November 2015 Reviews - London

Reviews of the show
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jen
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Re: November 2015 Reviews - London

Post by jen »

Is Ollie one of the older Billy's he looks quite tall in the pictures?
It is a great show that people do come and see. Because it's not
just a show for adults, or just for children, or just for people that
like theatre, I'd say for everyone, and it's got so much emotion
behind it. Because who ever comes and sees it, feels the story -
so I think: it's brilliant!" (GM)
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Re: November 2015 Reviews - London

Post by dancingboy »

Ollie is 13 years old, the same age as Nat.
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Re: November 2015 Reviews - London

Post by Dancer »

Great photos as always, Billy Whiz, thanks for posting them :D . Excuse my ignorance but who are the two boys in the last photo?
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Re: November 2015 Reviews - London

Post by Billy Whiz »

The boy on the left is Tomi who left on Saturday night. The other is Matteo.
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jmh2014
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Re: November 2015 Reviews - London

Post by jmh2014 »

Saturday Matinee

Thomas added to his ever growing reputation by producing another scintillating performance as Billy. His acting alone is worth the admission price.

At the end of Electricity the audience erupted. He looked round the audience soaking up the applause with a beaming smile that would have lit up the darkest of places and melted the hardest of souls. He is a truly exceptional talent.

Bradley is coming into his own as Michael adding little extra touches each time, although not everything went his way this time. At the end of the winter scene, he had to contend with a very uncooperative duffle coat. Having got one arm in, it was obvious to everyone else that there was no way he could get the other arm in. The more he struggled and huffed and puffed the more the audience laughed. By this stage Thomas was laughing along with everyone else. Eventually he took the coat off and threw it down on the floor, picked everything up and walked off to a round of applause.

With Connie unleashing her usual feisty Debbie on all concerned, 3 hours of top class entertainment flew by.
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1RadBilly
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Re: November 2015 Reviews - London

Post by 1RadBilly »

As fate would have it my last night in London would be the the debut of a new Billy! Euan Garrett put on a wonderful performance for his opening night. Euan seemed confident right from the start. He did have one wardrobe malfunction when he was unable to put the blouse on during Express, couldn't seem to locate the opening for his arm. Got a little flustered but finally figured it out and delivered a great performance with Nathan. The Letter was great, lots of crying by those around me. Angry Dance was fantastic and will only get better with time. His Electricity was magnificent, great singing and dancing, and a well deserved standing ovation. Tons of talent here, these kids always amaze me. Once again you will be in good hands. The crowd absolutely loved the show tonight and responded very well to Euan's strong debut. Congratulations Euan and good luck!!
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Re: November 2015 Reviews - London

Post by dancingboy »

1RadBilly wrote:As fate would have it my last night in London would be the the debut of a new Billy! Euan Garrett put on a wonderful performance for his opening night. Euan seemed confident right from the start. He did have one wardrobe malfunction when he was unable to put the blouse on during Express, couldn't seem to locate the opening for his arm. Got a little flustered but finally figured it out and delivered a great performance with Bradley. The Letter was great, lots of crying by those around me. Angry Dance was fantastic and will only get better with time. His Electricity was magnificent, great singing and dancing, and a well deserved standing ovation. Tons of talent here, these kids always amaze me. Once again you will be in good hands. The crowd absolutely loved the show tonight and responded very well to Euan's strong debut. Congratulations Euan and good luck!!

It was Nathan as Michael, not Bradley.
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Re: November 2015 Reviews - London

Post by dancingboy »

Monday 16 November

It is always good to see the debut of a new Billy and tonight was no exception. Euan, from Scotland, is 12 years of age and has been in training since the early part of the year. There was no doubt that he left his nerves in the dressing room, for none showed during his top class performance, which was full of confidence from the very start.

He displayed plenty of facial expressions, none over the top, but just suitable for the dialogue being spoken. As far as I could tell he was nigh-on word perfect throughout. Euan seemed to be quite comfortable with all the dance numbers, being particularly strong with his tap during Angry Dance, which was quite vocal too.

Dream Ballet came and went just like a ......dream. I won't disclose anything about Euan's Electricity except to say that it was performed very well and contained a few moves I haven't seen before. Many in the audience thought it good enough to give a standing ovation and I was one of them.

To those who couldn't be there tonight, I can assure you you are in for a treat when you do see Euan perform. He is another gem.
As I said to MD, Chris Hatt, at then end of the show, ''Just where do you find these boys from ?''

There was also an impressive debut by Matthew Seadon-Young as Tony and debuts for Small Boy Jack Forino and Tall/Posh Boy Lewis Elliott.
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November 2015 Reviews - London

Post by Then I saw her face »

Saturday 14th November - Matinee

What does it take to see Billy Elliot in the VPT if you live in Germany? To be honest not too much; an early morning flight to London Heathrow and an evening flight back to Düsseldorf. Oh, your favourite air carrier has discarded the late evening flight from the schedule during the winter season. Shit, Shite. Doesn’t matter. If an additional night in London is no alternative, one can go by coach back to the continent. And that’s why I’m sitting right now here at a table on the Dover Calais ferry, pondering about this review and admitting that, uhm, I haven’t got the words. But one thing is for sure: it’s been worth it.

It seems to me that I develop a growing talent to book for the matinees on Saturdays, when there comes the time that members of the staff are going to leave the show. In June I visited the VPT for a Saturday matinee, when Elliott Hanna performed for the second last time in the evening since he had returned for a while. And now I have to read that Ollie Jochim and Tomi Fry as well as Chris Grahamson have given their last performances in the evening. Shit, Shite, no more chance to see them. Good luck to all of them.

Deka Walmsley, Chris Grahamson, Gillian Elisa and all the others have once again shown that they are true professionals, but without any fraction of routine. I am a little bite scared of Phil Snowdon if he does the splits in BTB and I’m really glad to have been part of the audience when Chris Grahamson performed for the second last time. He’s a great loss and I wish Matthew Seadon-Young all the best for his succession.

Wendy Somerville played Mrs. Wilkinson instead of Ruthy Henshall and its good to know that she is such a strong alternative with her very own interpretation of Mrs. W.

The collective scenes have been incredibly powerful either if it’s „Stars look down“, Solidarity or „Once we were kings“.

As far as I remember during the „Post“-scene, the rear part of the split parquet surroundings of the stacked kitchen/bedroom seemed to me not to slip into its final position. I’m not sure if this is perhaps for intention as it was my first time on the dress circle, but it left a gap of about a foot in size to the surface of the stage. Fortunately, the whole cast on stage managed not to stumble.

Cindy Venice definetley wouldn’t be sober on the next morning. That much beer did Thomas serve her for the joy of us onlookers. Bradley has had the enthusiastic and cheering audience on his side, when he didn’t manage to get his arms in the jacket in the Winter scene while wearing his tutu. After some desperately tries to get them in, he smashed the jacket on the ground and I think he found some words beyond the script. What a roar from the audience followed when he left the stage shaking his butt, as if he tried to wave to us onlookers with his tutu.

Thomas is a wonderful performer. He has really strong moments. It is a joy to see him when he’s tap dancing. Expressing yourself, BTB (who needs the piano flip?) and the Finale show his incredible talent. Swan lake was absolutely up to the highest standards. The Letter and its repise were absolutely heartwarming. Very confident and with a highly sensible feeling, Thomas has his unique impact on the storybook when he speeds up or slows down the story by a fraction of a second (So, can we use it Dad?). Whilst leaving the stage quite quickly after the Angry Dance, he received a very warm applause after Electricity (energetic Somersaults) and when he let the audience know with a bright smile that he did enjoy it too, he obtained the standing ovation from the full audience he deserved.

Sad to say, that I have to sue the production company for compensation because I suffer now from a severe tinnitus I caught when the RBS official in front of the safety curtain did her best - and she did - to prevent Dad from dropping his cigarette somewhere with such loud screams I never heard before and I never will hear again. ;-)

But as mentioned above, it’s been worth it and I am full of joyful anticipation for the next visit.

Then I saw her face
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Re: November 2015 Reviews - London

Post by dancingboy »

Thursday 19 November

You just know that there are some shows you have to write something about and the matinee today was one such show.

During Electricity Billy sings of having ''sparks inside of me'' and prior to the show someone put the sparks into Thomas, although it wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't Thomas himself. There was so much energy put into his performance that I doubt Thomas had sufficient left to eat his tea. This was, indeed, scintillating stuff from start to finish.

Sometimes the use of words such as brilliant and superb are overstated, but this afternoon they were definitely appropriate. In the audience there were many schoolchildren ( not unusual for a Thursday matinee) who, I am sure, were suitably impressed by Thomas and maybe were able to take away some inspiration, particularly when they learned that Thomas is only 11 years of age, for he showed wonderful acting and dialogue skills, plus excellent timing in both his acting and dancing, that belied his tender years.

It has been some time since I was riveted to my seat watching such a performance and laughing so much at the multitude of facial expressions from Thomas. There seemed to be one for every part of every scene, some where I had never seen them before. It seemed to me that we were watching Thomas, not Billy, not that this affected the Billy story.

Thomas was partnered by the irrepressible Nathan as Michael, someone who always makes me laugh with his antics. Expressing Yourself, with the two of them, was excellently played out as they fought to outdo each other with the expressions on their faces. This number, quite rightly, brought a loud and prolonged ovation from the audience. Also, Nathan's splits during the Tutu scene were as good as those performed by an Olympic gymnast, so good that it brought gasps from the audience. Connie, as usual, played the stroppy Debbie to great effect and, as a bonus, there was Craig Armstrong playing George in his own inimitable style.

A while back I described Master Hazelby as Thomas the Tank Engine, especially as he always looked to be 'punching above his weight'. Today he resembled the great Mallard, a steam locomotive built, incidentally, in Doncaster ( where Thomas comes from ), as smooth as silk, pulling everyone with him, in such style, and arriving at the final destination bang on time. On a damp, chilly day in London the VPT was certainly the place to be.

To Thomas, Nathan et al, I take my hat off to you, you were all brilliant.
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