February 2011 Reviews - Toronto

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angelenroute
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Re: February 2011 Reviews - Toronto

Post by angelenroute »

More reviews please! :D

I have just 2 left to do myself in my catch-up work for Charlotte. Started both, just trying to piece things together and remember, but will try to get it done this weekend. And Chris, take your time of course, but looking forward to hearing more when you can! And get Chris H. to write something too! =)

Sean
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angelenroute
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Re: February 2011 Reviews - Toronto

Post by angelenroute »

shimmyshimmy wrote:One combination not to miss is Myles/Dillon. Someone here, I think, had mentioned the two of them together was something to behold. They were so right. That dynamic pipsqueak duo is amazing.

If the publicity machine does what it should next week, I think Toronto will totally fall in love with this production if they haven't done so already. It's already probably the hottest ticket in town next to the Leafs. But the Leafs suck. And this production is awesome.
1) First off, if I never said so before or even if I did, I love your user name. =)

2) Love the phrase "dynamic pipsqueak duo" =)

3) A big YAY!!! to your last parapgraph. =)

Sean

"Good writers define reality; bad ones merely restate it." -Edward Albee
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CJ-Rochester
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Re: February 2011 Reviews - Toronto

Post by CJ-Rochester »

What an excellent review shimmyshimmy! I am still working on writing mine from last weekend's visit.
shimmyshimmy wrote:I'm not blocked by impracticalities like airline tickets and hotels.
I can't imagine how many times I would see the show if it were playing in my town.
Just like Sean, I too loved the "dynamic pipsqueak duo" reference. :lol:
-Chris
:/
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CJ-Rochester
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Re: February 2011 Reviews - Toronto

Post by CJ-Rochester »

Toronto Billython

Fri. Feb. 18 7:30 pm
Billy - Myles,
Michael - Dillon,
Tall Boy - Jack

Sat. Feb. 19 7:30 pm
Billy - Cesar,
Michael - Dillon,
Tall Boy - Jack

Sun. Feb. 20 1:30 pm
Billy - J.P.,
Michael - Jack,
Tall Boy - Dillon

TtheatreguyLD and I saw three of the four shows on a cold February weekend. Sorry for the long review, but I wanted to cover all three in one. I have to get these finished before my next trip. :)

Opening-
I feel there is something magical for Billy veterans when each performance begins. The characters enter one by one as the emotion of the song builds. That is what the normal audience sees. What I experience in addition is like a reunion of old friends who I haven't seen in a long time.

Breakfast-
There are several changes to the show from the Chicago production, including some reversals back to previous ways. In the first of these Dad no longer breaks and cooks a real egg. The egg is already in the pan, and Dad just jiggles it a bit. Unfortunately they don't have any smoke coming from the pan as they do in NY.

When the miners barge in someone grabs a pile of bread and throws individual slices to the others. I don't recall if they did that in Chicago, but I like it better than throwing the whole bag like in NY.

Also Billy doesn't drink the milk from the bottle. Mum catches him just as he starts to pick it up.

Boxing-
I liked Jim Ortlieb's portrayal of George better than in Chicago. He is one of several characters who I think have grown nicely into their roles. There is a line change when he lines up Michael to box with Billy: "In this alternate universe you are Muhammad Ali, and you are Cassius Clay." I don't really get why they did this, but it gets a few laughs.

Small boy's "w*nker" line is back. :) I always preferred this to fat ba*tard or loser.

Dillon is the most playful and irreverent Michael I have ever seen! He makes his presence known in unique ways in every scene he appears. Even the way he rides his bike on stage in the opening number is special. As George is yelling at Billy, Dillon stands behind him mouthing his words. He really swings the gloves hard at George. He lands the final swing at the crotch much closer to the target than I have seen before.

Shine-
Margot flippin' Fonteyn is back too!

Solidarity-
Much has already been written about eliminating the f-bombs from the show. I believe some experimenting was done, both in Chicago and on tour, but it seemed to me to flow nicely. They use "filthy" and "flippin" quite a lot in this song. The only place I really miss it is when Tony says "Dad that policeman just hit me". Patrick Mulvey as Tony plays this like he is simply confused about why he was hit. I much prefer the passion and rage of any of the Tonys on Broadway in this scene. Couldn't they have at least said "that bloody policeman...?"

Myles, Cesar and J.P. all do great jobs in this number, from the early "Miss I don't know what to do" to the later more polished pirouettes. Each time I saw this number it was exhilarating.

As is often the case, we found the audiences were fairly dead during the first part of the show, and this number woke them up.

Dad's scene after the number is one place where I like this version better than Broadway. Armand Schultz has really evolved nicely in the role. His diction is impeccable. He stays more controlled and deliberate in his anger, as opposed to Greg Jbara turning beet red and looking like he is about to explode. Each handles the scene differently. Greg's anger is very visual. Armand's is more precise and direct. He delivers the Rudolf Nureyev line perfectly, and the audience roared each time. I love the reaction from the younger ballet girls when Dad says "I don't give a s**t about Fred Walmsley". Each of them does something different to show their shock at Dad's profanity.

Express-
Dillon has total control of the stage during this scene. He sure knows how to swing a purse! :) Never have I heard so much laughter from the audience as the Saturday performance with Dillon and Cesar.

Less has been written about Jack Broderick, who we saw on Sunday. He too is an excellent Michael. Jack has a nice high pitched singing voice. He has a style all his own, that reminds me of a cross between Jake Schwencke and Neil McCaffrey of Broadway. After the number I could hear people all around me saying "he's awesome"!

In the scene with Dad and Tony they use a real crowbar. This is another nice touch, as the crowbar makes a proper clang when it hits the floor. The prop used on Broadway hardly makes any sound, and flies too far across the stage to be realistic.

Letter-
Anne Tolpegin as Mum has an amazing sweet voice. I think Kate shows more emotion on her face than before as she is reading Billy's letter.

B2B-
In another reversal for the show, Kate brought her rope skipping with her from Broadway. The specifics of the number seem to be tailored to each Mrs. W, just as Mr. Braithwaite's moves are different between Will Mann and Thommie Retter. The rope skipping worked perfectly in each of the three performances we saw. Each Billy did a piano flip at the end. This was nice to see, after a lot of flipless shows last year.

In the bathroom scene, Debbie now says "me dad was bonking this woman at work", not shagging.

Angry Dance is always awesome. All three Billys did great.

Maggie Thatcher-
I must give a shout out to Gabriel Varga-Watt as Small Boy. He does a great job thoughout the show but the audiences seemed to especially notice and react to him during this song.

Winter scene-
Michael wears red shorts and says red when trying on the tutu. Last year in NY the Michaels kept alternating between red and burgundy. Hopefully this is now settled.

Each performance of Dream Ballet was breathtaking. It's nice to see that such a beautiful number can be done outside of NY with nothing diminished.

He could shine-
In the roll call scene the supervisor says "all right scabs". Adding the word scab helps emphasize what Dad had to become to support his son. Tall boy still spits at Tony when the crowd breaks up but it is not nearly as pronounced. At the stage door after one of the shows Dillon told us they were instructed to tone down the spitting, as the floor was sometimes getting too wet (eww).

Royal Ballet-
This scene is exactly like it was in Chicago. When Billy hits posh boy it looks a bit more real than in NY.

Electricity-
Wow! Each one of these boys does something different to impress. They all work a no hands flip into their routines, but each one is different. Myles does an aerial right at the start, before you even know what hit you. Cesar has some amazing kicks and spins, doing things I had never seen a Billy do before. J.P. has nicely polished ballet moves and a sweet singing voice.

In the soup kitchen scene, when Leslie tells Billy she is keeping her fingers crossed, Michael stands behind her and thrusts his hips at her in kind of a vulgar way. I think Dillon originated this, as he got more laughs at the shows we saw. Jack has adopted it as well, but his motions are not as noticeable. He may just need some more time to make this his own.

I like changes they made in the lines between George and Big Davey at the end of the scene:
Big Davey: "I thought you said he was a genius."
George: "If he's a genius, I'm Rudolf Near Enough.”
Big Davey: “That’s Nureyev!”
George: “That’s near enough for me."
:lol:

Per my earlier review, there was no company celebration on Friday due to a late start. We were happy to see it both Saturday and Sunday. It was well worth the wait! One change I noticed is when the curtain comes up and the cast comes out for their first company bow. Kate and Armand enter from opposite sides, meet in the middle, and do a quick hug. I have never noticed this before, unless I missed something. To me this makes a nice touch in unifying the characters.

All three Billys are excellent in their own ways:

Myles is the youngest and definitely the smallest Billy I have ever seen. He certainly doesn't act like it, ie: this tiny boy fills the stage with his presence. His Billy has this fierce look of determination, ala Jamie Bell.

Cesar is the senior Billy of the group and many people's favorite. I can easily see why, although I don't want to rank them. He really kicked the heck out of the bedroom walls in Angry Dance. In the winter scene he wacked Barbie with the beer can. Hail Cesar!

J.P. has a great overall singing voice and diction. Some have called him a "happy Billy". Many Billys smile in Dream Ballet, but J.P. is the only one I know of that smiles during Electricity.

I wish we had a chance to see Marcus this visit, but it was not to be. I guess I will have to go back again. :)
:/
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porschesrule
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Re: February 2011 Reviews - Toronto

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CJ-Rochester wrote:In the scene with Dad and Tony they use a real crowbar. This is another nice touch, as the crowbar makes a proper clang when it hits the floor. The prop used on Broadway hardly makes any sound, and flies too far across the stage to be realistic.
Maybe in NY they're worried about it hitting some hapless old ladies in the front row should it slip out of someone's hands :lol:

Seriously though Chris, your usual well written and perceptive review. Like shimmyshimmy, I too love to read the comparisons between productions of the show. The Toronto reviews, from forum members and the professional critics alike, seem pretty much in synch that the show is a superb production and hopefully will have a long life in T dot.
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