May 2011 Reviews - Toronto

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Finale
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May 2011 Reviews - Toronto

Post by Finale »

Here is the review thread for May.
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booth088
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Re: May 2011 Reviews - Toronto

Post by booth088 »

When I went to Cesar's last show on the 1st I noticed that they had "scrubbed" out some of the language. Particularly all the f-bombs. Any idea why this was exactly? I think it makes it less authentic. Because in the same context I feel like that in County Durham saying "fuckers" rather than "boogers" for example would be more likely. And after all that is the way it was written in the first place. Anyone have any thoughts?
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Re: May 2011 Reviews - Toronto

Post by ERinVA »

The language has been changed in both this production and the US touring one in order to make the show more "family friendly," as there were quite a few complaints about the language in Chicago, and they apparently felt that they needed to tone it down in order to sell tickets. When Lee Hall was asked about this at the Sneak Peek in Charlotte, he did not seem upset about having to change the language, as, having lived in Durham, NC for a year or so before he wrote the script for the film, he said he understood that Americans' sensibilities about coarse language are a bit different from those in the UK. Even with the language having been modified, there are still plenty of blog reviewers who have complained about the language in the touring production and on Broadway as well.
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booth088
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Re: May 2011 Reviews - Toronto

Post by booth088 »

ERinVA wrote:The language has been changed in both this production and the US touring one in order to make the show more "family friendly," as there were quite a few complaints about the language in Chicago, and they apparently felt that they needed to tone it down in order to sell tickets. When Lee Hall was asked about this at the Sneak Peek in Charlotte, he did not seem upset about having to change the language, as, having lived in Durham, NC for a year or so before he wrote the script for the film, he said he understood that Americans' sensibilities about coarse language are a bit different from those in the UK. Even with the language having been modified, there are still plenty of blog reviewers who have complained about the language in the touring production and on Broadway as well.
Rather interesting. It's unfortunate that we need to rewrite things for those reason. I'm glad the Broadway version used most of the original text. (In a lot of senses in theatre, I have been called a "purist") Although, as I understand a lot of that was changed from the original West End script because Americans wouldn't understand all that was being said. Which is true for the touring productions as well.
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Re: May 2011 Reviews - Toronto

Post by cws8998 »

A REUNION...SO TO SPEAK..!

I must say, that was precisely the feeling I experienced upon committing myself to the flight from Northern Indiana to Toronto this past weekend for four shows at the Canon Theater. Although I did see two performances during a recent visit to London over a month ago, I admit that being away from "Billy Elliot the Musical," for any extended period of time, creates an uncontrollable yearning in my soul to fully reconnect with the story line and its wonderful music [bah hum bug to those who criticize Elton John's score]. Of course, the premise of BETM never ceases to vicariously affect me by giving me cause to reach back into my own childhood as a young aspiring artist [singer-actor], who, as we experience with Billy, fought for ways to overcome the negative family influence and peer pressure...and all the destructive innuendos of ridicule which accompany them in one's search to define oneself.

To me, that is the message and magic which is forever inherent in this musical.

Forgive me for momentarily gloating, if I may, in my delight in saying that this is my sixth different venue and third country in which I've seen this grand musical. Perhaps, there are others who can profess the same, but I truly feel as though I've scanned the water front in terms of my experience in viewing the show. By the way, the Canon is a wonderful venue. They've closed off 400, or so, upper level seats which are unobserved by a partition, thus providing a more intimate capacity of around 1800. By all observations, there were close to, if not complete sell outs for all four shows I saw.

Watching Marcus Pei, Myles Erlick, and JP Viernes, along with their stellar cast members, suggests I've come full circle in seeing what I like to refer to as the "Chicago Ensemble." The theatrical weekend, in total and despite the cool rainy weather throughout, was a "thrill and a half," and that's about all one can say about it. I was able to share conversation with the Billies and with the cast principles, all of whom I had met when they were headlining at the Oriental. So, temporarily, I was able to satisfy my "Billy fix," and now await another foray down the line as I make plans to return to NYC for a full weekend of shows at the Imperial.

Anyway, I hope you will forgive me if I avoid as much as possible the usual, if not, never ending list of superlatives for which we all seem to search in describing the performances of the Billies [and cast], we see at any particular time. Suffice it to say, I've been fortunate to have watched this amazing trio of Billies literally transition from their very introductions and debuts at the Chicago Oriental, to the extraordinary and charismatic professionals they represented on the Canon stage this past weekend. In the process, my observations may come across as a bit convoluted, and I ask forgiveness for that as well.

But, trust me, and say what you may, these young men do advance by leaps and bounds [if nothing else than through profound acting nuances alone], from what one might observe as a bravura initial performance, to how they interpret or present the role months down the road. As a life long athletic coach myself, it does remind me of watching young aspiring athletes advancing from raw recruits of some frail vulnerability, to increased levels of being highly competitive athletes and stars.

As I observed Marcus, Myles, and JP this past weekend, something else struck my fancy. I had an occasion once again to recently watch our beloved 2000 award winning film [in fact, I encourage all who have seen the stage show even many times, to view the film once again...and again?]. Because, knowing both the dialogue and the the music by heart now [as I also suspect most of you do, too], I was amazed by how much of that dialogue appeared almost verbatim in the film, and this, despite the fact, it was sometimes not easily to discern given the severe Geordie dialect in the movie. I hope I'm not naive in mentioning this, or wondering if others may have come to the same realization of the strong narrative similarities. So much of the stage dialogue seems right on in terms of duplication.

As well in point, I know how much we all truly admire and love our specific or favorite Billies and Michaels. After closely observing Jamie Bell's depiction once again, I came to more fully realize how much our Billies are the off spring of all the extensive and difficult processes which led to the discovering and training of Jamie Bell.
Creg Breman and Jon Finn, the producers of the film, both have suggested that not only were they astonished by how the film came down as successfully as it did, but that they also admit they damn near came very close to never making the film in the first place, given the difficult task of finding the right kid to play Billy. Given Bell's exceptionalism, I wonder if any of us fully appreciate the classical acting performance he gave us as that standard, and which has translated to the phenomenal youngsters painstakingly selected to perform Billy on stage. Amazing, also, that Steven Daldry was most interested in casting a youngster who actually had no previous professional acting schooling. Goodness, that's hard to imagine!
Frankly, in not in my own lifetime, can I recall a child's raw and initial performance to be as magnificently nuanced or executed to such acting animation and perfection as Jamie gave us...and which is continued on stage by so many of the beautifully trained and disciplined Billies we love so well. Given the film and Jamie's interpretation, I have come more hypersensitive in assessing the presentations of every Billy I see in our beloved musical.

When I observed Marcus, Myles and JP, I can't help but measure the success of their performances, not simply by their dancing ability or how they present our favorite signature numbers, but I do so more by their ability in speaking directly to the audience and to me in very personal ways. Just as Jamie Bell does if you observe his expressions and animations closely, I want to be elevated to another emotional level through their individual interpretations...through their desire to project and connect with the audience as expressed by the commitment to draw us into their lives through the emotions they know we're experiencing with them at any particular moment.

Not that I have any right to say this, but I am immensely proud of Marcus Pei, Myles Erlick, and JP Viernes, and the absolute grace and elegance they represent. Indeed, I guess what I was trying to say in the proceeding paragraph or two, was that their performances spiritually lifted me out of my seat both in exhilaration and through a sense of spiritual revival. Given all the leads I've seen in this show over three or four years, that says a helluva lot about the individual magic these three lads delivered at the Canon Theater this past weekend.

Ugh...now I have to return to reality until I seek a reawaking once again. I extend regards to all, Colin
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Re: May 2011 Reviews - Toronto

Post by gpcolo »

cws8998 wrote:I hope I'm not naive in mentioning this, or wondering if others may have come to the same realization of the strong narrative similarities. So much of the stage dialogue seems right on in terms of duplication.
Others have, me included. I saw the film only after I had seen the musical three times so that many of the lines were familiar.

Thanks for your nice and well thought out thoughts on the Billy's. I saw them five times in Chicago and agree with everything you said. I might add how much I enjoyed Armand Schultz too. When I last saw him in October he had grown so much in the role. I loved his performance.
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Re: May 2011 Reviews - Toronto

Post by porschesrule »

Thank you, Colin, for your thoughts. I think they're spot on especially with regard to how the Billys grow within the role. This, of course, is a tribute not only to their hard work, but to the creative staffs of the productions who work behind the scenes with them day after day.

I've read so many comments from people seeing a Billy for the first time or early in his Billy journey who are awed by the raw talent -- especially in the area of dance. I characterize it as a journey, because it is, indeed, one. For those who are fortunate to see the show again and again, their comments mirror yours -- that what impresses them about a more seasoned Billy is how nuanced his performance has become -- yes, in dance, but more frequently they zero in on the areas of acting and singing. The many hours of behind the scenes hard work are so evident from their descriptions.

While your observations are not unique, they do represent a rare glimpse of how the Chicago/Toronto cast has evolved, because you've had the relatively rare vantage point of someone who saw the show in its early days in Chicago and have had the good fortune of recently seeing it again after about their 100th show in Toronto (as of the date of this post, the Toronto cast has done 120 performances).

So thanks again. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your commentary.
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