Bradley Perret - Billy

[Sinatra]

I will be seeing him tonight I reckon. I'm studying abroad here so I have a lot of time on my hands. It's very cool that he's the first French kid to play Billy Elliot! I am confident that he'll do great!

[angelenroute]

I will be seeing him tonight I reckon. I'm studying abroad here so I have a lot of time on my hands. It's very cool that he's the first French kid to play Billy Elliot! I am confident that he'll do great!

Awesome! Happy to hear you're over there and can see "the original" in the Mother Church! Enjoy!

Sean

[Sinatra]

Awesome! Happy to hear you're over there and can see "the original" in the Mother Church! Enjoy! Searn

Indeed! I actually have already seen it so this time should probably be the last before I go crazy, but it'll be fun! I didn't know it was the Mother Church! That's intense.

[porschesrule]

Here's the Broadway World announcement and some pictures of the new Billy and Michael at the VPT:

http://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/ar ... T-20131113

[porschesrule]

Simon Pollard, BETMUK's Resident Director, has tweeted:

"Incredibly proud of our newest Billy (my first from 1st rehearsal to opening night) and Michael, as well as our new Tall and Small boys."

https://twitter.com/simonwithaz

[kport]

Tuesday 26 November

I wonder how daunting it must be to go in front of an audience that is slow to respond, is only slightly over half full, and looks somewhat annoyed about the dark, cold November evening it has just escaped, in order to see some 'musical about a miner's boy who wants to dance'. Those words were uttered by a couple sitting behind me, in distinct Northern accents. The audience was indeed as chilly as the winter's wind; even Small Boy's entrance elicited no reaction.

This is what Bradley had to face.

From the opening line 'Take me up...', it was evident that he can sing. Not like the choristers across the road, but like a 12 year old Northern lad. Elton John set the music to fit the meaning behind the words, and the meaning is the important thing. Whether defiant (Electricity) or emotional (The Letter), or just plain fun (Expressing) his delivery is spot on. And meaningful, not only in sound and emphasis, but in facial expressions, ranging from laughter to tears.

He is a singer.

Yet Bradley entered and took charge. With his able sidekick, Zak, he was not going to let the audience mope - and it became evident that, first and foremost, Bradley has an actor's chops. He listens, he waits, he delivers; his facial reactions mirror his expression and his accent is the real deal. I mean he sounds like a fluent Geordie, this lad from the south of France. The words flow. Like Harrison and Redmand, he is a 'smiler'. A 'glass half full' optimist in the face of bleak challenges. And he engages with the other actors, and they with him: you could see it on Ann Emery's and Helen French's faces, as they look at him and he at them for the next reaction. You could see them pulling for Billy, and you could see them pulling for Bradley.

He is an actor.

The role of Billy has to show his progression from terpsichory disaster to competition success, and Bradley managed it all. Expressing was pure fun (how could it not be, when dancing with Zak?); Angry Dance was angst-ridden and powerful (his shouting was about a ferocious as it can be); Dream Ballet was perhaps the most coordinated performance between the younger and older Billy I have seen in the past two months; and Electricity was stunning. The latter is a street version, sans board flip, just modern enough to offset his beautiful classical ballet in Dream Ballet.

He is a dancer.

He is a true triple threat.

Had I not known that it was his third outing as Billy, I would have said 'You could knock me over with a feather' upon finding out. He is that good. I have this little theory about new Billys - they play twice, and then 'disappear' for a few weeks: my theory is that they review those performances, and go back to the classroom and dancing studio and iron things to fit that particular Billy. (He is also fortunate to have trained alongside two outstanding and experienced Billys - Harrison and Redmand.) If so, in my estimation it worked wonders for Bradley last night. I can't really explain it....I haven't got the words....to say how good he was.

Indeed, that northern couple I heard at the beginning were the first to jump to their feet at the end to join the entire audience in a long standing ovation for Bradley. And I turned to the gent and pointed out that it was Bradley's third performance. His response:

'You could knock me over with a feather!'

And, as the final curtain fell, Bradley beamed at the audience and mouthed a big 'Thank you'.

[porschesrule]

Thanks for that great review, kport!

It's apparent from this review (and others) that Bradley is another "find" on the part of the BETM casting people. With their success is finding the Billys, and the Billys success once they get on stage, there is no doubt BETMUK will go on well beyond its 10 anniversary.

[jaj2636]

Bradleys 'Meet the Billys' video is up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ3k4c0jO5k

Can't wait to see him play Billy

[kport]

Bradleys 'Meet the Billys' video is up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ3k4c0jO5k

Can't wait to see him play Billy

It is amazing how his English has a Geordie edge to it!

"I miss my family...and the sea...and the sun....." Poor guy was given a pretty awful winter to end up in London - the weather has been dreadful! My seaside town in Dorset has been repeatedly flooded.

[jen]

His English is very fluent guess he might have one or more British parent