London and NYC versions of the show

User avatar
athadj
Miner
Posts: 431
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 5:44 pm
Location: Athens,Greece

London and NYC versions of the show

Post by athadj »

Billy Whiz wrote:
ERinVA wrote:
Typically the one scene I wish would change - He Could be a Star, prior to the audition stubbornly remains the same, yet I find the New York version vastly superior.
I can't speak for the other changes that have been made in London since I saw the show last year, but I completely agree with this. The NY version is much better.
Whilst I do like the New York version, the thing that has always concerned me about it is if Billy's dad went back to work for even one day he would be branded a scab - end of story.
I have been thinking about this ever since I saw the Broadway version last month. But since this is the first time I've actually seen it discussed here I decided to start a new topic instead of writing my thoughts on the London reviews section.

I had heard that the NY version was different but, I have to admit, I was a bit shocked to find out that the second part is like watching a different show! The panto scene I knew would be different which makes sense, a bit more Americanized let's say but fine by me. But "He could could be a star" is a completely different scene with different meaning. Yes it is more dramatic and the fact that Billy gets involved makes it even more so and I was tempted to say that I prefer it that way too. But I would have to agree with Billy Whiz on that. In the movie Jackie does not go back to work, Tony stops him, and there is a reason for that. I'm sorry but more dramatic or not, it really changes the meaning of the scene and I don't agree with that.
Another big difference that comes to mind would be the audition scene. Why is there no dancing during the audition? Again in the movie Billy has some medical tests and then goes on to audition by dancing. And it does makes sense for a boy that auditions for the RBS to actually do some dancing....So once again why change this scene so much (even though I have to admit I loved the set design of that scene).
Don't get me wrong, I loved the Broadway show and so did both my Billy virgin friends that were with me, one of which said it was "The best thing she's ever seen" :D I just don't get why the big changes, the ones that change part of the plot.
The small ones like some of the words or dialogue to be more easily understood by a mostly American audience I didn't mind, even though I'm more used to the original version, I can undesrtand and I'm fine with.
I also loved "Express" it looks fantastic and really wish they could do it like that in London as well. Regarding 'Angry Dance" the part I was more afraid I wouldn't like, I actually enjoyed the first part of it more, the part that Billy taps in the "bedroom". It's longer and more intense than in London. But I still believe that there is too much going on after that with all the people and the doors and....well all that's going on up there. And no "C'mon Billy"..... Now that was saaaaad :(
Athina

London
Liam x 1, Ollie x 4, Dean x 11, Rhys x 8, Aaron x 4, Scott x 9, Josh x 10, Ryan x 10, Adam x 6, Kaine x 7, Harris x 6, Harrison x 2
New York
Peter x 1
User avatar
ERinVA
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 17964
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:33 am
Location: Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

Re: London and NYC versions of the show

Post by ERinVA »

I don't know that it is definitive that he goes back to work in the NY version. I have never felt it was. It's true that for a while they had a policeman accompany Jackie on stage as he comes back to the miners' hall, but that is no longer in the show. So how do we know that he did actually cross the picket line? I'm not saying he didn't go there in the bus with the scabs (he clearly does that in the movie too), but I think whether he went to work is ambiguous. Maybe I just don't want to think he did. But if he did, that just shows even more strongly his commitment to Billy's dream. It's a desperate choice.
Ellen



"I don't want people who want to dance; I want people who have to dance.”
-George Balanchine 1904 -1983


To follow the forum's Twitter at http://twitter.com/BEForum, click on the direct link in Applies to All Forums above.
User avatar
Billy Whiz
Gallery Admin
Gallery Admin
Posts: 5537
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2009 11:26 pm
Location: England

Re: London and NYC versions of the show

Post by Billy Whiz »

ERinVA wrote:I don't know that it is definitive that he goes back to work in the NY version.
This was discussed in depth a while ago and johnnyc got it from the "horses mouth".

It is all cleared up in the first post at the following link.

http://www.billyelliottheforum.me.uk/fo ... lit=daldry
.
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.
andrewcraig
Tony
Posts: 709
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 8:33 pm
Location: Melbourne Australia

Re: London and NYC versions of the show

Post by andrewcraig »

when I go to your link I get


No posts exist inside this topic for the selected time frame.

I have never had a problem with other boards maintaining all the archives

What is the cost of doing so for this board


It drives me crazy.
User avatar
Billy Whiz
Gallery Admin
Gallery Admin
Posts: 5537
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2009 11:26 pm
Location: England

Re: London and NYC versions of the show

Post by Billy Whiz »

There should not be a problem with this archive either. I logged out and was still able to follow the link.

Try again later and see if it works then.
.
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.
User avatar
athadj
Miner
Posts: 431
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 5:44 pm
Location: Athens,Greece

Re: London and NYC versions of the show

Post by athadj »

andrewcraig wrote:when I go to your link I get


No posts exist inside this topic for the selected time frame.

I have never had a problem with other boards maintaining all the archives

What is the cost of doing so for this board


It drives me crazy.
The link works fine for me.

I was pretty sure that this must have been discussed before but as I'm on this forum for less than a year I couldn't really know. Yes, it's obvious Jackie goes to work. And my objection isn't really so much "would his friends accept him or not?" A screenwriter is free to take a few liberties. But why change the script in the first place?
Athina

London
Liam x 1, Ollie x 4, Dean x 11, Rhys x 8, Aaron x 4, Scott x 9, Josh x 10, Ryan x 10, Adam x 6, Kaine x 7, Harris x 6, Harrison x 2
New York
Peter x 1
User avatar
porschesrule
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 9368
Joined: Fri Jun 12, 2009 2:02 am
Location: Rhode Island, USA

Re: London and NYC versions of the show

Post by porschesrule »

The link worked fine for me also.
User avatar
ERinVA
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 17964
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:33 am
Location: Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

Re: London and NYC versions of the show

Post by ERinVA »

We do maintain our archive, andrewcraig. Every thread that has ever been started on this forum is either still active or in the Archive. Nothing has been deleted. As far as I can tell, there is no problem with the link. It works fine for me as well.
Ellen



"I don't want people who want to dance; I want people who have to dance.”
-George Balanchine 1904 -1983


To follow the forum's Twitter at http://twitter.com/BEForum, click on the direct link in Applies to All Forums above.
Todd
Dad
Posts: 1664
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:05 am
Location: Kansas City, USA

Re: London and NYC versions of the show

Post by Todd »

I was under the impression all this time that Jackie did go to work with the scabs, even in the movie version. Even though Tony stopped him, I always figured it was just for Jackie to explain why he was going back to work - that he had to do it for Billy - even though it went against everything he believed in regarding crossing the picket line. When Tony hugged him, I felt it was his way of saying, "I support your decision and I understand why you're doing this."
User avatar
StevenKing
Mrs Wilkinson
Posts: 1498
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:03 am
Location: palm springs,usa

Re: London and NYC versions of the show

Post by StevenKing »

In the movie he is stopped before he does something he can't be forgiven for. I think it was changed on broadway to make it more shocking and it succeeds BUT it can only be done here, in the UK the cultural differences would get too much disdain for Dad and he wouldn't be forgiven in the eyes of the audiences( never mind the miners). At first it didn't work well here either till Greg started to bawl he was sorry later on.I don't think even with that it'd work in London. USA just isn't as hard core union anymore(public unions are getting SLAMMED right now in press with budget cuts etc)
Locked

Return to “Archive”