Gala performance - Elton John

kport
Site Moderator
Site Moderator
Posts: 7205
Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2011 11:54 pm

Re: Gala performance - Elton John

Post by kport »

More people in the EU's 27 nations speak English than German as a first or second languages. If a tour of most EU countries is envisaged, then English is the common language.

And the most genuine. If I were a Latvian with six years of English study in school, I would prefer to hear Shakespeare in English if the RSC comes to my country....

Are you American? Things are different in Europe.
User avatar
PaulWilly
Ballet Girl
Posts: 235
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:04 pm
Location: Verden/Aller, Germany

Re: Gala performance - Elton John

Post by PaulWilly »

kport, you might have misunderstood: There is no doubt about it, that if BETM would go on tour on the European Continent, it should of course be an Original UK Cast, doing it in English of course - as it is first foreighn language nearly everywhere and would be whidely understood - at least by the more educated people.

Just Germany, like the other big Countries in Europe, does have its own very successfull productions of most of the internationally renowned musicals (and theatre plays, operas etc. etc. alike) - running successfully in German musical theatres for years and years. So, why should BETM be an exception - why couldn't they do as the Koreans did?

But I would think this is not the proper thread to discuss this, as it is on the fantastic Gala performance! So we better talk about this in the "Where will 'BETM' play next?" thread:
http://www.billyelliottheforum.me.uk/fo ... 67&start=0

(Just on spoken languages btw: yes, you are right, English is foreign language No 1 for most of us in the European Union, but only the 59 Million in the UK and to a certain extent 4,5 Million Irish have English as their mother tongue - German is mother tongue for 82 million Germans + ca. 10 Million Austrians + ca. 4,6 Million of the Switzerland people.)
“It is a great show that people do come and see. Because it's not
just a show for adults, or just for children, or just for people that
like theatre, I'd say for everyone, and it's got so much emotion
behind it. Because who ever comes and sees it, feels the story -
so I think: it's brilliant!" (GM)
User avatar
dongringo
Debbie
Posts: 1037
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2011 5:40 am
Location: Rain

Re: Gala performance - Elton John

Post by dongringo »

Funny, in the San Antonio thread I posted census statistics and the fact that English is a second language or not spoken by many of the residents in that area only in order to show roughly how many people would even be interested in seeing the show there and the post was deleted. But it's ok to talk about if it's based in the EU? Interesting.
.......__o
.......\ <,
....( )/ ( )
Todd
Dad
Posts: 1664
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:05 am
Location: Kansas City, USA

Re: Gala performance - Elton John

Post by Todd »

dongringo wrote:Funny, in the San Antonio thread I posted census statistics and the fact that English is a second language or not spoken by many of the residents in that area only in order to show roughly how many people would even be interested in seeing the show there and the post was deleted. But it's ok to talk about if it's based in the EU? Interesting.
Yeah, that does seem strange it would be deleted, since you're stating a simple fact based on credible statistics.
User avatar
ERinVA
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 17964
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:33 am
Location: Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

Re: Gala performance - Elton John

Post by ERinVA »

Nothing has been deleted. We don't delete posts; we withdraw them.

I found your post, dongringo. It was not in the San Antonio thread, but in the US/CA Tour Schedule thread. Here it is:
dongringo wrote:
kport wrote:
BillyBob wrote:I've been watching the tickets sales for San Antonio. You could just about pick any seat in the theater on any day for the second week of the stay. I wonder if they just did not want to fight low ticket sales for Easter week and weekend?
Quite possibly. It is beginning to look as though the one week pattern is proving to be the most successful, in terms of filled theatres, in medium sized cities. SA has 1.33 million, so it should be able to support a second week, but it is up against Holy Week and I am never certain how 'certain cities' might 'take' to the message of BETM - whether there is enough support for a second week.
San Antonio was 63.2% hispanic according to the 2010 census (the correct percentage is larger), a large portion of which either doesn't speak English, doesn't speak English fluently, or speaks English as a second language. This would cut the able English theater going population down significantly. Of course there are the suburbs and nearby Austin which would raise the number of English speakers. My guess is there are approximately 1.5 million in the area who would be able to understand the show. Just a guess.
But in any case, as PaulWilly said, this thread is not the place for this discussion, as it is about the Gala Performance.
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
dongringo
Debbie
Posts: 1037
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2011 5:40 am
Location: Rain

Re: Gala performance - Elton John

Post by dongringo »

ERinVA wrote:But in any case, as PaulWilly said, this thread is not the place for this discussion, as it is about the Gala Performance.
Oops, sorry, my fault.
.......__o
.......\ <,
....( )/ ( )
User avatar
ERinVA
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 17964
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:33 am
Location: Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

Re: Gala performance - Elton John

Post by ERinVA »

I knew it had to be somewhere around here... ;) :D

The discussion about the show coming to Germany is ongoing in this thread: http://www.billyelliottheforum.me.uk/fo ... 017#p73017
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
porschesrule
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 9368
Joined: Fri Jun 12, 2009 2:02 am
Location: Rhode Island, USA

Re: Gala performance - Elton John

Post by porschesrule »

The BETMUK website has been updated with a recap of the Gala festivities:

http://billyelliotthemusical.com/london ... rformances
alexmom
Audience Member
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2012 6:22 am

Re: Gala performance - Elton John

Post by alexmom »

Just a comment from Alex Ko's mom... Alex's family is in London for a month because Alex's mom's was issued a special invitation to King's College. Alex was invited to the gala because he was in town. The company did not make any special arrangements - he was not flown in specially for the event. The Billy Elliot production, management, and PR really do care about each Billy - they really are a special family. Wishing continued success for the West End production, as well as the US Tour!! We're particularly excited that the tour will stop in Des Moines!!
cglaid
Small Boy
Posts: 86
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:43 pm

Re: Gala performance - Elton John

Post by cglaid »

Anyone find a video of the curtain call yet?
Post Reply

Return to “Special Shows - London”