Calgary Reviews

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porschesrule
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Re: Calgary Reviews

Post by porschesrule »

Thank you Magsalama for the great review and for your first post here (despite the fact that you've actually been around so long). It is, indeed, really nice to hear good things from Calgary.
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ERinVA
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Re: Calgary Reviews

Post by ERinVA »

A very positive review from gaycalgary.com:

http://www.gaycalgary.com/Magazine.aspx ... OU.twitter
Ellen



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


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angelenroute
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Re: Calgary Reviews

Post by angelenroute »

ERinVA wrote:A very positive review from gaycalgary.com:

http://www.gaycalgary.com/Magazine.aspx ... OU.twitter
two thumbs up for the title =)
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angelenroute
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Re: Calgary Reviews

Post by angelenroute »

Magsalama wrote:Hi everyone. While this is my first post to this forum, I have been a religious follower of it since Billy Elliot first opened in NY. I am not a veteran of Billy Elliot shows like most on here, last night only marked my third time ever seeing the show. As I live in Calgary, the only other two times I was lucky enough to see the show was on pilgrimages to NY in 2009 and 2010.
Mags, you are a superfan through and through. Great review, thank you so much for posting this! And yes, please post here anytime. No thread is ever really outdated, so pick one and say whatever you like anytime. =)

Sean
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Re: Calgary Reviews

Post by Magsalama »

Ok... so I lied when I said that my initial post I wrote a few days ago might be my one and only.

On a last minute whim, I persuaded my sister (who was just back from 5 weeks in Africa and suffering from wicked jet-lag) that going to the Billy Elliot matinee would be a great way to keep her awake and help fight off her fatigue. With less than 2 hours prior to the matinee, we couldn't buy tickets on line so we took our chances, drove to the auditorium and hoped for the best. We ended up with even better seats than I had on Thursday night, plus, due to some absentee attendees, were able to move up about 6 rows to get an even better view.

I was rewarded again by another performance by Drew, and once again, he didn't disappoint. The audience was a bit slower on the uptake this time. Always appreciate, but they didn't have their heart and souls in it "instantaneously"... it took about 15 minutes for them to really wake up. I love seeing how each audience is different. The biggest applause in the first act was Grandma's "We'd Go Dancing" scene. Patti Perkins is just such a spark, no matter how many times you've seen it, it's still a shock when these obscenities come flying out of sweet innocent Grandma's mouth. The audience REALLY loved her.

Poor Sam dropped the polaroid during "Express Yourself" and it broke into 4 or 5 pieces and rolled over the stage and almost right into the orchestra pit. Nonetheless, Sam and Drew just carried on as though nothing went wrong. The other accolade I forgot to mention in Thursday's performance (and todays) was giving due credit to Small Boy. His "Jesus" push-ups and one-liners throughout the show always got a great response from the audience.

The absolute biggest laugh of the show this go round was the "Esquire" line. That brought the entire house down. There were a few other odd lines that actually garnered applause from the audience. It helps that "Dad" waits for so long before screaming it really add to the hilarity of the line. The second biggest laugh was the interaction between Dad and Scottish Dancer. There was one fellow sitting not too far away from me that I thought was about to have a heart attack... it took him a while to recover.

This has probably been discussed LONG ago, but I do miss not having the pants come into the Express Yourself scene, where Michael keeps ushering them off stage every time they make an appearance with the dresses. I'm not sure if they have ever been in the touring portion, but, well, I miss the pants! They might have done away with them when they went from dresses dancing to mannequins (is that what they are) dancing. Anyway - just a side note there.

I am ecstatic to report that Billy flew tonight. It was another reason I got the urge to splurge again on the show. I didn't want my (perhaps) last ever show to not have the flying portion of the Dream Ballet scene. This was the first time the audience (not all, but a lot of them) gave a standing ovation. It left me with a massive lump in my throat. In fact, I was a bit weepy the entire show, I think because perhaps I know this might be the last time I get a chance to see it as there don't seem to be any touring stops past June.

The audience also reacted with collective "awwwws" (as in, "aw, isn't that cute") during the two Michael and Billy scenes where they kiss each other's cheek. I thought that was really great there was such a verbal response to the sweetness of the moment. In red-neck Alberta, you're never sure what the reaction might be, but it was extremely positive.

Drew's "Electricity" was even more on fire than on Thursday's show (and Thursday's show was near perfection). Once again, I was waiting for his limbs to fly right off his body. His energy was infectious and while not all of the audience gave him a standing ovation, the thunderous applause made up for those who happened to be cemented into their seats. And not to worry, because once the final ensemble number was done, the entire theatre was on their feet cheering and whistling and applauding the entire cast.

My sister was hugely impressed by what she saw. She was with me in NY when I saw Kiril's final show, but couldn't get a ticket as they were sold out (and I'd bought a single wanting to make sure I got that show). She enjoyed it so much she wanted to get a photo with Billy and Mrs Wilkinson for a donation to Broadway Cares charities. I think I can post those in the photo gallery, I'll see if I have the brains to figure that out.

Anyway, sad to see Billy leaving Calgary but happy I was able to see it twice while it was here. Thanks for your comments everyone!

Cheers / Mags
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maria
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Re: Calgary Reviews

Post by maria »

Thanks for your wonderful reviews Mags - As others have noted, it's great to have a superfan on site to give feedback on audience reaction and other stuff.

To answer your questions, I do believe the dancing pants disappeared when the large size dresses were replaced with the smaller ones when the Tour underwent its overhaul last year. By the way, the dancing pants first appeared on Broadway, (or maybe Australia?) as they were never seen in the original West End production which has always had the giant dancing dresses.

And to post photos to the gallery all you need to do is send your photos to our gallery admin -
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.
Again, thanks for your wonderful reviews! Glad you got to see Billy fly in Calgary as well!
maria
<- A new use for the Billy Bag!!!
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ERinVA
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Re: Calgary Reviews

Post by ERinVA »

So glad you got to see the show again, Mags, and glad Billy flew this time. :D

Thanks for your great reviews. Is there any chance you might work out a trip to Hartford for the final show of the tour? Those of us who will be there would love to meet you. :D
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.
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angelenroute
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Re: Calgary Reviews

Post by angelenroute »

Magsalama wrote:Poor Sam dropped the polaroid during "Express Yourself" and it broke into 4 or 5 pieces and rolled over the stage and almost right into the orchestra pit. Nonetheless, Sam and Drew just carried on as though nothing went wrong.

WOW!!! See, you were meant to be there to chronicle this! =) Sorry to hear it, Sam but may be a first!

The audience also reacted with collective "awwwws" (as in, "aw, isn't that cute") during the two Michael and Billy scenes where they kiss each other's cheek. I thought that was really great there was such a verbal response to the sweetness of the moment. In red-neck Alberta, you're never sure what the reaction might be, but it was extremely positive.

I've occasionally heard some bad reactions from the students in the mezzanine at The Imperial, and have heard stories of the rare walkout, but a tidbit like this one makes me so happy. :)
Great review, Mags, so happy you got to see the show (and Drew) again! :D

Sean
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LiamM
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Re: Calgary Reviews

Post by LiamM »

Magsalama wrote:I thought that was really great there was such a verbal response to the sweetness of the moment. In red-neck Alberta, you're never sure what the reaction might be, but it was extremely positive.
Ah, Canada, where even our rednecks are sensitive! Reminds me of "The Last Sensitive Cowboy" by The Arrogant Worms.
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