REVIEWS JUNE 2009 AUS

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NIKKIE-NIKKIE
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REVIEWS JUNE 2009 AUS

Post by NIKKIE-NIKKIE »

For your June reviews. :D
Take life with a pinch of salt.....a slice of lime, and a shot of tequila.
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Gavroche
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Re: REVIEWS JUNE AUS

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Saturday, June 6th. Matinee.

Billy - Josh WG
Michael - Liam
Debbie - Cassandra
Grandma - Joy
Older Billy - Brendan
Tall Boy - Jonathan
Small Boy - Thomas B

Looking back it's been about 2 months since I last saw Josh WG as Billy. Tonight's show was really worth the wait though.
Josh still continues to capture you with his clear singing voice and excellent acting skills. His smile is also high voltage. It lit up the darkened ceiling during "Swan Lake" as he spun giddily above Brendan Yeates. Josh and Brendan worked very well together in the "Swan Lake" number despite some slight mistiming early on with the chairs. I liked how Josh reacted to Grandma as she sang about his grandad. One minute he was wide eyed in wonderment, the next he was laughing as she told him how she would "clobber the sod" as he lay sleeping. Joy's version of Grandma slips in and out of vagueness. I love how she looks shocked to be sitting in front of Billy after her song and wonders why the heck he just kissed her hand as she wipes it across her nightie.Josh really stood up to Richard when calling him a B*****D - it was conveyed angrily through gritted teeth, followed by a yelp of surprise when he realised just what he'd done. Richard is really letting loose with his yelling at Mrs W as he warns her to stay away from Billy. It's frightening.Josh conveyed real emotion as he, Gen and Samantha read "The Letter", resulting in audience members reaching for those tissues. It was repeated during "The Letter - Reprise". Lots of fun and energy in "Born to Boogie" with John X back as Mr Braithwaite. It's a number that brings lots of laughs from the actions of all 3 on stage. "Angry Dance" saw Josh really let fly with strong yells of what I'm sure was a famous 4 letter word quite frequently. The powerful tap I remember was there again in force really knocking about the walls and props to great effect. I believe all the Billys now begin their "Electricity" with some kind of backflip that suits them and this afternoon Josh executed a high leap backwards landing perfectly on his feet before continuing the routine. I love how he comes to the front of the stage bent over, huffing and puffing with exhaustion before unleashing his final flips. Great finish to boot, so no wonder there were a few of us standing to applaud.

Liam still continues to experiment with his role as Michael. He always throws in something new and today I witnessed some new "sexy growls" along with him swinging that handbag over his head as though it was a lasso. First class tapping and great comedic timing added to the fun of the number. One slight mishap with the Polaroid camera today - no film in it! But Liam just continued with the scene as if he'd just taken the photo and was saving it for later.The whole audience really got involved and showed their appreciation at the end of the number. Liam evoked sympathy as he walks out of the community hall to end the pre "Swan lake" scene.

Cassandra is a very grown up Debbie with those knowing looks she sneaks behind her mother's back. Add that wonderful smile into the mix and you have a winning formula. I'm sure Josh blushed after she made "that offer" and they both played out the scene well with Josh looking around to see if anyone was listening in on them. It's great to watch her during the "Solidarity" number trying hard to get things right, but no matter what she tries it's never good enough for her mam. Watch her nod agreement with everything Mr Braithwaite says about the definition of dance.

Thomas B is really extending his "Oh Jesus" lines to great effect, topping it off with the "w**ker!" line which either shocks some audience members or makes them laugh. I really like how Jonathan falls over to the side after being hit by George with the boxing glove. It really makes it look as though the blow actually has some force behind it. The little touch of cleaning his glasses on his jumper as Posh Boy is a winner. I noticed last time that he and Josh both share lots of smiles in the audition scene and it was there again today. Josh trying to polish his trainers on the back of his trouser legs to make them shine like Posh Boy's is a nice touch too.

This afternoon's ballet girls got lots of laughs at their antics on stage. I kept an eye on Karen Davidson during "Shine" and "Solidarity", and yes, she always has her pigtails in her mouth :D These girls all do their roles credit and the laughs they get from the audience is proof enough. Well done girls.
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Gavroche
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Re: REVIEWS JUNE AUS

Post by Gavroche »

Saturday, June 6th. Evening.

Billy - Dayton
Michael - Joel
Debbie - Nina
Older Billy - Brendan
Tall Boy - Jasper
Small Boy - Luke


Once again it has been 2 months since I last saw this dynamic young man perform, and once again it was well worth the wait. Our Billys must constantly be working on adding extra WOW factors for each of the remaining shows. The sense of not knowing what to do in his first lesson with Mrs Wilkinson is soon replaced with Dayton's vision of where he wants Billy to be. From those first unsteady steps in "Solidarity" to his magnificent conclusion in "Electricity" is a journey worth taking.

Dayton continues to have strong vocals in all numbers and it seemed to me that in a few places he dropped his voice a note or two rather than try to reach the higher notes, (for example "Deep into the Ground"). But the strong vocals are not lost during "Angry Dance". He still manages to frequently yell the famous 4 letter word at the top of his lungs. At the same time he sets about wrecking the sets with forceful kicks bringing Act 1 to a close with one of the loudest screams you'll hear. His "You're a BASTARD!" is screamed right into Richard's face, causing him to draw in his breath as he stares him down.

Dayton's "The Letter" may not see him producing the tears in the fashion of some of the other Billys, but it is oh so poignant and emotional as is its "Reprise". Many in the audience were visibly moved throughout both songs. Working with Brendan in "Swan Lake" was pretty well spot on, the chairs behaving themselves for once. More audience members are appreciating Billy spinning around in the roof and applauding. When it comes to Dayton's "Electricity" I was so busy taking in one move and trying to fathom how the heck he performed it when I was presented with another and another. I was very impressed with his "Freeze" as I was told it is called. Like all the Billys, Dayton has his tricks up his sleeve and he uses them to great effect. The audience began applauding BEFORE he got to his reprise, then applauded all the way through the reprise, only to jump to their feet with his rock solid finish. The ovation lasted quite a while and it was lovely to see Dayton take it all in. I've said it before, but I'm sure Dayton will also have one more move to show us before this week is over.

Joel won the audience over every time he came on stage, especially during "Expressing Yourself". All around me I heard people saying," ...just fantastic..", "...so good / funny...", "...the best part so far...". We've heard it all before and will continue to do so. Again, he brought laughs with his high pitched "Nutcracker" line combined with his array of funny faces and eye rolling. Sindy the nurse is also receiving her share of light applause too. Nina's playful Debbie is delightful. She just can't stand still for very long, skipping here and there, especially as she waits for Billy to come out of the toilet cubicle. The toilet scene was played out to good laughs along with a loud gasp or two from those unspecting audience members. The look of shock on Dayton's face was priceless. Jasper's strong voice is clear in all his Tall Boy scenes. Tonight his geeky look out into the theatre got good laughs, and when Billy hit him several audience members drew in their breath, not expecting it. Luke won over the audience early on with his "Oh Jesus!" lines which he loudly draws out to great effect, the "w**ker!" line just seals the deal. Unfortunately for us, Luke was missing in Act 2, being struck down with a bad headache which progressively worsened forcing him home (unwillingly). His role was filled by Small Girl. "Finale" is always fun to watch and as the curtain came down for the last time it was great to see both Joel and Dayton follow it down waving out to the audience the whole time.
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Re: REVIEWS JUNE AUS

Post by Gavroche »

Sunday, June 7th. Matinee.

Billy - Josh Denyer
Michael - Landen
Debbie - Isabelle
Older Billy - Brendan
Tall Boy - Douglas
Small Boy - Cody

Almost a duplication of last Saturday night's show cast wise, but double the emotional impact. Having recently witnessed a Josh Denyer show I knew my senses and emotions were about to be pummeled again. Over 3 hours the sullen boy you see being dragged on stage will soon leave you a total emotional wreck .

Today "The Letter" was emotionally draining for everyone involved. Josh began with a few sniffs which gradually developed into floods of tears and loud sobs. He was literally shaking uncontrolably as he sang. Sitting watching you could see the tears well up in Gen's eyes. She took a little longer to pick up from where Josh left off. When Samantha came on stage all 3 principals were crying freely. When it came time for Gen to say "She must have been a very special woman", she had to choke back the tears and the words caught in her throat. I defy anyone in the audience to say they weren't moved. During its "Reprise" the tears began again and didn't stop until Josh was on stage for the "Finale". Sitting on the aisle it was plain to see the tears and hear the sobs as he walked past me. The sight of him crying his heart out was more than anyone could bear. That side of the theatre were in tears all over again.

"Angry Dance" was just crazy today. Things got out of control on stage. First off Josh kicked the hell out of his bed AND the guard rails around him, especially the one to the back of him as he attacks the bed. During the riot between miners and police I had to duck as an "iron pipe" narrowly missed hitting me as it flew off stage :D Josh set about putting a dent in every surface he kicked. My favourite part of this scene is watching Josh hang on to the fence panel with both hands as he kicks with both feet. All the while Josh is screaming at the top of his lungs and flipping the finger all around. The yell to end Act 1 echoes around the theatre. I was left stunned.

"Electricity" had me sitting up to watch the King of Street Electricity secure the crown even more tightly to his head. The opening one armed backflip, the HAAH!!, those impossibly high backflips and all those other "whatchamacallits" just have to be seen to be believed.The roar of approval throughout as well as the standing ovation said it all. You can feel the adrenaline pumping away throughout the whole routine. There was applause all the way through "Electricity" and it had a HUGE standing ovation to finish off, which lasted for the longest time. Like all the other Billys, I believe Josh is holding one or 2 more moves up his sleeve to unleash on us during the final week.

I said in my last reflection that "I think" it's a 3 way split for equal first position between these routines - well today just settled it - I can't separate the 3 at all, so I now say it IS a 3 way tie.

Not to be outdone, Landen again came up trumps winning another ROAR of approval as he came on for his final bow. How he manages to top each of his performances is truly amazing. This boy is on fire! Everything I commented on last week was there and more. The kiss he gave Josh in the pre "Swan Lake" scene took many by surprise. The kiss Josh gave Landen at the end of the show was also a surprise to many. Keep wowing us Landen!

Isabelle is great to watch as Mr Braithwaite defines dance. She looks at her watch as if to say "How long is this going to take?" Douglas is the most thoughtful Posh Boy as he tries to comfort Billy after his audition. Cody had everyone laughing with his boxing scene lines as well as getting some "oohs and aahhs" as he is carried off stage by Mr Braithwaite. Richard continues to tear strips off Mrs Wilkinson after "Solidarity". It's really quite scary. On the other hand Brendan reduces Richard to a jibbering mess as the ballet dancer from "Watanobi", especially as he bends down to do some stretches.

A more than satisfying performance from everyone involved. If we were a mess today, Lord knows how we will be this time next week.
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Re: REVIEWS JUNE AUS

Post by NIKKIE-NIKKIE »

Great reviews Gavroche, thank you.

It is good to be able to read about all the shows in Aus/UK/US, keep them coming.
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Re: REVIEWS JUNE AUS

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Thanks Gavroche. Great reviews as usual.
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Re: REVIEWS JUNE AUS

Post by wert »

Are there any photos or links to media surrounding the last ever performance?
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Re: REVIEWS JUNE AUS

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wert wrote:Are there any photos or links to media surrounding the last ever performance?
There is one on the link below.

http://www.morgan-photo.com/pages/home.php

If you look through the gallery on the link above there are also quite a few photos of BETM - but not the last night.
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Billy Whiz is the Gallery Admin. Please send your photos, articles etc to forum.gallery[at]billyelliottheforum.me.uk Please replace [at] with @

In the email can you also please let me know the date where and when the photo(s) was taken, who is in the photo(s) as well as your forum name.

When you send photos to the gallery can you also please PM me to let me know that you have sent them. If I don't receive them after a couple of days I can then chase them up.
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Re: REVIEWS JUNE AUS

Post by Gavroche »

ONE DOWN - FOUR TO GO


Thursday, June 11. Evening.

Billy - Daniel
Michael - Thomas D
Debbie - Isabelle
Tall Boy - Jasper
Small Boy - Luke

Tonight marked the beginning of what will arguably become the most emotional 5 shows EVER in the history of BETM. If tonight was anything to go by I'm not sure how we will be feeling when Sunday rolls around. But tonight belongs to Daniel

In his short run as Billy Elliot (only 13 shows) he has won a place in everyone's heart. I was lucky enough to be at Daniel's debut show and the distance he has travelled in that time is amazing. Tonight his face said it all. He looked like he was having the time of his life on stage. Those who weren't in the know about Daniel's short run as Billy were totally in awe of just how relaxed and comfortable he appeared. The facial expressions were numerous, especially the use of his eyes in a lot of scenes. When thinking what to say or do next, he looks all around him, before speaking. He really does have good delivery of lines.

Daniel really held his emotions well throughout the whole show. When "The letter" rolled around we all joined him crying his way through it. I looked around me and all I could see were tears flowing from people's eyes. His sobbing was truly loud and he was shaking with emotion. The scene with Samantha Morely was heart breaking. Daniel held on to her for the longest time. It was eveident well into "Born to Boogie" that there were still tears in everyone's eyes. Daniel's lip began to quiver as Tony read out the letter from the ballet school. The tears welling up again as he said his farewll to Mrs Wilkinson. As he ran and jumped into Richard's arms in "Once we were kings" those tears were starting to fall. Even Thomas was not left unaffected. When he saw Daniel's face as he came back on stage he broke down struggling to get his lines out.

Daniel's "Angry Dance" was powerful with some of the loudest screams coming from him than I have heard before. The 4 letter words and the flipped fingers at the audience brought the dance to a powerful conclusion. Daniel's "Electricity" won him great applause and a standing ovation that will live as a special memory to him for a long time to come. He was torn between smiles and tears. Thank you Daniel for sharing your talent with us. I'm sure you will have a bright future ahead of you in the post Billy days to come.

Special mention to Isabelle who also performed her last show tonight. She really took the time thinking out her lines as she thought of the things to say to Billy. I loved how she just stood and looked at Daniel in their final scene together after her mam said "Debbie - go on". The tears were evident in her eyes. Heselltine ballet girls also performed with Luke and Jasper for the last time together, and the audience members who called out to them during the "Finale" had a few people clapping afterwards. Understandably, it was chaos outside the stage door with Daniel being in demand from many family members, friends and fans alike. Thank you for sharing your time with us.

I'm off to prepare myself for tonight's performance. I know it will be just as emotional as tonight's.
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Re: REVIEWS JUNE AUS

Post by Gavroche »

TWO DOWN - THREE TO GO

Friday, June 12. Evening

Billy - Josh WG
Michael - Liam
Debbie - Nina
Tall Boy - Douglas
Small Boy - Cody

I'm always amazed by the talent that is Josh Waiss Gates. He possesses a truly magnificent voice and tonight his singing was pitch perfect, reaching all notes with ease. From the moment he walked on stage it seemed like he had tears in his eyes already which is perfectly understandable. However, this young man kept his emotions well and truly in check as he set about destroying ours.

I can only point out a few highlights from the show which will all become part of Josh's memories of his last night on stage as Billy.

* There was HUGE support from family, friends and fans in the audience which was evident from the moment Richard dragged him on stage and made him sit at the back of the hall.
* Exceptional dancing in all numbers when it was required.
* The "You're a B*****D!" growled through gritted teeth rather than yelled.
* "The Letter" was poignantly emotional with Samantha being visibly upset, especially in its "Reprise" where she was choked up the whole way through.
* Fun, smiles and laughs all the way through "Born to Boogie" with a wonderful flip off the piano.
* "Swan Lake" was faultless, although I must make mention of the heavy smoke that enveloped me in parts.
* "Electricity" saw a great standing ovation after a wonderfully acrobatic routine.
*"Finale" had great audience from the start. Poor Josh struggled to keep in character as he smiled then giggled his way through the opening.
* Andy Anderson throwing in one or two unexpected lines / jokes that not only surprised Josh and Mike Smith but had the audience in stitches.
* A wonderful toilet scene played out by naughty Nina. With a look of shock on his face Josh bent forward slightly as if to take up the offer. He quickly looked around, considering his options before say no. Nina stomped off suitably unimpressed.
* Cody's Small Boy and Douglas' Tall Boy won favour in all expected sections, with gasps of shock as Billy hit Tall Boy and the "Ohhs and ahhs" as Cody gets lifted up onto Mt Braithwaite's shoulders.
* And of course, the talents of Liam as Michael. Tonight marked Liam's final show and he too has great support from the audience. Both he and Josh delivered a fun filled "Expressing Yourself" with half the audience almost joining in themselves. In the pre "Swan Lake" scene Liam received a round of applause as he exited the stage. I still love the lasso style twirling of the handbag as well as his "Ces Moi" reply. The only thing missing was his famous "Budda budda budda " line. :lol:

Once again chaos reigned outside the theatre where a relaxed looking Josh was crowded for those last minute photos and autographs. He was presented with many gifts from family, friends and fans alike. He was joined by Liam and Nina for a few group photos before heading off for more private celebrations. Thanks to not only Josh, but everyone who helped make this emotional time a night to remember.
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