July 2010 - Reviews - London

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burtond
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July 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by burtond »

A place to post any reviews for performances in July 2010
An ex-Regular and someone who was Passionate about the show but who has now found the rest of the WEST END.
Barry Appleby
George
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Re: July 2010 - Reviews - UK London

Post by Barry Appleby »

Hi
A really big Thank You! to all the cast for a great show, Thursday matinee.
Ollie, Fleur and Jake("bad throw Billy") you were Fab. Must go now, got to belt off to Scarborough.

Barry. Bridlington
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patc
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Re: July 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by patc »

Thursday Matinee 1st July

Ollie, Jake, Fleur

When the ref blew the whistle at 2.30pm yesterday to start the game at the Victoria Stadium he failed to notice that the home team had more than 11 on the pitch. He can't have failed to notice that this team gelled together in magnificent style and the crowd responded to this thrilling performance in such fashion that, at times, some of the dialogue between the players was lost in the din. However, thankfully, those vuvuzelas were not permitted inside the stadium.

Such was the temperature created by the atmosphere that the sales of ice cream and beverages at the interval soared to an all-time high and the usual 15 minute break seemed more like 5. After the restart the team continued in the same vein with various players vying for our emotions with some magnificent intricate play that, at the final whistle, got the crowd the result they wanted. Win, Win, Win.

All were heroes on the day but the Man of the Match award goes to young Oliver Gardner who played his heart out and with delicate skills, balance, power and poise left such an impression that the crowd rose to their feet in a big standing ovation as he left the field. If the truth be told he made the game look very easy to play and I'm sure that the many youngsters in the crowd left the stadium saying to themselves, "Yeah, I can do that". Of course, it isn't that easy at all and probably none of them will ever play on that great pitch but I have no doubt they will have been inspired to develop their own talents on their own home pitches.

Also standing out were two other young but very professional players by the names of Jake Pratt and Fleur Houdijk. Bearing in mind their positions on the pitch did not bring them into play as often as Oliver you have to stand back and watch in awe at what skills they, too, have acquired to produce performances that will live in the memory of all who were present.

There were too many on the field to mention all but you couldn't help notice the manner in which young Oliver blended his skills with a tall, older lookalike player early in the second half. Someone nearby decided that this part of the game should be played out to the music of a well-known ballet by a certain Pete Chy-Kosky and this was a combination of spectacular inter-play that left everyone gasping for more.

The senior team member who has been with the team since it was formed more than five years ago belied her years and showed more than a trick or two to her younger players. Hers was an inspirational performance to those senior members in the crowd who find it hard to get up off the sofa after watching games on TV.

Another player with huge presence on the pitch, Daniel Page, has returned to play with this team after a long absence and he played several great parts in the afternoon's proceedings including a very imposing policeman at the ground but, halfway though the second half, he looked to change to being referee about to get his pencil to book Oliver for timewasting over a tape or something but, indeed, all he wanted was to kindly loan Oliver his pencil so he, Oliver, could try to display more of his outstanding talent.

On a few occasions during the game the ghost of a player from the past appeared in spirit and with great delicacy and tenderness set out to inspire young Oliver to greatness. I found this part of the game to be very moving.

What is really intriguing about this team is the manner in which players can play in positions normally played by others who are injured or unavailable so that there is no reduction in the quality of the overall team performance. If you examine the match program the names of all these players and reserves will be familiar.

During the game there were a number of magnificently staged altercations between the players and passions were aroused but there was no need for yellow or red cards and it all ended in smiles and a respect for all points of view. The mother-of-all-rows between the matriarch and the patriarch did not come to actual blows but the verbals were, undeniably, an entertainment of the highest calibre.

All-in-all this game for both entertainment and value-for-money exceeded by the proverbial mile that provided by the current games being staged in a land in the Southern Hemisphere and I look forward to witnessing a repeat performance again in the very near future.

Pat
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porschesrule
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Re: July 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by porschesrule »

Haha! Wow, Pat!

A very creative and well done review!!

Enjoyed reading it immensely.
Deanfan5
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Re: July 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by Deanfan5 »

Just a few thoughts on the Thursday evening show. A very pacey show led by no 2 MD and starring Dean, Connor, and Emily.Very well received by a very receptive and participative audience. All in no small measure due to a very positive performance by Dean. Excellent articulation of his lines from the word go and some very effective singing jam packed with emotion. A really feisty Angry Dance as well as only Dean can do. The high spot was the skipping in BTB. Dean has had problems with his skipping in the past but last night it was fast accurate and left poor Mr B gasping as he could not keep up. Well done Dean especially as I had heard that he did not particularly care for the skipping discipline. Dean is an actor first and foremost and you could see by the power of his concentration that he was really up for it to extract every nuance possible from his lines and stage opportunities. Dean was aided by an absolute first class show by Connor who turned in a really audience winning performance. The roars of applause and cheers from a gaggle of girls in the audience showed he had really melted a few hearts last night! No small wonder that Connor got a really strong ovation when he exited at the winter scene.
Well none of us are perfect but it came as a surprise that Barnaby had one or two problems with the chair and holding Dean in the dream sequence. Still it really counted for little as did Dean's stage meanderings with his spins at the end of Electricity such was the sustained overall quality on display last night.
Once again the Billy bus was mobbed by excited theatre goers at the end of the evening. The big smiles on the faces of Dean and Connor in the front seats truly exemplified that they knew that they had done a very good nights work.
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Billy Whiz
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Re: July 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by Billy Whiz »

Thanks for the reviews patc and Deanfan5.

Glad to see Daniel Page back. I always loved it in The Stars Looked Down when he walked to the front of the stage and zipped his jacket up. A small thing, I know, but I liked it :oops: I'll have to look out to see if he has the same part.

Number 2 MD is Associate Musical Director Matt Malone - and a tremendous job he does.

Reading all these wonderful reviews makes we want to get a Billy fix - but unfortunately it isn't going to happen in the near future :( :(
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burtond
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Re: July 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by burtond »

Great reviews Patc and Deanfan5.

Both quite different in style but very enjoyable and entertaining and exactly as I remember seeing the shows on Thursday.
An ex-Regular and someone who was Passionate about the show but who has now found the rest of the WEST END.
Deanfan5
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Re: July 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by Deanfan5 »

Saturday matinee.

Rhys
Joe
Fleur
Phil S as George
Romy as Grandma.

From the word go you felt this show would go with a zing and it did. On rode Joe pulled out his tongue and then roared with laughter!
It was great to see Phil as George. There is no messing about for him especially in the boxing routine even if he felt the full force of a direct hit from Michael (Joe does not mess about delivering these does he?). Phil's curtain scene is always a winner for me who has never been a fan of the political clap trap. Working up the audience with his trademark 'you daft buggers' and then straight on with the meat prize draw. It was also safe to sit in A10 as you do not get picked on :D
Rhys is a very demonstrative Billy full of fun yet exasperation and emotion. There are also some very nice touches in his line delivery. For example the way he says 'Mam left it for ME' and 'but Michael just punched you in the xxxx'.
Rhys really looked the part (probably unintentionally) with his scabby knee, bruises on his legs and shadows under his eyes which made him look as if Billy had had beforehand a really rough night out on the town. Cue switch from exasperated street wise Billy to such crestfallen emotion in The Letter leading to audience applause at the end of it which I have not heard for quite a while. Having read Jacob's comments on Rhys and his dancing technique last week and having spent last night seeing Liam at the studio adjacent to Sadlers Wells with the Rambert school, I can see why those who know better than I do what passes for good dancing can see in Rhys the makings of a very good dancer with a stylish and pure technique. I certainly saw that this afternoon especially in the dream sequence which was perfection from him and Barnaby even though the latter gave poor Rhys an almost impossible back roll to do :shock: . Such a pity though that a streetwise element creeps into his Electricity which caused a minor and I felt unnecessary stage slip for him today. Can we have the purist Ballet back for Electricity a la Liam and Ollie T or is that too much to ask? Overall a very impressive performance from Rhys aided in no small measure by further top notch performances from Joe and Fleur.
I think we were short on ensemble as the chairman of the audition had to put Billy 'on the spot' and ask him about the music that never was. On the subject of ensemble, as Phil was George we had the actor who really makes a meal out of the meal. I must confess to some reservations as I feel it is overdone and I prefer Phil's quick bite and exit.
Overall we had lots of Billy giggles and smiles from Rhys and he really knows how to send the audience home having experienced a very entertaining afternoon. Well done. It did however leave a certain ex small boy who has genuine Billy aspirations with the challenge that he now has to learn to skip on top it all. :D
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Re: July 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by Bungie »

I was lucky enough to see two evening shows on Friday 2nd. July and Saturday 3rd. July. Different Billy's but Jake as Michael and Francesca as Debbie in both performances. Firstly Aaron on Friday. He has came on leaps and bounds since his debut less than a month ago, and gave a stylish,confident performance. The rapturous applause he received from an appreciative audience was well deserved. The resulting beaming smile by way of return said it all.
On Saturday. Ollie had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand. His portrayal revealed exactly why he is such an excellent Billy. He was simply in superb form, top class, need I say more.
Jake has a natural down to earth sense of humour, and never fails to have the audience in stitches. Even for hardened BE goers who know every action and line, the laughter is inevitable. Francesca, a perfect Debbie, has such talent and it showed. She is a fine actress,and quite an accomplished dancer. She had to be to mix it with the excellent Ballet girls,who on both nights gave Billy such a torrid time initially.
The adult cast(s), collectively and individually gave it their all, and all too soon both shows came to an end. I have a kind of love/hate relationship with Finale. It heralds the end of the evening but is so good to watch. I think Genevieve Lemon is settling nicely into the role of Mrs. W.( Kate and Joanna were hard acts to follow), and can see why certain changes had to be made to accommodate her. Standing ovations for the cast on both nights - richly deserved. Here's to the next time. Apologies for the delay. I was waiting to see if others, more eloquent,would step into the breach.
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porschesrule
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Re: July 2010 - Reviews - London

Post by porschesrule »

Bungie wrote:Apologies for the delay. I was waiting to see if others, more eloquent,would step into the breach.
Bungie, please don't say that. You write very well and have highlighted everything important in the two shows you've reported on.

Thanks for the reviews and keep posting them!
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