February 2015 Reviews

Reviews of the show
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porschesrule
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Re: February, 2015 Reviews

Post by porschesrule »

Here's a review of the show, starring Matteo Zecca as Billy, from a blogger:

https://besidethebyline.wordpress.com/tag/billy-elliot/
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patc
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Re: February, 2015 Reviews

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kport wrote:Nice review, patc! Your Rugby References may go over the heads of many of us still recovering from the Super Bowl, but your Try may well score a Conversion for us!
LOL, thanks. That was some lineout on stage, though. The first team squad were all available and no subs were required except "Strong Arm" Craig for "Big Davey".

Pat
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Re: February, 2015 Reviews

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Wednesday 11th Feb and Thursday Matinee 12th Feb

All together now, sing;

“Oh where, oh where did the tranny go?
Oh where, oh where can it be?
Someone forgot to do their job
And upset wor Zach and Ollie”


Well, not really. Nothing fazes these two classy pros and they just got on with it. You can gather from this that the Winter Scene tranny went AWOL at the matinee so Swan Lake burst upon us with none of the usual soft intro music.

Just a short review this week as time is at a premium. Wednesday evening we had the pleasure of seeing Brodie complete just his 25th show (see Tracking thread) and, as he took an animated audience on Billy’s fraught but ultimately successful journey to the RBS, it was as plain as Jimmy Durante’s legendary nose that the company with its latest acquisition has struck enriched uranium here in terms of acting singing and dancing plus the most extraordinary implementation of aerodynamic acrobatics where required. It has to be, of course, an optical illusion but every bit of gravity-defying operation appears to be in slow-mo such is its smoothness and quality.

Thursday Matinee it was Ollie who had the task of animating an audience that, even before the show started, sounded like it had just come from an audience with whoever won the Oscar for Miserable Git of the year. Needless to say, he rose to the occasion magnificently and by half time the auditorium was buzzing. Ollie has so many wonderful individual touches that you’d need to see him onstage every day for a month or so to spot them all but still never be sure that you had because he’ll just go and invent a few more. Just one tiny instance to whet your appetites is the manner in which he tells Mrs W, “It’s a letter”.

Mr. Sunshine himself, aka Zach, has only to set foot on stage to lift the spirits of even the spiritless and we were blessed to have his presence in both shows.

In a nutshell, both shows were exalted examples of the outstanding entertainment currently available at the VPT. I’m quite pleased not to know in advance on any given day who is going to be on until the Board is sighted, happy in the knowledge that total theatrical fulfilment will always be abundantly supplied. This week, thanks go to Brodie/Ollie and Co for doing just that – with and without the tranny.

Pat
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Billy Whiz
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Re: February, 2015 Reviews

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Thank you for the review of the two shows, Pat.

I too was at the Thursday matinee show and I had the "pleasure" of my first experience of the "Happy Clapper". Somebody should get hold of them and tie their hands behind their back :twisted:
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Bridget40
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Re: February, 2015 Reviews

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patc wrote:Wednesday 11th Feb and Thursday Matinee 12th Feb

All together now, sing;

“Oh where, oh where did the tranny go?
Oh where, oh where can it be?
Someone forgot to do their job
And upset wor Zach and Ollie”
When I first read this I was wondering what you were talking about Pat? :lol: :lol: I had to cast my mind right back to my childhood to remember my Mum calling our radio cassette player a "Trannie."

When I was watching the show I thought Zach had just forgotten to pick it up and bring it to the centre of the stage as per usual. I could not see if it was by the biscuit tin or not because of the angle I was viewing from. Either way, Ollie handled it very well, and if you had not seen the show before, you would not have noticed that anything had gone wrong.
patc wrote: I’m quite pleased not to know in advance on any given day who is going to be on until the Board is sighted, happy in the knowledge that total theatrical fulfilment will always be abundantly supplied.
I do usually agree with this, and I also think that what makes the show so watchable on repeat viewings is how different Billy's can change the whole feel of the show, and yet it still be fantastic. We were in the queue at the box office and we overheard a lady asking if the Billy that is on the DVD would be performing today? I was then chatting to the girl in the box office and she was telling us that since the release of Billy live, they get asked that question quite a bit, to the point that people will call and ask before the show. I think that is a shame.....

I have to admit though, that I was really hoping to see Matteo's name up on the cast board on Thursday. I'm going to take a break from the show, and had really wanted to see him perform because I love his Billy, and have seen so little of him. I had noticed from the tracking thread that he had not been on for a bit, and had hoped that we would get lucky, and he would finally be doing a Thursday matinee. (Has he ever done one?)
Billy Whiz wrote:I too was at the Thursday matinee show and I had the "pleasure" of my first experience of the "Happy Clapper". Somebody should get hold of them and tie their hands behind their back
:lol: :lol: What really gets me is people that go to a show and proceed to....... talk, squeeze drinks bottles or just generally stuff their fat faces in a piggish, noisy way through the entire show. We were stuck behind such a couple that did just that on Thursday. I am usually very laid back, but these two were so bad that I had to have a word in their ear. I wasn't the only one to do so either..

It was another fantastic show though. I have written before about how much I love Ollie's version of Billy, and nothing has changed. For me, he gets the different range of emotions that Billy goes through absolutely spot on. I even like angry dance when Ollie does it. :D (Even with his mic flying around his head) I also think that his dancing gets better and better the longer that he is in the role. Well done Ollie!

Demi was, as usual.... very, very good. She never fails to get a chuckle out of me, as does Caspar with his posh.... "Don't be so silly" line. The new ballad girls all look as if they have settled in very well also! Zach.... A+ as is the norm.

The adult cast were also in top form.... Ruthie seemed to be on the verge of a sore throat/cold, but battled on anyway. Superb as always. I hope she stays with the show when her contract is up......
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Re: February, 2015 Reviews

Post by Barry Appleby »

Cheers Bridget, Pat and Billy Whizz for your reviews and remarks, you'll feel better Bridget for getting that off your chest about the audience, luckily I was there also, another great performance from Ollie, I just thought how well Zach and Ollie for their age, just covered up for the missing Trannie!!!
I've also thought at times, the matinee audience's take half the show to wake up, I have worked backstage many times and that feeling gets to the stage hands also and it's not easy for any cast but they are so professional they always succeed at the Victoria Palace.
All the regulars soon know if the happy clapper is in, so next time I'm down I'll bring some sprats, because I just wonder if the happy clapper might be a seal.
Yes it's good for the company not publicising which Billy is on until the doors are open, protecting the production and the kids is so important, whoever you get always! gives the audience 100%. I do agree Matteo is a bit elusive, late July when I last saw him, but that's the way it goes, what's your bets he'll be on the Thursday's when I'm under the thumb and not there.
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Re: February, 2015 Reviews

Post by BILLYFAN »

I agree with Bridget 40 about food dueing the show
The last time I went to the show on January 24th mat. I was in seat B15 and a young couple were in seats B16 and B17, they never stopped eating and drinking all through the show, they even went out in the interview to fetch more food and drink!
The mess they left behind, under the seats and around, was a disgrace!
However Matteo, Tomi and Connie ,gave a great performance Matteo playing Billy in his own brilliant way.
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Re: February, 2015 Reviews

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Saturday 14 February

Bradley and Ollie were given the opportunity to showcase their talents.

It was a surprise to see Bradley’s name on the board for what would be his third show of the week. Those lucky enough to see this were treated to another Bradley masterclass. His street Electricity must be up there with the best that have been performed.

From his limited chance to shine on national TV, Tomi showed what he can do given the correct setting. His comic gestures and expressions during Expressing had, what was a muted audience, in absolute uproar. He would achieve the same fest during the Winter scene with his unique ballet.

Solidarity is, possibly, one of the underrated numbers of the show. There is so much going on that, only after multiple viewing, do you really appreciate the sheer complexity of the routine. Coupled with this are the ballet girls. Only when you focus on them do you realise how much they add to the show.

All of the major players and ensemble produced two top class shows. Some new faces, but if you didn’t know you would think they’d been there for years.

Ollie took over for the evening. He has such a natural and unique way delivering his lines. Little pauses and emphasis on words which add so much more meaning. He also captures every emotion perfectly.

He is at his best during Angry Dance.

His explanation of the letter has already been mentioned but it’s the final scene with Michael that he has made his own. I didn’t think that scene could be any more poignant, but Ollie has made it so. His reward was a well deserved standing ovation from the packed theatre.
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patc
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Re: February, 2015 Reviews

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Saturday 14th February

Thank you for your review jmh2014. I’m so glad you were there as well all day to see it happen :D .

This was a St. Valentine’s Day massacre with a difference. It was an all out attack on the senses and the emotions of innocent theatregoers but even those doyens of ineptitude down Dorset way, Hardy and Miller, would have easily apprehended the perpetrators without the need for 8 episodes. The guilty party was plainly the cast of BETM and two of their “notorious ringleaders”, Bradley Perret and Ollie Jochim.

It was a cleverly planned caper designed to fill the onlookers with a false sense of security and then strike with a series of sledgehammers. To cap it all they picked a day when the premises was jam-packed solid with willing victims who fell for it hook, line and sinker. It could well have been the “crime of the century”.

There were early clues everywhere. Down in the boxing gym where Bradley and Ollie with their sparring partners, Tomi and Zach, set the plan in motion with some cute comedy diversions followed by Grandma Gillian reminiscing bygone days with some regrets and two scenarios where Ruthie (not at all in the manner of “Ma” Barker) and her highly professional gang of colourfully dressed and delightful dancing girls softened us up for when the “hit” would come……..and, by glory, did it come. Deka, “The Boss”, roared in, all guns blazing and laid down the law to all and sundry. You'd have thought that the older gangsta brother, Chris, would have provided some support but, no, the "Boss's" other son stood by his Dad. It would be an understatement to say that everyone was shivering in their boots.

It could have all ended there and then but Bradley and Ollie are made of much sterner stuff than most of us and fought back, angrily at first but subsequently did some softening up (of the “Boss”) themselves until reparation was done for the “crime”. In between, all sorts of wonderful characters drifted in and out.

This special extra trip over for Valentines was worth every cent. I was glad I booked early, though, because both shows had virtually full houses. Both shows also had two Big Daveys with Craig Armstrong doing the early bit with the clipboard and Alan Mehdizadeh taking over for the eating of the concoction from the pan and continuing on as usual.

The Swan Lake music has definitely changed.

With all the blandness and falseness of much of today’s world of entertainment this is the one show that never fails. Bland and false has no appeal for me. I like to have my emotions tweaked in all directions. I like to be drawn into the very innards of a story and be spewed out at the other end having encountered numerous varieties of worthwhile and believable characters. But, in this show the unbelievable needs to be found in order to perform the believable. On this Valentine’s Day there were unbelievable top drawer performances by Bradley/Ollie/Zach/Tomi/Demi/Connie and the superbly marshalled Ballet Girls allied with an adult cast that will most likely never be bettered plus music that gets even better as the years roll by.

I have little doubt that if Bugs Moran, Capone, Dillinger and their likes or even Billy The Kid had been exposed to and softened up by this show their lives and those of their victims would have been so different.

Pat
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PS

Referring back to Bridget’s review above (thank you also for that) in answer to
he (Matteo) would finally be doing a Thursday matinee. (Has he ever done one?)
Yes he did at least 5 or 6 but not in recent months when I have been there anyway. You are not alone in not seeing him perform too often. Despite many visits I have not seen him for just under three months and others not since July.

PPS

As for the tranny/trannie, it started when this new gadget called a transistor radio came on the scene in the late 50’s and 60’s which, if you had one, it was “cool” to call it a tranny/trannie. I can hear Posh Dad asking, "I say, Old Boy, have you got a tranny yet?" Now you could actually carry your radio around with you. I got one for my 21st and it lasted for nearly 30 years.
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Re: February 2015 Reviews

Post by jmh2014 »

Thanks Pat. It was a memorable day.

First time I've seen Ollie in six weeks and his improvement is remarkable.

Not yet convinced about Deka's celebration as he leaps out of the chair at the end of Electricity. A bit OTT perhaps?
patc wrote: Referring back to Bridget’s review above (thank you also for that) in answer to
he (Matteo) would finally be doing a Thursday matinee. (Has he ever done one?)
Yes he did at least 5 or 6 but not in recent months when I have been there anyway. You are not alone in not seeing him perform too often. Despite many visits I have not seen him for just under three months and others not since July.
Matteo is the only Billy I've not seen. Fingers crossed for the end of the month.
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