March 2013 Reviews - London

[Billy Whiz]

Another terrific review Pat. I always look forward to Fridays when I can read your review of the previous day's show.

I don't know how you manage to keep coming up with a different slant but please keep it up as I'm sure I'm not the only one who loves reading them.

[Westletonion]

I don't know how you manage to keep coming up with a different slant but please keep it up as I'm sure I'm not the only one who loves reading them.

Couldn't agree more.

[patc]

Thanks for your all your kind comments. The truth of the matter is that I would not be able to write a single word without the inspiration engendered by what I see on stage at the Victoria Palace. There's a small bunch of films going back a great many years that I have watched hundreds of times for one reason and one reason only - because of what they do for my heart and soul. BETM has had a similar effect and it has never failed - not even once in all the years - regardless of who is performing on the day. Long may it continue.

Pat

[porschesrule]

A review from a blogger:

http://theatrelovers.wordpress.com/2013 ... 6-01-2013/

[patc]

Thursday 21st March - all day

Matinee:
Harris/Thomas M/Dayna

Evening:
Redmand/Joe/Millie

Buildings like the VPT are old school, designed to be tough and last a long time which is just as well because any other would have been a smouldering wreck by 10.30pm last evening. Even now, some nearly 10 hours later, I am shimmering and shaking from the vibes generated twice in the one day by a cast that is not just on fire at the moment but is like an Australian bushfire, not wildfire but one that is totally under the control of supremely talented people.

For the second week in a row the matineers were at the receiving end of a Harris-led performance. Last week he was magnificent and I doubt if any of us thought he could better that. How wrong can you be. In front of a fantastic audience of fanatical school groups he rose to the occasion in magnificent style and gave the Billy performance of his life. Goodness knows how many of those youngsters will have been inspired watching him.

It had been a while since I saw Thomas Moore but, in line with Harris, he delivered another heart-rending Michael that also reached new heights of style, comedy and pathos. My tortured eyes have not yet recovered from his rendition of that most plaintive line to Billy in the Winter scene, "Why, I'd miss ya".

As the hordes of happy patrons skipped out of the theatre at 5.30pm Harris and Thomas must have been saying to the evening cast, "Match that, boys, if you can".

You probably couldn't get two more different Billys/Michaels than Harris/Thomas and Redmand/Joe and the latter two eagerly took up the gauntlet. Before an older but equally enthusiastic audience and using different styles and techniques they got the same result. Sheer brilliance. Everything Redmand does is high class. You can sense it not just far away but close up. Super pro Joe Massey arrived on stage for Expressing to gasps of laughter from the assembled masses. He's been around a long time and I've seen him countless times but never, ever better than this. What topping had he had on his between-shows pizza? He just bounced around the stage like a rubber ball with an impish smile that quickly became infectious (I think even Redmand may have been surprised with this one). After that he had everyone eating from his little finger.

Not surpisingly, the rest of the cast were in equally fine fettle in both shows. Little Dayna and Millie both raised their games in line with those of the boys (both Toilet scenes were masterclasses) and the brilliant ballet girl group on duty danced, argued, fought, screamed, kicked and sang like their very lives depended on it.

Ann Emery did both shows and looked as if she could do three in a day and no bother. What toppings is she having on her pizzas?

Gillian Bevan was top class. She has experimented quite a bit with her acting role during her reign as Mrs. W and her current version I think has really nailed it. This is especially highlighted in the pre-Angry Dance kitchen scene and the snow scene with Dad in Part 2.

Extremely versatile Craig Armstrong was Big Davey and went at it with huge gusto and a sense of fun. Mind you, gravity had gulped down practically all of the salt before the sarnie was even half consumed.

There are lots of rumours (and some facts) floating around at the moment regarding adult cast changes coming up. Whatever newcomers come in they are going to have to work exceptionally hard to match what we are currently watching and hearing.

Pat

[patc]

Saturday 23rd March - all day

Matinee
Tade/Zach/Macy

Evening
Harris/Thomas M/Dayna

A certain Forum Member,who shall remain nameless, twisted the arms of a few of us to go to a Saturday double by way of change (more like addition ) and our thanks go to him for being responsible for us being there today to witness two fantastic shows.

The great news is that Zach returned to Michael duty in the Matinee (welcome back Zach) and continued where he had left off the last time I saw him which was only his second show. Chirpy, cheerful Zach is another great find and it will be interesting and exciting to see how this little star develops his role even further over the coming year.

The main man was Tade. His star qualities are abundantly evident. Watching him perform I was so pleased that he was brought over. It must have been quite a disappointment for him when the show closed in his native land. To get a second bite of the cherry is the best consolation even if it meant travelling thousands of miles.

Tade's dancing is superb and sharp as a blade. His acting, singing voice, voice projection, facial expressions and eyes are made for the stage. He has everything with which to ply his trade. It is easy to see why our US friends raved about him. The theatre colonnade bowed in deference. The Billy he portrayed is a gentle one. One that was able to invade the hearts of all present. I wish his Electricity and Angry Dance could have been replayed. I'd have paid double the price. At the end he was master of all he surveyed. There will be plenty of people around to dissuade him from going home too soon. The memory of this afternoon's performance will certainly not fade.

Macy was another who was superb and, like Dayna and Millie on Thursday, gave us another masterclass to remember.

The cast for the evening show was the same as we saw on Thursday matinee. I don't need to do a second review. Everything I said about Harris, Thomas Moore and Dayna can be repeated all over again. I will say this, though. On Thursday I never saw Harris smile as much and it was the same again this evening. He was having an absolute ball and the really huge and enthusiastic audience responded magnificently to that SuperSmile.

There was some extra fun attached to the matinee because it was captioned. I have seen captioned Billy shows several times before but it is still always fun to glance across every now and then to see the "naughty" words, discover how the various ballet movements and steps described by Mrs W are spelt and also to check on words you may have heard lots of times but are not sure of, like "primordial" means of expression. It was also interesting to note that Spencer Cartwright's line when he mimics Dad's song was shown on the caption board as:
"Don't fxxxing shush me".

One other thing. I have noticed only relatively recently that the audience clapping during Maggie Thatcher has almost trickled to a halt. It is nothing like as consistent as it was. This was plainly evident again at the matinee. I believe the main reason is that there was not anything like enough encouragement from the cast. People are a bit shy to become involved and need to be sure they are being asked so to do. Craig Armstrong who is particularly good at getting the audience going was otherwise engaged this week as Big Davey and holding up the mock puppet stage. Someone must have spotted this because, at the evening show, more of the cast tried to get it going. There was much improvement but still work to do.

PS It was nice to meet up with fellow Forum member Billyfan for the first time.

Pat

[angelenroute]

The main man was Tade. His star qualities are abundantly evident. Watching him perform I was so pleased that he was brought over. It must have been quite a disappointment for him when the show closed in his native land. To get a second bite of the cherry is the best consolation even if it meant travelling thousands of miles.

Tade's dancing is superb and sharp as a blade. His acting, singing voice, voice projection, facial expressions and eyes are made for the stage. He has everything with which to ply his trade. It is easy to see why our US friends raved about him. The theatre colonnade bowed in deference. The Billy he portrayed is a gentle one. One that was able to invade the hearts of all present. I wish his Electricity and Angry Dance could have been replayed. I'd have paid double the price. At the end he was master of all he surveyed. There will be plenty of people around to dissuade him from going home too soon. The memory of this afternoon's performance will certainly not fade.

I don't usually quote too much from a previous post, but I loved all of this, so I felt I had to! I think Tade was taken from us too soon, and this resurrection across the sea was meant to be!!!

[dancingboy]

18/23 March

As always it is difficult to follow a Pat review, but 'Here we go' ( as Tade would say at the beginning of Finale). Three different Billys and, to some extent, three different shows. Redmand Rance ( named by me as Rolls Royce to go with his initials), Harrison Dowzell ( similarly now named Harley Davidson and Tade Biesinger all performed admirably, even excellently, when I saw them. Redmand is a silky smooth operator who purrs his way quietly through the show, displaying a fine singing voice, acting skills beyond his twelve years, using his previous stage experience to good effect with this and his dancing. When you see him next watch for the way he will shake his head or put his head into his hands when arguments are going on between the adults, giving the impression he really is listening to and understanding all that is being said.
Neither Harrison nor Tade is quiet and they almost compete against each other to see who can screech the loudest, particularly when running up the stairs to the bedroom or during Angry Dance. The decibel levels during each others Angry Dance really do reach the heights. Angry Dance is always one of the highlights for me, since I just watch in awe as the Billys, particularly Harrison and Tade, pound the stage, with such quick feet, but still retain that ability to keep in time with the music. This however never detracts from their fine acting throughout and both use facial expressions and eye movements to good effect, not only to show their wariness of what is happening around them, but also to express their joy when their dancing 'comes together'.
Redmand and Tade both perform Electricity full of fine, strong, ballet movements and are both a joy to watch. Tade also has a powerful singing voice and during Electricity I very much like the way he extends the notes to sing 'Electriciteeee' and 'Sparks inside of meeee'. They just add that little something to the number as do some of his ballet movements. Harrison's Electricity never fails to impress me as he carries out his fast hip-hop, acro style routine, which culminates in the back flip off the board. Again , that all comes together at speed, but with accuracy and perfect timing.
The weather this week may have been cold and sometimes snowy, but the shows were all exhilirating and heart-warming. One or two problems existed at the beginning of the week, which meant two shows overran with no time for Finale, but Tade more than made up for that at the Saturday matinee which had everyone, well almost everyone, in the audience joining in. Congratulations to all cast members who performed to make the shows I saw so good to watch.

[porschesrule]

Thanks, Pat and John, for taking the time to write your always wonderfully descriptive reviews for this past week. I always enjoy them.

[porschesrule]

Here's a favorable review of the London show from a blogger:

http://mainattraction-unmasked.blogspot.co.uk/