June 2015 Reviews - Netherlands

[jtsw1]

Hi everyone,

I'm back from the netherlands, having seen the shows from 2nd to 4th June, and wanted to share my two cents with you. First of all, I was delighted how easy it is to get there by train from the ruhr area (if you book early and for weekdays you get an almost empty and very comfortable ICE from Duisburg to Utrecht for 19 Euros and a good IC to Den Haag included in the price as well!), so there's no excuse for me to not come back as often as I can while it lasts. And I hope it lasts long!

As most of you should know by now, the production is basically the same as in London and almost as good, with a few reasonable changes for the dutch audience (the audition, for example; great idea!). The ensemble is perfect: you get that Billy-family-feeling just as much as in London, and everyone really lives his/her role. The theater being located at the sea makes it an overall nice holiday experience, and there are even cheap but good hotels around the corner. The historical city of Den Haag is worth a visit, too.

Some other observations:
- I was amazed by Angry Dance - I always thought the original version lacked something, but couldn't point out what exactly. And here I was, experiencing it just the way it should be, with the only exception that the Billys don't scream as loudly and powerful as they do in London - if they did, it would be perfect!

- "He could be a star" is much better than in London. Dad actually goes on the bus, and Tall Boy spits at Tony's feet. There's more tragedy and emotion and conflict here.

- Dennis Willekens/Mr Braithwaite is a comic genius. He had the audience at his feet every night.

- Floris and Michiel did a perfect job with the role of Michael: being funny and childish while at the same time adding just the amount of melancholy the role needs. Floris was performing with his brother Carlos, and from my seat it looked like he actually kissed him on the mouth in the winter scene.

- Lavita did an outstanding job as Debbie. It was actually the first time I really felt pity for her.

- The ballet girls were perfect. Great job!

- I don't speak Dutch, so I didn't get all the jokes in the raffle. It was still funny, though. All three shows were done by George understudy Marc Dollevoet, and he was great.

- The Billys were close to perfection. Espcially Stijn. Such a tiny little boy - with so much energy and skill! His Electricity felt absolutely pure and raw and authentic, his face actually being an angry one during the act. No signs of exhaustion or something like that, just pure energy and emotion. Amazing! And he didn't smile at the end as far as I can remember. I know some don't like that but I think it's perfect for the character. Carlos and Tydo also only smiled after a while of applause and just for a short moment, that felt very real and nice, too.

- One negative comment should be allowed: It's a shame that the Billys don't kneel in front of the banner at the end. I'd really like to know the director's thoughts on that decision...

I think I'll be back at the end of July. Would really like to see Roan and Svenno before they retire for this year. Fingers crossed!

[thm]

... from Duisburg to Utrecht for 19 Euros and a good IC to Den Haag included in the price as well!)...

Potzblitz! Now I'm jealous! The standard return price between Schipool and Den Haag alone is 20 € If I were you, I'd become a regular commuter.

- "He could be a star" is much better than in London. Dad actually goes on the bus, ...

I don't remember the bus. Is that new?

[jtsw1]

@thm: Well, for the 19-Euro-fare you have to book months in advance. But even 29 euros (the next step-up in price-range) is cheap for that distance, I guess, so, yeah you're right, I'm lucky and I'd have to go more often. Hotel and theatre are expensive for me, though, and there's always the time-issue...

To clarify the "bus": There's no actual bus to be seen, of course, but my understanding of that scene is that the scabs enter the bus to work, as it is depicted in the movie. In London Jackie is prevented from entering it, and in Scheveningen Tony fails to prevent him and Jackie actually becomes a scab. I read that that wouldn't be realistic, though, but overall I think the scene works better that way, escpecially with the "this and this"-bit afterwards.

[ERinVA]

I believe that the differences seen between the NL production and the London production are a result of the choice in the Netherlands to use some variations of scenes from the Broadway show instead of the London show.

The "bus" doesn't exist in any form in the London show. Jackie simply enters the mining compound through a gate in the "fence" (which is lowered onto the stage from the flyloft), on the other side of which the miners are picketing. Tony, seeing Jackie enter, screams at him to stop and jumps the fence to go after him.

In the Broadway version, three sections of fencing are brought onto the stage by members of the ensemble and moved around, first to resemble a "bus" in which the scabs, including Jackie, arrive, and then to become the fencing around the compound, which separates the scabs inside from the protesters outside. When Tony sees Jackie get off the "bus" inside the compound, he goes after him to stop him from working as a scab. In the Broadway version of the scene, in which the song is called "He Could Go and He Could Shine," the tall boy does spit at Tony's feet (the whole family is now "tainted" by Jackie's action), and Billy runs in to try to break up the fight between Tony and Dad, getting knocked to the ground in the process.

In the Broadway version of "Angry Dance," there is much more involvement of the ensemble in creating an impression of the chaos going on around Billy as the miners and police riot.

The Broadway audition scene does not involve Billy facing the panel, but instead facing "out into the auditorium," represented by a very clever backdrop, where presumably the members of the panel are sitting. There are other students on the stage with Billy, waiting their turn to be brought forward and follow the panel's instructions.

Obviously, having not seen the NL production, I can't say whether these differences have all actually been brought over from the Broadway show or not. But, so far as I know, the set that is used is the one from Broadway, including the giant lighted BILLY sign at the curtain call.

[jtsw1]

Yes, you're right, Ellen.

[thm]

In the NL production they also use that red china-town-entrance-gate like stage portal that I recognise from the tour (Portland). I always wondered why.

I always understood that Dad is entering the compound in the London production but doesn't get to work. Unlike fx the Norwegian production where Big Davey and other miners await Dad at his home when he returns from work - it's like a tribunal. Or Denmark where Dad goes through the gate and after work bumps into Tony before their home where they start the fight.