Southampton Reviews

Sheffan
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Re: Southampton Reviews

Post by Sheffan »

Thanks very much Billy Whiz, Pat and Barry for your kind comments!!

Barry and I assume Pat. hope you enjoy your forthcoming trip...eagerly awaiting your own reviews:

Managed to unearth another commercial review:

Daniel Page as Mr Braithwaite (the pianist for the ballet class) brought the house down with his, at first, subtle, almost silent comedy performance, but building into full on physical comedy during “Born to Boogie”. He’s a great little(!) mover!

http://whatsgoodtodo.co.uk/billy-elliot ... on-review/

Have just completed my arrangements for the final weekend of the tour in Hamburg. Flying out on EasyJet from Manchester on the Friday and returning Monday. I'm playing safe with the hotel, I'm staying at the Mercure Hamburg City, only 5 or 10 mins walk from the theatre. Cost is around £80 per night at present, not too bad considering the low value of the pound.
cheltonian
Small Boy
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Re: Southampton Reviews

Post by cheltonian »

I attended the matinee at Southampton this afternoon with Haydn as Billy, Henry as Michael, Samuel as Tall Boy and Lake Butterworth as Older Self. The start of the performance was delayed by an hour due to a medical emergency affecting a member of the tech crew.

Once the show got underway Haydn quickly won the audience over with the brilliance of his acting. The boxing lesson scene was the funniest I've yet seen. This was the 7th time I've seen the tour production and, by chance 5 of those have featured Haydn as Billy. He just gets better and better. His timing, in dialogue, is incredible, he really makes you wait for the line. A good example today being with Debbie's offer to show you know what, Haydn"s facial expression while he mulled over his response was something to behold, and when he eventually delivered his "Naaah" the audience just loved it.

Actually the audience loved it all and were very responsive. Like me, they were drawn into the performance through the power of Haydn"s acting. I heard audible sobs all around during the letter scene and its reprise.

I've only once failed to be moved by the show, that was not the case this afternoon, I was moved more than ever by a wonderful performance of a wonderful show. And it it was clear from the comments all around that the audience were blown away by it.
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angelenroute
Billy
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Re: Southampton Reviews

Post by angelenroute »

ckm1926 wrote:This was the 7th time I've seen the tour production and, by chance 5 of those have featured Haydn as Billy.
Isn't that funny how that happens? You usually sit there with a smile and say to yourself, "Well, at least I know it'll be a good show." :) Great review, thank you!

I hope the Tech crew member is okay, too!

Sean

"Good writers define reality; bad ones merely restate it." -Edward Albee
Barry Appleby
George
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Re: Southampton Reviews

Post by Barry Appleby »

Monday(27th), Tuesday(28th Feb) & Wednesday(1st Mar)

Three fabulous shows again, I can't really say more than I have in the past about the tour and the excellent cast , cause they are, the tops! The only changes were on Monday was Leo Atkin standing in for Martin as Jackie, Jonathan Aiden as George.

I hate being negative and to be honest I've mellowed a bit since getting back home. Monday night's audience were awful, what we used to call “deead eads” when we were working the follow spots, some times maybe a bit ruder, about an unreactive audience, Gosh! I can tell you when working, it used to make a long night.

Something I've never seen before, as Emile had worked “his socks off” in Angry Dance, when he got up, not a clap!, as he was walking off stage, the tabs were coming down, then we got a hard hearted ovation, I was sat towards the back, I was stunned and just couldn't believe it. They did improve a bit in the 2nd act, but not much, I think they needed a few more bevy's.
Tuesday's audience was a bit better, maybe a bit more alive. People who have seen the show know when Billy finishes Electricity he eventually walks forward and always gets a further ovation with a great smile, but poor Haydn walked forward with that smile of Thanks, but the ovation died, I think I would have run off the stage and out the theatre after all that hard work put in
I'm going to be honest Wednesday was a lot better, in fact a 100% better and they did show more appreciation for Lewis and the cast.
One thing, I will stick up for them, they did stand up on all 3 nights, for the final curtain call.

Leaving the theatre you never got the feeling of emotion shown at other venues, I'm not saying that they didn't enjoy it, I sure they certainly did, most important, I did not hear a grumble.
Sorry for that bit of a rant, guys and gals, that's not like me, the next time I see the show will be at Brum, Yea! it will be a year that week, that the London Show finished, Blimey, time flies!
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porschesrule
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Re: Southampton Reviews

Post by porschesrule »

Here's a great review from the Southampton Tour stop by a blogger who saw the show for the first time:

https://behindthetheatrecurtain.wordpre ... ly-elliot/
Sheffan
Tall Boy
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Location: Sheffield, UK

Re: Southampton Reviews

Post by Sheffan »

Thanks for the review Barry, really appreciate this.

I completely agree with Barry about the audiences in Southampton. Great that you were so honest Barry, I thought about putting more in my review about this, but toned it down at the last minute. Similarly to you at least there was one performance I saw, where things were better, maybe a whole dancing school were seeing the show that evening or something similar!!

Scott has expressed his annoyance on twitter about many audience members in Southampton leaving before the chair lift and ovations.

Hampshire is quite a conservative part of Britain so I'm wondering if people there couldn't relate to the show as well as other places. In real life, Annette and Scott in particular are very hostile to the right wing on social media and are bitterly hostile to Donald Trump for example.

It is a great shame as the local media made a really good effort to promote the show and cast. On the other hand, judging from social media there were quite a few Billy enthusiasts at this show that showed a really positive spirit, just not enough to encourage the rest of the audience to join in. Everything considered, the Mayflower is a nice theatre with friendly staff and Southampton is a good tourist choice for a short break.

Tonight the show will be on the road again. I think the people of Birmingham will wildly welcome the show next week. Roll on March 29 & 30, my next shows.
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patc
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Re: Southampton Reviews

Post by patc »

Southampton 27th Feb to 1st Mar.

I’m in total agreement with Barry and Sheffan. The first leg (Monday) of this week’s Trilly-Thon at Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre was attended by the mutest audience I have ever sat with. Initially, I suspected that they must have been still suffering from their team having been robbed by a linesman at the final in Wembley on the Sunday. All this despite an absolutely stunning first half performance. They did pull themselves together a bit in Part Two and gave Emile a wonderful reception after his so graceful Electricity.

Tuesday was a bit better and Wednesday was pretty good. However, overall the audiences were nothing like they have been at every other venue where the buzz was phenomenal at every show and on the way out. Perhaps those Southerners didn’t like Mrs. T being berated.

With the 1st Anniversary of the Tour show coming up I can say with certainty that the show continues with incredible energy and commitment by the sensational cast. As brilliant as ever. Yet, even now as it arrives at the five furlong post, the creative team still strive for better, compiling copious notes during the shows as, indeed, we often saw in London over the years.

Even the tiniest changes can have real meaning. I think it was prior to "Billy Live" that the words, “Don’t go”, were added to Billy’s script for The Letter. Just two words but they meant so much emotionally for that ready-made tearjerker scene. This time, one small change concerns the introductory music to Electricity. It is with quiet soft strings instead of the MD’s piano note that follows a bit later. It creates not only tension but also a kind of mystical aura. Beautiful. Under the baton (well, hands) of Patrick Hurley the music is so meaningful, powerful and exquisite. There is not a single note out of place.

Another very tiny alteration seen was Small Boy’s dropping of coins into Billy’s this–and-this money. This was done using both hands rather than from SB’s jacket pocket.

Emile, Haydn and Lewis were the three Billys on duty and led from the front with such amazing skill and energy that still blows me away every time I see the show. Their acting, singing and dancing is out of this world and when you add the somersaults and the powerful and precision cross-handed skipping at breakneck speed you realise that “multi-talented” is not a good enough word for it. The extraordinary thing is that none of them ever look even the remotest bit tired at the end of it all despite the amount of energy expended over three hours. The wonderful thing is the killer smiles that tell us how much they love what they do.

Elliot (twice) and Samuel were superb purveyors of dance, comedy and pathos as Michael. The springs in their steps have never wavered over the year and their boundless energy in Expressing is addictive. I’m not a dancer but I reckon that, if ever there was a BETM audience sing-and-dance-along, these two would have me three foot above the ground betimes.

On the subject of the Michael’s in Expressing I have noticed over the past while that the line “Do you get to wear a tutu” has been slowed down with more deliberate emphasis on each word. This seems to have produced more laughter…even at Southampton!

Debbies we saw this week were Evie (twice) and Italia and, along with the Ballet Girls, they have also meticulously maintained the high standards they set 12 months ago. Debbie’s lines in the Toilet Scene also appear to have been slowed down ever so slightly with pauses which makes the scene that tiny bit more natural.

I cannot praise too highly the adult principal cast and Ensemble. Each and every one of the principal cast have got right inside every character with such amazing attention to detail. It is as if they were born to play these parts. The energy coming off the stage has never let up for an instant. With this Ensemble the likes of Solidarity and the spectacle of Angry Dance have never been performed better. It is genius theatre brought to life in a most special and exciting and glorious manner. Once we were Kings is heartbreaking. As the pit lift doors close and the miners’ lights disappear from view you can sense that their world is ending as you, helplessly, watch on.

By the end of the show the only one left with any hope is Billy. The Miners have gone back to work with nothing for their efforts and redundancy ahead (so eloquently but devastatingly put by an emotional Tony). Mrs W has been left with her third rate ballet class and alcoholic hubby. Michael has lost his best friend. But even Billy’s hope is tinged with sadness and uncertainty. The cinematic style ending with Michael all alone on stage leaves the audience in empathetic silence. Luckily, the fantastic, bubbling Finale provides us and the cast with the opportunity to go bananas. Nothing on Planet Earth compares.

Pat

PS Tesco workers in Ireland were on strike a week or so ago. Arthur Scargill came over to join the pickets and give them support. Make what you will of that :roll:
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Barry Appleby
George
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Re: Southampton Reviews

Post by Barry Appleby »

Cheers and Thanks Sheffan and Pat for your support over the audience reactions, sounds as though through Facebook from Scott, that the cast were aware and had noticed it, Wednesday night they were up leaving before the Chair Lift.
Anyway more important "Thanks" for your coverage of the three shows Pat, "I always knew you would" do one.

Barry
ogio
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Re: Southampton Reviews

Post by ogio »

Been a long time since writing a review on here but here goes!

I attended both shows in Southampton on March 4th. Whilst there was nothing wrong with the matinee performance, I was completely blown away by the power of the evening show with Haydn, Henry and Italia. Haydn is the perfect Billy, showing his vulnerability through his top notch acting, wonderfully pitched singing and fabulous dancing. His anger in Angry Dance reminded me of Elliott and Bradley Perret and worthy of the standing ovations from the very good audience in the evening (matinee was quite flat). This continued in act 2 with a beautiful dream ballet and stunningly sung and danced Electricity.

I like the slight recent changes to the scene before Express with the Michaels really showing their comic genius even more.

I really like Martin Walsh's Dad - he has really grown on me since I last saw him in Bristol.

And a special mention for Daniel Page as a crowd-pleasing and fun Mr Braithwaite.

Just wish it was nearer to home!
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atreyu
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Re: Southampton Reviews

Post by atreyu »

ogio wrote:Whilst there was nothing wrong with the matinee performance, I was completely blown away by the power of the evening show with Haydn, Henry and Italia. Haydn is the perfect Billy, showing his vulnerability through his top notch acting, wonderfully pitched singing and fabulous dancing. His anger in Angry Dance reminded me of Elliott and Bradley Perret and worthy of the standing ovations from the very good audience in the evening (matinee was quite flat). This continued in act 2 with a beautiful dream ballet and stunningly sung and danced Electricity.
I had the pleasure of opening a Billy-thon Thursday afternoon with Haydn, Henry and Italia and closing it Saturday evening with the same three. That alone was worth the trip. Throw in a few more shows with Emile and Lewis and it made for one first rate Billy-thon, particularly as one who has had a steady diet of regionals the last few years.

I have a whole bunch of thoughts that I'll post in the UK/Ireland Tour Chat section and keep this to review items.

Apparently, this was medical emergency week at Southampton. :lol: In addition to the Thursday matinee event, the normal 20-minute interval at Friday's performance was extended by a medical emergency for an audience member that required treatment from paramedics. As the interval dragged on without knowing how lengthy it would be, my level of concern grew higher and higher in fear that I would not be able to see Lewis complete a fantastic performance. (No word was given on the seriousness of the person receiving medical attention - that of course could have been the first concern.) Finally at the 45-minute mark, the stage manager announced we would resume and everything proceeded smoothly from there.

I really enjoyed the way Lewis conveys Billy's mood with his facial expressions and gestures. Extremely effective.

Also very effective was Daniel Page playing up the Braithwaite role. I would have to say, though, that the spins that Brian Padgett is able to pull off as well as get the laughs keeps Brian at the top of my list. It also is in keeping with the theme of brilliant dance coming from places that are least expected.

The interplay between Tony and George after the interval doesn't have as much charm IMHO as having all the boys up there. Okay it serves the purpose of getting everyone in their seats before more critical material ensues. But when they go through the entire routine after a 45-minute interval and the audience has been in their seats for a long time, it's even less enjoyable. I suppose having Billy being the downhearted one makes sense since he was last seen being all angry. But it is an adjustment to Small Boy saying that where it's clearly a joke.

Small Boy does get the Big Spender line and it is nice to see how it ties in later with Dad starting a rendition of that on the stage of the RBS. That is a better approach than the old sneezing routine.

It was mentioned how some crowds early in the week were not responsive. But aside from the Saturday matinee, all other audiences Thursday thru Saturday were lively.

The one regret was not getting to see Adam. So I guess I'll have to figure out the best way of remedying that... :D
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