldn't exactly be an expert" and can only enjoy what I see. Any boy scout will tell you that the friction between two pieces of wood rubbed together will produce a fire. If Fox had been wearing wooden shoes for this spin then the VPT stage would have gone up in flames. First of all the speed of it, you'd have had no chance of counting the number of revolutions that took place from the full right to the full left of stage. 50 is only a guess. Human tornado. I really don't know how he managed to get his feet turning so fast and remain so graceful with arms and head in perfect position. It was magnificent to watch and then as the music reached a crescendo he finished off the piece with some brilliant pirouettes and final pose. I have never seen Fox do this better.
In Part 2 Fox and Barnaby provided us with more ballet magic in Swan Lake and Fox's smile and Barnaby's nod of approval was the equivalent of saying, "yeah, we liked that". In a spectacular Electricity it seemed to me that Fox also threw in a few extra very quick spins especially near the end and just before the spectacular wall flip. By then the audience were already in full flow. The famous smile at the end of it is all about timing and the only one in the whole world who knows the exact timing is Fox. It's an instinct thing and when it came, as usual, it just raised the roof. It is a golden moment in Billy that is special and unique and one I will always cherish.

There was so much to admire about Fox's acting whether it be funny moments or angry/sad and those wonderful expressive eyes played a huge part in the proceedings. In the row with his Dad after Solidarity his run off the stage after the namecalling was hilarious as was his reaction to the question posed by Debbie in the Toilet scene. His plaintiff voice as he sang the Letter was enough to open my tear ducts but when he broke down and Dead Mum (A wonderful moving performance by Rhona standing in for Stephanie) came in it was heartbreaking to watch. I adore the duet between Kate and Dead Mum that leads up to the hug. It's a stroke of genius to have the Letter sung rather than just read out. Having it sung with three voices along with the incredibly beautiful, gentle and memorable piano accompaniment - well, you couldn't ask for more.
Fox threw everything into a pulsating Angry Dance and must have had to drink a river during the interval to recover. Mesmerising it was, mesmerising.

Talking of spins the ballet girl that played Tracey Atkinson certainly earned her corn with an outrageous screeching spin when her turn came and I nearly died laughing when she sat down on the floor with a plonk and smiled that smile she has on her.

Connor was a brilliant Michael skilfully combining the hilarity of Expressing and the requirements of the Winter Scene with its sudden changes of mood. His routine leading up to the Nutcracker was brilliantly panned out and timed. His final curtain scene was so sad but I have noticed he has another added touch. Just before the curtain reaches the stage floor, rather than stay motionless to the end, he turns to ride off - a filmmaker's touch.

Francesca was a really effective cheeky Debbie with her own special facial expressions, notably when Dad/Mrs. W are arguing in the snow.

There is no praise that is high enough for the current cast. The show sparkles, dances, sings and rages along so well that I cannot remember a time when the three hours is over so quickly that you wish you were going to the evening show. Mesmerising it is, mesmerising.

Pat

[troscapole]

Wow patc , that was a great review and obviously a great show, wish I had seen it, it is good to hear that fox was in top form again, it must be quite exhausting for these billy's but they always endevour to give a 100% performance.
I can't wait to see monday's and tuesday's shows!!!
Will let you know.

[pinknick103]

Great review Pat C - its been so long since Ive seen Fox - your reviews are a great reminder to me just how fab he is. I hope to see him real soon xxxx

[sunnyblue_20]

31st of July 2009 (Friday)



Cast:
Billy: Tom Holland
Michael: Connor Doyle
Debbie: Francesca Mango
Dad: David Bardsley


It was more or less a spontanious decision.
The last couple of weeks have been so stressy that I needed a break so I booked me in for a BETM and a Priscilla Show!
Booked the ticket a week before and got B9 so I was really happy and looking forward to see the show.
Since then I havent seen Connor and Francesca so I was curious how they would be.
I loved them
Now I am looking for the next show which will be in October!

Am curious who has been the small boy on that performance but sadly I dont have a clue. ( a blonde lil boy though)

[JohnH]

sunnyblue, I think the small boy was Connor.

As far as I know we only have two blond-haired small boys at the moment (Eliot & Connor) I know it wasn't Eliot.

[Billy Whiz]

Am curious who has been the small boy on that performance but sadly I dont have a clue. ( a blonde lil boy though)

Why not have a look in the gallery. We have some of the current Small Boys in there so you may be able to identify him.