http://www.thetelegram.com/living/enter ... dance.htmlJack Thistle, young ‘Billy Elliot’ star just wants to dance
He’s the real deal
Atlantic Light Theatre, St. John's NF, CA, 2, 3 & 4, 2017
Re: Atlantic Light Theatre, St. John's NF, CA, 2, 3 & 4, 2017
Re: Atlantic Light Theatre, St. John's NF, CA, 2, 3 & 4, 2017
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundl ... -1.3962928A young boy named Billy Elliot will be entertaining audiences in St. John's this weekend, with his tale of the power of art to overcome adversity.
Atlantic Light Theatre's version of Billy Elliot, the musical based on the 2000 film, opens Thursday night and runs until Sunday.
-
andrewcraig
- Tony
- Posts: 709
- Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 8:33 pm
- Location: Melbourne Australia
Re: Atlantic Light Theatre, St. John's NF, CA, 2, 3 & 4, 2017
That link does not head to the story in question.
Re: Atlantic Light Theatre, St. John's NF, CA, 2, 3 & 4, 2017
kport wrote:That link does not head to the story in question. Pressreader aggregates stories specifically requested through an individual's alerts.
-
andrewcraig
- Tony
- Posts: 709
- Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 8:33 pm
- Location: Melbourne Australia
Re: Atlantic Light Theatre, St. John's NF, CA, 2, 3 & 4, 2017
Do not understand the press reader but here is the non pic article
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I arrived at the Arts and Culture Centre on Thursday in a sour mood. The cold weather, an unpleasant Metrobus ride and a bad belly made me extra hopeful that Atlantic Light Theatre’s production of “Billy Elliot” would put me in a good mood.
Musicals are supposed to make you want to get up and sing, right?
Allow me to set the scene: United Kingdom, 1984.
Margaret Thatcher is ruling with an iron fist and the U.K. miners are about to strike. For mineworkers like Billy’s dad and brother, these are uncertain times.
We meet our main character, Billy, played by 13-year-old Jack Thistle, early in the show and are soon treated to a musical number.
An impressive voice exploding from this small, young man — you could colour me impressed.
That feeling would soon fade however, as we change scenes and emerge at the boxing club. This is where the profanity starts, still clearly audible in thick British accents.
Don’t get me wrong — I love a good emphatic device, but man oh man, the abundance of obscenities was not necessary to the storyline. This is a criticism many have had for this particular show.
After a failed boxing match, Billy finds himself in the middle of a ballet class, with no idea what he’s doing.
Told to “join in or bugger off” by the teacher, he opts to stay, eventually showing off his proficient ballet skills.
As more characters become aware of Billy’s new interest, the bigotry begins.
Yes, the homophobic terms used were “sadly commonplace” in the 80s, as another showgoer told me, but that doesn’t make them any easier to hear in 2017.
At this point, I tried to pay less attention to the script, opting to focus on the dance numbers and set design.
An intricate set that was clearly well planned by its designers, the stage became a number of settings throughout the show: a house, a boxing club, a ballet studio, a mining building, and more.
The dancers were fantastic, with wonderful costumes to accentuate their killer moves. The choreographed scenes were also well done, considering the size of the cast.
As the show continued, tensions grew due to issues with striking workers and their goals, as well as tensions in the Elliot family as Billy begins to take ballet more seriously than he had ever imagined.
A number of themes are explored, such as family values, community support, self-exploration, freedom of expression, and more.
“Billy Elliot” is a pretty typical story of a good kid overcoming obstacles to pursue a dream, but not so typical that you’re yawning in your chair.
The musical numbers will keep your eyes glued to the stage.
If you’re a fan of musicals, check this out.
But heed this: leave the kids at home, if they don’t have a general understanding of oppressed minorities and the vocabulary of a sailor.
You don’t want ’em repeating lines from this show on the playground. You have been warned. Atlantic Light Theatre’s production of “Billy Elliot” continues at the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre until Sunday, Feb. 5.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I arrived at the Arts and Culture Centre on Thursday in a sour mood. The cold weather, an unpleasant Metrobus ride and a bad belly made me extra hopeful that Atlantic Light Theatre’s production of “Billy Elliot” would put me in a good mood.
Musicals are supposed to make you want to get up and sing, right?
Allow me to set the scene: United Kingdom, 1984.
Margaret Thatcher is ruling with an iron fist and the U.K. miners are about to strike. For mineworkers like Billy’s dad and brother, these are uncertain times.
We meet our main character, Billy, played by 13-year-old Jack Thistle, early in the show and are soon treated to a musical number.
An impressive voice exploding from this small, young man — you could colour me impressed.
That feeling would soon fade however, as we change scenes and emerge at the boxing club. This is where the profanity starts, still clearly audible in thick British accents.
Don’t get me wrong — I love a good emphatic device, but man oh man, the abundance of obscenities was not necessary to the storyline. This is a criticism many have had for this particular show.
After a failed boxing match, Billy finds himself in the middle of a ballet class, with no idea what he’s doing.
Told to “join in or bugger off” by the teacher, he opts to stay, eventually showing off his proficient ballet skills.
As more characters become aware of Billy’s new interest, the bigotry begins.
Yes, the homophobic terms used were “sadly commonplace” in the 80s, as another showgoer told me, but that doesn’t make them any easier to hear in 2017.
At this point, I tried to pay less attention to the script, opting to focus on the dance numbers and set design.
An intricate set that was clearly well planned by its designers, the stage became a number of settings throughout the show: a house, a boxing club, a ballet studio, a mining building, and more.
The dancers were fantastic, with wonderful costumes to accentuate their killer moves. The choreographed scenes were also well done, considering the size of the cast.
As the show continued, tensions grew due to issues with striking workers and their goals, as well as tensions in the Elliot family as Billy begins to take ballet more seriously than he had ever imagined.
A number of themes are explored, such as family values, community support, self-exploration, freedom of expression, and more.
“Billy Elliot” is a pretty typical story of a good kid overcoming obstacles to pursue a dream, but not so typical that you’re yawning in your chair.
The musical numbers will keep your eyes glued to the stage.
If you’re a fan of musicals, check this out.
But heed this: leave the kids at home, if they don’t have a general understanding of oppressed minorities and the vocabulary of a sailor.
You don’t want ’em repeating lines from this show on the playground. You have been warned. Atlantic Light Theatre’s production of “Billy Elliot” continues at the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre until Sunday, Feb. 5.