Reviews September 2014

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DenP
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Re: Reviews September 2014

Post by DenP »

The Norwegian show is surprisingly different but very entertaining. It must have been very difficult to make a different version of an almost perfect original show, but in my opinion they succeeded in creating a success.

Kevin just loves to dance. During Dreamballet he was all smiles and visibly enjoyed himself.

Here a few photos I made this evening.

Image

Image
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thm
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Re: Reviews September 2014

Post by thm »

Wow you could see his face?! I had a good seat on the balkony - stunning overall view. Did you recognise whether it was Thomas who played Michael?

Btw. there's an article on scenekvelder.no just about the trust of licensgivers and the fact they did the first non-replica production of the musical. I will translate it tomorrow.
Edit:Done. It's in the publicity thread.

How did you like the Vegas-"Girls" ;) in Express?
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DenP
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Re: Reviews September 2014

Post by DenP »

I was in Row 6 and yes, it was Thomas playing Michael. The Vegas 'girls' is something I really liked.

BTW Kevin really sings well!
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thm
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Re: Reviews September 2014

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Thu Sept 18th Opening Night

Right before the theatre's entrance a fountain was decorated with 3 (living) balletgirls, posing for fotographers. Inside the foyer a group of balletgirls were repeatedly doing a little choreography then a few steps up before the main staircase some boys with tutus - I suppose small and tallboys were showing ballet positions and invited boys to join in.

Billy was played by Kevin and as far as I can tell Debbie, Michael, Small and Tallboy the same as yesterday - well Michael - I'm pretty shure was played as scheduled by Thomas Kvamme Urnes.(which DenP just confirmed)

In my yesterday's review I was not shure about Tony - but yes he's in the first kitchen scene - feet on the table conversating with Dad.Just the fact that he's dressed differently (red cargoule) longer hair - fooled my memory. Also was the radio grandma tried to switch on defect. No " ..these few man.." that bit they saved for later(Merry xmas Maggie...)

I can also solve the mystery about the third boy in the team-table they published on facebook as well as the riddle about how there possibly can be 7 boys in the boxing scene:
1 Kevin
2 Michael
3 Tallboy
4 Smallboy
5 Extra Boy in the team table
And I already wondered about 2 rather tall tallboys:
6 and 7 two adults dressed as kids :lol:

Tallboy before departing "can have" 3 words: go to hell.
A funny element when Michal strikes Billy down he kneels over him fondles his face and hair desperatly whispering "sorry, sorry...". The same does Billy when George incidently strikes Michael down. And when Michael hit George's crotch Michael does the same with George :lol:

Express : Although the many dresses cover especially Kevin (who is in comparision to Michael rather tiny) - so that their footwork is not very easy to watch, I was astounded what a brilliant tap dancer Kevin is. The audience startet clapping with the music and finally went wild - rousing applause at the end of the tap routine. Btw. Michael not only put dresses on Billy he planted false boobs under the dress (the finishing touch).

Shine : A detail I espyed his time: One ballet girl sneezes into her hand and wipes it off on the clothes of another. :shock:

Beginning of Solidarity: The police are goose-step marching onto the scene (not standing in a row) finding grandma's chair (left over from previous scene - grandma's song) examinate it and take it piece by piece off stage. On the reverse side of the backrest it reads "Føkk Maggie!"(whatever that means :lol: - google translate denies the correct translation) one policeman holds it up like a placard unaware of the writing... :lol:

DenP wrote: BTW Kevin really sings well!
Yes.Absolute.I agree. He's got a clear and above all astonishingly powerful voice.

Dreamballet as yesterday - fantastic - rousing applause for ages.
The same with Electricity!

Red roses and a never ending applause at the end. Standing - of course!

I look forward to see tomorrow's show from front stalls. 8-)
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DenP
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Re: Reviews September 2014

Post by DenP »

If anyone is interested: my official review (in English) can be found here, including some photos of yesterday evening: http://www.musicalnieuws.nl/album/cat/370
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ERinVA
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Re: Reviews September 2014

Post by ERinVA »

Here's a review from Aftenposten:

http://www.aftenposten.no/kultur/anmeld ... 12816.html

Google Translation:

Musical

Billy Elliot

By Lee Hall and Elton John (music)

Directed by: Linn Olsen

Choreography: Tomas Adrian Shine

Musical Director: Atle Halstensen

Set design: Maria Ducasse

With Kevin Haugan, Nils Ole Oftebro, Hilde Lyrån, Jan Martin Johnsen, Janny Hoff Brekke and large ensemble

Manufacturer: Scene Evenings

Rank: 5

Playing in the Fall of Bastion

Politics and ballet are both background and mainly when a miner's son follows his impossible dream, and gain of prejudice, class differences and economic challenges. Time and place are North of England in the 80s, where the son followed the father into "the pit" for generations. Working in coal mines means food on the table.

The solidarity between the workers was strong as iron lady Margaret Thatcher wanted to privatize the mines. Under the leadership of the equally intransigent union leader Arthur Scargill, the strike for an entire year. She crushed the English fagforeningsveldet, miners lost their jobs. In the midst of this hard-hitting battle, sealed the 11-year-old Billy Elliot's fate when he by chance falls into a ballet class instead of the box hours he is forced by his father. For how to survive in a mining community without being able to fight?

Credible Billy
Kevin Haugan has the demanding role of Billy, and his innate charm, quick reply and excellent diction carries him through with great credibility. This production is the first non-blueprint original (West End in 2005, based on the film from 2000).

Tomas Adrian Shine 'choreography is wise in the sense that Haugan is not presented as a perfect dancer, but as a child at the beginning of what will be a great career. Gloss and Haugan lets us see a gradual development, and also how hard and many years of work needed before talent turned into art. Idol generation has something to learn here.

Great role Gallery
Nils Ole Oftebro portrays the first puzzled his father with both rage and soreness, tired in body and voice. He has a warm, even on the bistreste. Dance Teacher (Hilde Lyrån) - chains increasing, illusions, foul-mouthed and busted - see the boy's talent and will fight for his dream. Her own thing of the past.

Mrs Wilkinson (Hilde Lyrån)'s ballet teacher who sees Billy Elliot (Kevin Haugan) talent and helps him out of the first judgmental, and then helpful mining community.
Mrs Wilkinson (Hilde Lyrån)'s ballet teacher who sees Billy Elliot (Kevin Haugan) talent and helps him out of the first judgmental, and then helpful mining community.
PHOTO: John Andresen
Lyrån have full control of Mrs Wilkinson's hard personality, and when her protective shield cracks and softens the meeting with Billy, grab it. The scene where the two reads the letter from Billy's dead mother, is a moving highlight and contrast the relationship between the teacher and her own dance centric ubegavede daughter. Needed comedy ensures Jan Martin Johnsen grand for that yet another in the series of full ball a wooden petit ears, and Janny Hoff Brekke as senile grandmother.
Among the many talented child actors at the premiere excellent Thomas Kvamme Urnes and Nora Bratfos themselves, both in physical terms and timing. Ballet Children's irresistible festive, and a sparkling drag cabaret numbers reveals how gray and grimy mining society.

The ensemble comes very well from many different tasks, and sounds right unpolished in the mining context.

Musical
Past musicals in Folketeatret has been criticized for using the box music. Here it is finally focused on live music - all honor to musicians, sound designer, and Atle Halstensen events. Elton John's music is not revolutionary, but illustrates the time and place, situations and moods. Working Songs and hymns alternate with jazz rock, show dance, boogie and svanesjø, while the effective stage design changes instantly between mining buildings, kitchen, box an hour and audition at the Royal Ballet.

Linn Olsen direction is also effective, but the script could have been tightened, and more focused - there are many stages and being far end. Even if it was like that in London: When everyone has tutu in the finals, it takes some of the sting out of the play.
Ellen



"I don't want people who want to dance; I want people who have to dance.”
-George Balanchine 1904 -1983


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ERinVA
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Re: Reviews September 2014

Post by ERinVA »

DenP wrote:If anyone is interested: my official review (in English) can be found here, including some photos of yesterday evening: http://www.musicalnieuws.nl/album/cat/370
Thanks for the link to your review. :D
Ellen



"I don't want people who want to dance; I want people who have to dance.”
-George Balanchine 1904 -1983


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thm
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Re: Reviews September 2014

Post by thm »

Thanks for the review DenP. Great photos!
Btw. for those reading the artikel/review: At the final scene Michael refers to Billy as 'Dancing Queen'.
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Re: Reviews September 2014

Post by CJ-Rochester »

Here is a great review on a blog, along with some excellent photos.

http://josteingranly.no/?p=1289

The English translation per Google is:
Billy Elliot at The People's Theatre was an absolutely wonderful experience . I sat and smiled , laughed, cried and cheered throughout the performance. I have seen many performances both in Norway and abroad, but I actually think this is the finest theater experience I 've had. The cinematography , the actors , the music and everything was so coherent and beautiful . The dancing of 12 -year-old Kevin Haugan was fantastic. Stepping , Jazz , Ballet . He had a fantastic presence in everything he did throughout the show , no matter how many others there were around him . Also , I think Hilde Lyrån , Nils Ole Oftebro , Benjamin Hestadfjorden and everyone else was absolutely brilliant . Thank Scene Evenings and all the actors for a very lovely evening. Recommend everyone and see this feast of a musical !
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thm
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Re: Reviews September 2014

Post by thm »

Friday September 19th
Billy: Kevin
Michael: Sebastian
Debbie: Has the gift of the gab, cocky - better not argue or answer back - you'd loose! Absolut clear diction and I think the Norwegian Language with it's clear and non-run-words-together pronounciation adds much to the strength and sharpness of dialogs when anger or fighting spirit is to be expressed. Where was I - yes, Debbie - exemplarily portrayed by an excellent young actrice - Anyone who knows who was on tonight ???

Kevin, it's been his 3rd subsequent show so far and no sign of lassitude - on the contrary - seeing his face and smile and confidence, energy and easiness - it is obvious that he enjoyes the whole thing even more with every new evening. And Electricity - was it just me sitting in the front stalls - or is he getting even more energetic, full of verve ?
Maybe it also has to do with the bare hands. Quite at the start of the dance'n'acro sequence of Electricity he stops by Dad, who assists him putting on the boxing gloves (sorry, but I don't like this. It is distracting and breaks the flow and tempo of this sequence) when he continued - oops - Dad still held the gloves - Kevin glid right out of them leaving Dad, who, with a baffled expression, waved the gloves. Kevin continued without them. And wow, the poses with outstretched arms AND hands just look way better. I feel the gloves dont't do Billy and the hallmark number of the show a favour.

Sebastian as Michael who premiered in the role today, was also fantastic and no doubt had a lot of fun himself interpreting this very camp and swishy version of Michael. His lanky appearance adds even more of a comical aspect to the role. His acting somehow reminded me much of the film-Michael.

Solidarity: Just because we couldn't think of a more adequate or better choreography for solidarity doesn't mean there is none: here is one:
For every bit of the London Solidarity choreography that I miss, there is a bit in the Oslo version that I shure will miss in London. Absolute equally choreographed - which one one likes more, can only be called 'subjective'.
The same for the Finale.
Tonight premiered another ballet team including Michael, Small- and Tall- and extra boy. Red roses at the curtain call.
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