Wednesday, May 30th – Gala Performance
Billy – Harris
Michael – Reece
Debbie – Macy (the board was changed at the last minute from Dayna)
Small Boy – Sonny
Tall Boy – Jude
Grandma – Gillian
The rest of the cast were as the programme.
After press announcements earlier in the week that Elton John would not be attending it was great to see that he had recovered sufficiently to actually attend. I think a lot of people in the theatre wondered what was going on when he entered the theatre as they had no idea it was a gala performance. They just struck lucky on the night they decided to come. Either that or they now think that Elton John turns up for every show
The show kicked off with Stephen Daldry coming on stage and making an announcement about the reasons for the Gala Performance. They were celebrating the recent 7th birthday, the upcoming 3,000th show, the Queen’s Jubilee and the soon-to-happen Olympic Games. Member of the Olympic team were present as well as previous Gold Medal Olympians.
Stephen then introduced onto the stage original Billys George Maguire, Liam Mower and Leon Cooke. Unfortunately James Lomas is appearing in Starlight Express and it was their opening night so he could not make it.
After the introductions it was down to the show.
This is my second time seeing Harris and in the few weeks since the first time he has come on leaps and bounds. He was excellent the first time but on Wednesday he was brilliant. How a relative newcomer of his age can go on that stage and perform like he did is beyond me. He would not be human if he was not nervous before he went on stage but there were no signs of it at all. I’m not going to go through every little bit of the performance as you all know it anyway – and, unlike some people with photographic memories, I cannot remember every little detail.
Reece is an old hand now but what a great little performer he is. Reece and Harris look very comfortable working together and you could see that they were really enjoying themselves.
I love Macy’s portrayal of Debbie. She strops around the stage and her timing is perfect.
I have been critical of Gillian Bevan in the past but her portrayal of Ms W is really growing on me. As for Deka as Dad. He has been terrific from day one in my book. He is so believable as a tough, rough, working class man but he shows his soft side when necessary. I lovet he part when Billy rushes off after Electricity and Deka looks at the audience and then says “He’s mine, my son”.
Michael Peavoy is an excellent actor and Tony. Personally I just wish he would reduce the decibels in the shouting – which sadly that is what Tony does for most of the show. Of course I am saying this as a layman for he may well have been instructed to do it that way. I managed a few words with Michael at the stage door on Thursday evening and what a pleasant young man he is. He also kindly posed for a photo which will appear later.
Ann Emery has been off for a couple of weeks now but she has a wonderful deputy in Gillian Elisa. I really, really love her as Grandma. I like the whistle she does when trying to get the attention of Dad and Tony in the letter scene. I was told last night that Ann will hopefully be back next week.
I must mention Simon Ray Harvey who plays Mr Braithwaite. He is brilliant. He is a fantastic dancer and his comedy in Born to Boogie is spot on. When he came out of the stage door I did not recognise him at first without his wig. Another friendly young man – and photo to follow later.
This was the first time seeing this group of Ballet Girls and it looks like the company have struck gold again. They have only been in the show a matter of weeks and already they look like veterans. The girls and their parents can feel very proud of themselves. It was also the first time seeing Jude as Tall Boy and again another excellent find by the casting crew. Sonny as Small Boy is great. He has such a cheeky face and his timing in the boxing scene is perfect.
I want to mention Spencer Cartwright who has one of the best lines in the show. In Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher when Dad starts to sing Deep Into the Ground Spencer starts to sing along with him. One of the cast nudges him to stop and Spencer says “Don’t touch me”. It’s only 3 words but the delivery is perfect and it makes me laugh every time.
And so to the “after show” bit. Sophie and I noticed that when Billy appeared for the scene when he gets the letter he didn’t have jeans on. I don’t mean he was walking round in his underwear but he had tracksuit bottoms on instead. We quickly surmised that this was so that he can dance after the chairlift – and we were right
After the chairlift the curtain came down and there was quite a pause. Then the curtain lifted and out of the mist walked the five existing Billys who performed an exhilarating blend of dance and acrobatics. It was a fitting finale to a wonderful evening but then the 3 Michaels came on stage and booted the Billys off
They then did their “bit” which was a take on Express. Then the 5 Billy came back on stage and they all did a dance together before the rest of the cast joined them on stage.
I apologise if I have got things in the wrong order or even if I have fabricated events as things were happening so quickly it was difficult to take it all in. I thought the curtain would then come down and that would be it but no. The Billys pointed to the side of the stage and on walked Lee Hall, Elton john along with Small Boy. Lee Hall and Elton John both gave wonderful and very emotional speeches. They were both close to tears during them. Then Elton called for Stephen Daldry to come on stage and he referred to him as a genius. I don’t think there was one person in the theatre who would disagree with that statement. As the curtain was about to come down Ryan went over and took Elton John’s hand and pulled him back a little or else the curtain would have come down right on his head
Cheers could then be heard from behind the curtain. Cheers which were well deserved for a wonderful night from a wonderful cast. Well done everybody.
