Billy Elliot the Forum

Nick is the last of the 2nd cast of Billys in The Netherlands to debut on 26-Jul-2015. He is the youngest (10 years, two months and eight days) boy to ever debut professionally in the role worldwide.

https://www.facebook.com/BillyElliotNL/ ... =1&theater

According to an Instagram post by 'fanvanbillyelliot', Nick plays his last show tonight, the first cast 2 member to leave before the last show on 7 November.
Rather sad, it will only be his 16th performance.
https://instagram.com/p/9fpR8ejkpu/?tak ... illyelliot

The news was announced this morning on the Billy Elliot Kids Facebook page, but nothing on the official Dutch Facebook page.

Frank wrote:The news was announced this morning on the Billy Elliot Kids Facebook page, but nothing on the official Dutch Facebook page.

Here is the link:

https://www.facebook.com/Billy-Elliot-K ... 327495276/

This tribute to Nick was just posted on Youtube.

I am linking it because I have never heard 'Once We Were Kings' sung by a Billy - and a Michael???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiRiR-HAzQ0

I wonder whether any Dutch Billys will be on the UK Tour??

Nick's final show was really nice.The rest of the remaining Billys will have their final show this week.

I don't think any of the Dutch Billys will be on the UK Tour.

kport wrote:This tribute to Nick was just posted on Youtube.

I am linking it because I have never heard 'Once We Were Kings' sung by a Billy - and a Michael???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiRiR-HAzQ0

I wonder whether any Dutch Billys will be on the UK Tour??

Having Dutch as my mother tongue (although I don't speak it daily now), I can understand the words they use.
Without wanting to do a word for word translation, it is about the cast (or part of it) doing their last show and supporting each other on that sad occasion (" when we go, we'll go together "). Basically like 'Once we were Kings' but replacing the mines by the show.
I can remember the song was used before by one of the other child cast groups (they have used fixed groups of small boy, tall boy and ballet girls in the Dutch production) when a particular group left. I think (but am not 100% sure) that this is the same recording.

I don't think any of the Dutch Billys will be in the UK tour cast. Firstly Dutch child labour as well as school-going legislation would make it very difficult. And secondly, although many Dutch children speak a reasonable amount of Dutch, it probably would not be sufficient to do the Billy part (apart from the additional complication of learning Geordie...).

I find it incredibly sad (mainly for the young actors) that they now have to stop after only 15 to 20 shows (Nick did 16). Imagine the amount of work (blood sweat and tears) that has gone into it.
I understand the rationale behind it (I'll do a different post about that one day), but still it brings me to tears when I think about it.

htcpt wrote: ...although many Dutch children speak a reasonable amount of Dutch.....

I always thought they were really good at it.

Nick van der Stroom, the youngest Billy to date, takes the lead role in a Christmas production in Amsterdam about Max, a boy of 10 who has never seen a white Christmas. He uses all of the skills acquired during his performances as Billy, including a flying scene, and so many small "nods" to Billy. He looks even younger now than when I last saw him live in November. I understand that former Michael, Rogier Baris, alternated this role, although there were only three performances over a two day period.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xCALkCCWmo

There were 5 shows. See this post on the Christmas Show Facebook page. 2 with Rogier and 3 with Nick.