Billy Elliot the Forum

I love the musical as much as anyone--but I do see much room for discussion about how the play demonizes the Thatcher regime in closing the mines. Coal is rapidly becoming an outdated source of energy mines have continued to close. These pits were very dangerous places, too. Perhaps the "tragedy" in the play has more to do with not finding replacement work for all these unemployed guys. But that is not addressed.

Welcome to the forum, Billylola. I am sure that some members will have contributions to make on this subject.

Firstly Thatcher is demonised because of the planned way the strike was dealt with, using the police powers illegally, setting up paramilitary divisions within the police, illegal sequestration of funds, and delaying strikers family benefits and tax refunds to crush the strikers. (among other things).

Coal at that time was not out dated, it was the main source of energy for our electric power stations, although Maggie accelerated the building of Gas power stations, specifically to reduce reliance on coal, Gas Oil and Nuclear were in reality more expensive, although figures were massaged to make them look better.(greeness hadn't been invented).
Subsidised coal imports were dumped on the UK market from the eastern block and Europe, making our coal uneconomic. Famously Easington Never made a loss right up until it was closed.

What you say about not helping the communities enough after closure is of course true. Coal mines had been closing at a similar pace since the early 1970s, and miners were usually moved from closing pit to existing pit. By 1984 there were almost no new apprenticeships in the north east because of this. So the chance of Billy or Michael being miners was zero anyway.

In addition most of the other industries in the north east were in decline. In Easington their once thriving Knitwear industry was wiped out by foreign imports in the late 1970s. Norman Tebbuts infamous quote about "getting on your bike" and leaving was the only viable alternative for Michael.

Norman Tebbuts infamous quote about "getting on your bike" and leaving was the only viable alternative for Michael.

And Billy, but he left by National Express!

kport wrote:
And Billy, but he left by National Express!

Sorry for veering off-topic, but I never hear "National Express" that I don't think of this loopy but catchy tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LEyyQjd-B8

Todd wrote:

kport wrote:
And Billy, but he left by National Express!

Sorry for veering off-topic, but I never hear "National Express" that I don't think of this loopy but catchy tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LEyyQjd-B8

I very nearly added that to my post!

Harrison liked National Express too. http://az747701.vo.msecnd.net/cache/1/c ... 0e4556.jpg

Borrobil wrote:Norman Tebbuts infamous quote about "getting on your bike" and leaving was the only viable alternative for Michael.

I didn't realise Michael's bike was a reference to something. Interesting. Like many things, the popular quote is not actually was what originally said. From late in the article "On yer bike! Olympic cycling ace Victoria Pendleton echoes Tebbit with Tory conference plea to 'get fit to get a job'":

Norman Tebbit has long been associated with the phrase 'Get on your bike and find a job'.

But the man nicknamed the 'Chingford Skinhead' never actually said anything of the sort. The actual quote came in response to a question about urban riots which plagued places like Handsworth in Birmingham and Brixton in south London in 1981.

A young Conservative had asked whether rioting was a 'natural reaction to unemployment'.

The then Employment Secretary told the Tory Party conference: 'I grew up in the thirties with an unemployed father. He didn't riot. He got on his bike and looked for work, and he kept looking 'til he found it.'

LiamM wrote:

Borrobil wrote:Norman Tebbuts infamous quote about "getting on your bike" and leaving was the only viable alternative for Michael.

I didn't realise Michael's bike was a reference to something. Interesting. Like many things, the popular quote is not actually was what originally said. From late in the article "On yer bike! Olympic cycling ace Victoria Pendleton echoes Tebbit with Tory conference plea to 'get fit to get a job'":

Norman Tebbit has long been associated with the phrase 'Get on your bike and find a job'.

But the man nicknamed the 'Chingford Skinhead' never actually said anything of the sort. The actual quote came in response to a question about urban riots which plagued places like Handsworth in Birmingham and Brixton in south London in 1981.

A young Conservative had asked whether rioting was a 'natural reaction to unemployment'.

The then Employment Secretary told the Tory Party conference: 'I grew up in the thirties with an unemployed father. He didn't riot. He got on his bike and looked for work, and he kept looking 'til he found it.'

Here is the actual video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU_pDM1N7i0