December 2010 Reviews - NYC

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Billy Whiz
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December 2010 Reviews - NYC

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A place for December's reviews
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Re: December 2010 Reviews - NYC

Post by billyforlife »

Sunday December 12 Matinee
Billy - Peter Mazurowski
Michael - Jake Evan Schwenke
Small Boy - Zachary Maitiln

Sunday December 12 Evening - Dayton's last show
Billy - Dayton Tavares
Michael - Niel McCaffrey
Small Boy - Alex Drier

Review Part One!
These are my first shows seeing Billy on Broadway and I was absolutely thrilled to get my Billy fix after SO long since my last show (last week of Melbourne, which was a year and a half ago :o :shock: :( ). Both shows were wonderful (particularly the evening performance, merely because of the energy of the audience) and I am so happy that I was finally able to come to New York!

For the matinee I had Orch B 10, which was a great seat, very close to the stage which it made the show very intimate. I loved being able to see expressions so clearly. The only problem with the seats was that it was so close to the speakers that sometimes it was uncomfortably loud and sometimes it was difficult to hear the actors speak (I know what they're all saying anyway, but still) - this was a problem for the couple sitting next to me, because the woman has difficulty with loud noises and it took away from the show for them (but they otherwise loved it! something I always love to see). The seat I had in the evening performance was front mezz section 3 F1, which is the last row of the front mezz in the centre. I was worried that it would be too far back to see expressions, but it turned out to be a fantastic seat, I could see everything that was going on as a whole as opposed to broken up when sitting so close, which was great for numbers like solidarity, yet I was still close enough to be able to see expressions of the actors. Angry Dance was spectacular from this seat - this may have been helped by Dayton's performance though ;).

The major difference between the two shows was the audience. In the first show, there were very few laughs and applause in expected places, and it just seemed as if there wasn't as much energy in the room as there was in the evening show. Of course the later show would be more energetic because it was Dayton's last, but there was such a difference. I was one of the only people to stand at the end of the earlier show and I don't know if that was normal but I thought that Peter deserved a bit more enthusiasm to be honest. There were only a few lines that really delivered significant laughter, one of which was the 'Nutcracker' line and I think another was the 'esquire' one. Dayton's last show was filled with Billy fans and Dayton's friends and family, but I felt that even the general public were more energised. Perhaps it was because Stephen Daldry came out before the show to give a speech about how much Dayton had meant to the show and this was his last one, which was really nice. A great audience always makes a better show.

Okay, now on to the actual show! (Sorry I am writing so much btw, congrats if you've even gotten this far)
I thought Emily Skinner was fantastic as Mrs Wilkinson, her voice is so beautiful and I thought she played the role very well. The sarcasm was perfectly balanced with her love for Billy. Will Chase was an amazing Tony, I loved everything he did in the part. Thommie Rhetter was hilarious as always. Of course Gregory Jbara was great too, his comedic timing is wonderful. I was never very into We'd Go Dancing as a song but Carolle Shelley made me enjoy the song much more and I was very surprised to find this song stuck in my head after the show. It was nice to see Stephen Hanna again, that man can freaking DANCE. Zachary and Alex were of course the cutest part of the show, both of them getting big laughs out of their 'jesus' and 'fat bastard' lines and many 'awww's all around. As for Michael, both Jake and Neil were fantastic. I thought that they interpreted the roles quite differently and I loved both but I think I preferred Jake's take on it. An example is the 'well I'd miss you", Jake hesitated before admitting it and Neil rushed into the line as if he couldn't help saying it. I just happen to prefer the former interpretation. It was little things like this that made their interpretations different but I think it's good that the boys are able to add a little bit of individuality, for example I loved Neil's operatic 'that's me' when Billy called 'Michael'. These things make them different and unique to the role and they were both great.

Okay. Now the Billys.
I was very impressed by Peter, he looks so little on that giant stage and he just exudes talent. He looks believable in the role because he is still very young in the role but he danced like he was experienced. His expressions were great, his angsty portrayal reminded me of an early Trent. His ballet was beautiful in Electricity but particularly so in Swan Lake. His voice didn't start off great but improved throughout the show, his high point (no pun intended, haha) being his part in Deep into the Ground. His Angry Dance was frightening because I never thought such a loud scream could come out of such a tiny little person. He looks so vulnerable and fragile get he can just explode into anger, haha. I was very impressed by the energy he put into the show. How these boys maintain their stamina I'll never know but I want to know how they do it! Peter's comedic timing was also great, for example his pause after Debbie's famous question went for very long and you could see him debating it while he thought about it, which was very funny.

I can't finish the review now as I have to go but I will make part 2 soon, including Dayton's show and more detailed aspects of the show that I liked/didn't. Well done if you got this far in reading my review, I'll try not too write too much next time! 8-)
"She must have been a very special woman..."
"No, she was just me mam."


Melbourne: Josh D, Josh WG
Broadway: Peter, Dayton
London: Harris, Redmand, Ali x3
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porschesrule
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Re: December 2010 Reviews - NYC

Post by porschesrule »

A wonderful review (Part 1). Thank you for taking the time to write it billyforlife.

No way is it too long. I loved every word and am very looking forward to Part 2.
billyforlife wrote:Well done if you got this far in reading my review, I'll try not too write too much next time!
Again, can't wait for Part 2. Don't you dare shortchange Dayton's show by trying to be brief! Again, many of us love the long, detailed reviews. Anyone who doesn't enjoy them doesn't have to read them now, do they? :lol:
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Re: December 2010 Reviews - NYC

Post by Billy Whiz »

Thanks bfl. Looking forward to Part 2.
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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: December 2010 Reviews - NYC

Post by gpcolo »

Bravo, keep up the great reviews BFL. Those of us who cannot be there live the shows through your writing. I am looking forward to part 2.
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Re: December 2010 Reviews - NYC

Post by ERinVA »

Thanks for your review, bfl. I'm really looking forward to Part 2.
Ellen



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Re: December 2010 Reviews - NYC

Post by phoebe »

Thanks for all you've written so far. Can't wait for Part 2!
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Re: December 2010 Reviews - NYC

Post by billyforlife »

Sorry for the wait guys! I've had a hard time finding a block of time to write the next part, but I will find some time within the next couple of days. Thanks for the comments :)
"She must have been a very special woman..."
"No, she was just me mam."


Melbourne: Josh D, Josh WG
Broadway: Peter, Dayton
London: Harris, Redmand, Ali x3
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billyforlife
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Re: December 2010 Reviews - NYC

Post by billyforlife »

Part 2!
I just want to make a final comment about Peter before I begin discussing Dayton's performance. I went to the stage door after his performance but I went about 10-15 minutes after the doors opened so I don't know if it was for that reason that Peter was the only one there from the show and there were very few others or if that was normal, but either way I was very pleased to see that Peter was indeed there. I awkwardly approached him while he was in conversation with a few other people to tell him how fantastic he was and I got a photo with him as well (will upload soon). The reason I am writing this is because as I congratulated him on his enormous talent that had brought me to my feet at several times during his performance, he seemed almost surprised at my telling him this and was very modest and nice. He was really lovely and it is seriously a wonder these boys are not even remotely arrogant. Dayton was even more modest, and was very shy at the stage door. Maybe that was because he had just bared his heart in the final performance of what would have been such a big part of his life on stage in front of so many people. Or maybe he is just really modest and shy and can't believe that people actually want his autograph.

Oh and another note, at how funny the accents were. I know that it had to be watered down for American audiences, but I didn't think it would be that watered down. I'm sure it's a real laugh for any Brits who go see the Broadway show.

As I got settled into my unexpectedly wonderful seat, I asked the two women sitting beside me if they had seen the show before. They responded that they had not, they were on holiday from Mexico City and had heard that Billy was great so they were excited to get to see it (they ended up loving it, by the way. which i always love to see :D ). I told them that it was my fourth performance of the show (they thought this was a lot, but it's really not when you're a Billy Freak like me and when a measly four shows is compared to you crazy lot!) and that they were in for a special treat tonight as it was one of the Billy's final shows. When Stephen Daldry walked out on the stage, no one in my area seemed to know who he was (though I cheered enough for all of them and I heard plenty of cheers from the Orchestra, where the Billy fans who were a tad wealthier resided, haha) but as soon as he said that he was the director of the show, everyone perked up a bit, knowing that he would only be here for a good reason. As he explained that it was Dayton's last show ever, I already started to tear up a bit, thinking of how far he had come since Sydney. Daldry gave a really nice speech about how Dayton was so important to the company and how all would miss him. He thanked Dayton's family for allowing him to be a part of the Billy community for so long and that they were in the audience tonight. Those who had come to the show for the first time knew that they were in for treat and so the energy of the audience was immediately at a high as the show began.

Stars Look Down was sung beautifully by the cast as always, and Dayton's voice was beautiful. He sang it really well and I didn't hear any strain on his voice. It was a great way to start the show. One thing I noticed during Dayton's opening song though is that when he was jumping/skipping/whatever it is he does while singing, he went a bit too far to the right and nearly jumped into the wall. He didn't though, and he didn't react either, and all was fine.
Shine and Grandma's Song were wonderful, with Emily Skinner and Carole Shelley being just as wonderful as they had been previously in the day. The only difference was that they got much more of a reaction out of the audience during this performance. Grandma's "I would never be sober" and "he was a complete...bastard" barely got any reaction during the matinee, but received many laughs at night. Emily Skinner's Mrs Wilkinson was perfectly sarcastic and her comedic timing ensured that I was able to enjoy the dialogue even though I knew what was being said.
The 'keeping the peace' skit was amusing, I love the choreography of that part, it's a small bit but I'm glad that it was kept in the show.
Solidarity was spectacular. I applaud the members of the ensemble for their many parts, for they really are the backbone of the show and don't get enough credit for all they do. I loved the contrast of the miners against the police with the innocence of the children and the choreography is brilliant. However, because my last Aussie show was so long ago (why did Billy leave Australia???!!!!!! :evil: ) and because I have seen so many promotions/videos for the Broadway show, I don't have a great memory of a lot of the changes from BETMOZ. I think the Solidarity choreography was different when they were all lined up on chairs with Billy in the middle, but I don't really remember. Help me out, Aussies! Well from my seat I could see Solidarity very well, it is best viewed from the Mezz and I was in the centre so I really had a great view for this number. A funny little thing that I've always thought of whenever I hear Solidarity is the fact that the line "when you were on the picket line, we went and ____ your missus" is immediately followed by "all of us at once" and whenever I hear it I always hear it as if it's one long sentence instead of "all of us at once" just being a call for the others to sing. Does anyone else think of this? Is it intentional or do I just have a bad mind? haha, anyway..
I love the contrasts of more upbeat songs with intense scenes or sad songs, like Express against Tony and Dad's fight, the Letter/Born to Boogie and Solidarity with Dad finding out about Billy's dancing. It really shows that while there may be happier moments in life, harsh reality is always right there to be dealt with. The stark contrast of a big Broadway-esque number like Express being brought down to reality so immediately reminds us that you can't escape life it is these intense moments of truth that makes BETM so real and raw at the core. This of course also works the other way - that while there is harsh reality to face, being oneself and using imagination and the love of something (in Billy's case ballet) can allow one to release themselves from truth, even if just for a little bit, to enjoy the little moments of joy.
So we are all brought down to earth with a "thud" as Billy's father slams the door of the boxing hall in finding his son in a ballet class. Dayton's "you're a bastard" was so intense and right in his Dad's face, their noses were pretty much touching. There was a moment of silence before the "ooh, s**t" which got lots of laughs.
During the mat, because I was so close to the stage and also on the right, I noticed something on the inside of the toilet stall which I thought was very funny. Written on the inside of the door was written "Mrs Wilkinson is an ignorant cow" which I thought was a great little detail for them to add. I love little things that add authenticity even if it's not blatantly shown or said.
Express was just wonderful. I love every one I see as it's just so much fun and it's always a little bit different with the different boys performing. I loved Neil's operatic "that's me" when Billy says "Michaaaael!" and his flair in general. Michael is my favourite character and he never fails to make me smile. The Aus show didn't have the giant dancing dresses (and pants, haha) as that is very Broadway, but it certainly added to the fun and was ridiculous in a great way. "Only women's clothing allowed!!" :D I loved that after Billy and the dresses left the stage, Michael came back on to get more applause from the audience (it worked too) and he did his own little dance to the end of the music. It really let Michael get the applause he deserved for just himself. I preferred Jake's end dance because he just seemed to have a bit more presence and energy but Neil was great as well and any kid playing Michael is bound to be just FABULOUS, darling.
Tony trying to leave with the crowbar was heartbreaking and terrifying. Will Chase is perfect for Tony.
I have a question, is Billy's Star Trek Annual authentic? It probably is because BETM is usually flawless, but I am just curious if anyone knows.
The Letter was so beautiful and Dayton sang it very well. I thought that he might break during the Letter a bit emotionally but he kept strong and professional. A moment in the Letter that I love is when Billy puts his hand up to his mother's cheek. It's just such a touching moment.
I'd heard about the skipping/tapping in Born to Boogie but had never even seen a clip of it so it was one of the few things that I wasn't sure what to expect. I'd also heard that it had often messed up, but in both the matinee and evening performance it was done perfectly and the rope didn't get caught at all. I thought it was really cool and innovative choreography and it was performed flawlessly by both Peter and Dayton as well as Thommie (who is just amazing all-round). It looked really difficult and I was very impressed that the boys were able to pull it off. Dayton added a few more tricks to the skipping than Peter, like moving the rope around him in different ways (I don't really know the terminology for what he did, sorry). I didn't think it was any better or worse than the ballet bar that was used in the Australian production, they are just different. I loved both. I do think the spinning ballet bar was a bit more flowing with Born to Boogie's motto of movement as characters spun and danced all around the stage, though you can't say that the Broadway version is any less impressive, the skipping looked much more difficult and they were going unbelievably fast. Peter did the Billy jump off of the piano at the end of the number, but Dayton didn't even get on to the piano, instead he just did a pirouette on the spot. I wondered if he was getting over an injury or if it was preventative of one. I know we're not supposed to question that on the forum but I just thought I would mention that he didn't do a jump off of the piano. I had hoped that one of the boys would do a flip off the piano, but oh well (they do enough as it is!).
Dayton's response to Debbie's infamous inquiry was a long pause of staring at her before responding with a "nah". I have to say that I personally preferred Peter's open display of what he was thinking in his expression, as it was just funnier to see him look initially shocked and then contemplate taking up her offer before deciding to turn it down. I didn't see such a clear display of Billy's emotions with Dayton, but perhaps that was because I was a bit further away.
Angry Dance. My favourite number of the show. Any Angry Dance I see will lead me to tears and an involuntary jump to my feet, and these were no exception. I mentioned in Part 1 that Peter's Angry Dance was surprising because you wouldn't expect such a loud, aggressive sound from such a tiny little person (though I neglect to admit that at the stage door Peter wasn't all that much shorter than me :? ) who looked so vulnerable up until this point in the show. Also, he was so lovely at the stage door, it felt like it was a different person screaming profanities at the top of his lungs just an hour before. Dayton was FIERCE. His tapping was great and his aggression was through the roof. I also noticed here that he didn't climb on top of the bit of wall when two guys carry it on their shoulders and spin it around.
Though while I liked the Broadway Angry Dance, it does not match that of the Australian production. Nothing struck me to the core like the Melbourne Angry Dance. It's just...more. I think the music was more intense and layered, and the boys didn't hold back as far as swearing goes (but I think that's just Australian culture not caring as much as Americans do in regards to sensitivity of language...though there is still plenty of swearing in the rest of the show). I much prefer the Australian choreography of Billy's dance when the police are hitting the shields, and I loved that Billy walked to the back of the stage and screamed to end the number, with the stage going black. I think that it is important for the show to go out with a "BANG" instead of the lights remaining on and Billy awkwardly walking off stage. Dayton gave a bit of a death stare to the audience, but I think that it wasn't quite dramatic enough to end the scene. Oh, and another difference is that in Aus, Billy wasn't in the box for as long as they are on Broadway. I thought it was too long, especially as you have to be in the centre of the audience to be able to see Billy in the box, and it went on for too long. Billys in Australia also climbed back out the top of the box instead of going through a "door" (just a little interesting detail I thought I'd add). I thought that the Aus show was longer too, though I am probably wrong because don't they use the same music? I wonder how different the London version is. Although, I am very biased because I saw my first shows in the Australian production, before I had known what to expect and memorised every movement and word of the show, haha. I also hadn't seen Trent's performance on the Tony Awards a bazillion times then and become a bit desensitised to the intensity of that scene.

Okay, I'm finally moving on to the second half - the second half of my essay! ;)
Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher was SO much more, well, Broadway. The costumes were great and there was just so much going on that it was a feast for the eyes. It is scenes like this that allow frequent Billy-goers to see something new every time. Michael and Tall Boy in their costumes were hilarious (unfortunately I don't remember what they were but I remember it was funny) The ballet girls in the mining costumes were adorable, and Small Boy in the police costume is one of the cutest things I have ever seen. The GIANT Maggie Thatcher was hilarious. You can definitely tell that Broadway has a bigger budget, haha.
Deep into the Ground was a little bit disappointing for me. I wasn't that crazy about Greg's voice to be honest. It seemed like he rushed into the song a bit. Dayton sang his bit in a lower key, but his voice was still straining a bit. I don't know why he didn't just sing in head voice, but oh well.
Michael got another many laughs for his tutu lines, the nutcracker line, and the Barbie the Nurse bit. I loved how there was a dramatic pause after Barbie and then "the nurse" had a giant echo, hahaha.
Swan Lake was stunning. Both Peter and Dayton danced their hearts out, and they were exquisite. It is interesting that the only person really linking the Broadway and Australian shows I saw was Stephen Hanna. He was in all of the shows that I saw and the only one in both the Aus and Broadway shows (that I saw; I didn't get to see Dayton while Billy was in Melbourne). I never understand how the boys are able to spin across the stage (what's the name for it?) at the end of Swan Lake and end up so close to their Dad's face without ever running into him. How are they that precise every time?
The only thing I really didn't like has been discussed on several topics in the forum, and that is that Dad actually ends up going to work in the mines for a day instead of just almost becoming a scab. I don't really need to discuss it here as there is another thread for the issue. He Could Go And He Could Shine was strange as I am so used to He Could Be A Star, but I didn't mind it. It didn't seem contrived as I thought it might.
The Royal Ballet audition on the stage was hilarious. Greg is such a comedian. I love how he tried to climb up onto the box seats and how he inched across the stage to get a cigarette from the Scottish dancer. I much preferred the bogan guy from Watanobby but that's because it's a cultural thing that Australians would connect to more than a Swedish guy. I don't know why a Swedish guy was chosen for the US show though.
The father of Tall Boy was HILARIOUS. How he spoke and laughed was just so so so funny. How he kept throwing his head back in silent laughter. I'm laughing just remembering it.
I liked when the RBS girls and Tall Boy were walking across the stage and looked down at Billy in unison.
Electricity was obviously incredible as always. Peter did a ballet dance and Dayton obviously did the one with a bit more hip hop, but I was surprised at how much of the ballet dance he did and how good he was at it. But he has been playing Billy for a long time, and he picks up dance very quickly in his nature, especially as he has been rehearsing and learning so much for Billy. His final "fancy pirouettes" as I call them as I don't know their proper name were excellent, and he even did the thing where you put your arms above your head and continue spinning that ballet geniuses David and Kiril did (but Peter didn't do and I don't think Trent did either, I don't know about any of the other boys) - clearly I don't know much of the technical side of ballet but it sure looked impressive and hard to do! Peter didn't break character after his dance but instead looked out into the audience with a straight face, which I actually prefer to Billys who break character. Dayton grinned a little bit at the applause and standing O but it was his last show, so who would care that he did? I was actually really surprised that he hadn't broken character yet or teared up a bit. He was very professional.
Once We Were Kings was beautifully sung by the cast as always. The Letter Reprise was heartbreaking not just within itself as it always is, but because it was the first time Dayton started to crack a bit. As he was singing his part he started to choke on his words and he had difficulty making out the words as he was crying. He did make the words out though and managed to pull himself together after that bit. It wasn't obvious though that it was Dayton crying and not Billy to first time viewers; he was very professional throughout the show. At least he didn't start crying in Express or Angry Dance or something, haha.
I was expecting "see ya, Dayton" and "see ya, Neil" but they didn't use their own names. Does this not happen anymore, because I know that it used to. I don't think that first time viewers would mind as long as they knew it was his last show. Billy's kiss to Michael was sweet as always and got a lot of 'awww's in both shows. Everyone that I could see was standing up at the curtain drop. Finale was really fun, Dayton really gave it his all and Small Boy brought out flowers for him at the final bow. After the final curtain drop you could hear loud cheering from the cast giving Dayton their own applause for all that he had done in BETM. He deserved a great final show and he certainly gave it all he had to make the last one worth it.
And so the Aussie Invasion of Broadway ends. But it's not the last we'll be seeing of these uber-talented boys. They will go on to great things. And Billy was just the beginning.
Here's to you, Dayton.
"She must have been a very special woman..."
"No, she was just me mam."


Melbourne: Josh D, Josh WG
Broadway: Peter, Dayton
London: Harris, Redmand, Ali x3
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billyforlife
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Re: December 2010 Reviews - NYC

Post by billyforlife »

porschesrule wrote: Don't you dare shortchange Dayton's show by trying to be brief!
Well I most certainly wasn't brief, :lol: . I just kept writing and writing. I had to write parts and continue later whenever I could find the time because I just had too much to say (I always seem to...) for any one block of time I could find, and it ended up being super super long.

If you have the time and patience to read it all, I hope you enjoy my review :)

Marissa
"She must have been a very special woman..."
"No, she was just me mam."


Melbourne: Josh D, Josh WG
Broadway: Peter, Dayton
London: Harris, Redmand, Ali x3
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