Billy Elliot the Forum

This review, from Broadway World, is stonkingly good:

http://www.broadwayworld.com/phoenix/ar ... t-20161121

Downtowndevil chips in:

http://downtowndevil.com/2016/11/22/830 ... ly-elliot/

This is a veritable Thankgiving feast of snippets from four fantastic reviews, all linkable to their complete versions....as one who saw Matthew Dean in Warwick, I can attest that his talent is exceptional:

http://phxstages.blogspot.com/2016/11/r ... eatre.html

I just saw Matthew Dean's Billy Elliot in Phoenix and he is just fantastic.

Throughout the matinee show Matthew seemed totally unrestrained by a very shallow stage. Matthew uses every inch of those boards to his advantage and squeezes exquisite ballet form and movement before pounding out positively percussive tapping during "Angry Dance." His "Electricity" was astounding and showcased excellent acrobatics and lightning-quick street moves. He's an absolute whirlwind.

His full-bore screams in "Angry Dance" had me wondering if he'd have anything left in the second half of the show. Oh yes, Matthew has the reserves to sing beautifully all the way through "Electricity."

Matthew is a monumentally strong Billy who has everything going on that BillyManiacs have come to expect in the role of Billy. I missed Matthew several times before elsewhere in the US but I think I must have found him at the absolute top of his game. Lucky me!

Amazingly (and I didn't have time to find out why) Matthew did a double-header on Saturday the 26th. I was able to chat a bit with him after the matinee. The Phoenix Theatre is just one performance space in a sprawling multi-use facility in the heart of the city. So I guess because the stage door might be a bit hard to locate, there was Billy hanging out in the lobby after the show chatting with fans and signing autographs. Such a treat! Brilliant idea.

I told him how good he was, what I especially liked about his Billy and spelled it right out for him. I resisted the urge to tell him how fu**ing special he is (they don't use that line in Phoenix [or the excellent "Fu** a duck, I know" line] even though Billy starts the show with "Fu**ed if I know!" (and Debbie references her hoo-hoo.) But I made sure to let him know how he measured up to the many dozens of Billys I have seen in the past 11 years. He's truly a double/triple/quadruple threat.

Me and my date for the day drove off to find a place for food between shows (because why see just one BETM when Saturday has two BETM performances??) and I penned this quickie write-up fully expecting to see Seth Judice (the other Billy) at the evening show.

I settled into my seat (Row B an EXCELLENT SEAT) and was gobsmacked to see Matthew sneak on stage during the mustering of the opening number.

What's weird is that Seth Judice played the various incarnations of Tall Boy at both shows so I gotta assume that maybe playing Billy right now is a step too far. Medium sized injury or boo-boo? Dunno. Never asked. I was simply reeling from a second tour de force Matthew Dean BETM in one day.

In the lobby after the evening show with Matthew were his parents. OMG, these three need to be starring in a family comedy/drama/musical on TV right freaking now!! They're like something Central Casting hatched. Someone alert the people at Freeform!!

All three were just having a great time listening to fans and shaking hands. I walked over to them and exclaimed, kind of loudly, "What kind of taskmaster forces back-to-back performances from Billy?" They were all apologetic but I assured them I felt like the luckiest BillyManiac ever. Then I handed Matthew my phone and showed him the first draft of my write-up. He took his time and really soaked it all in and seemed really pleased to get the immediate feedback. The Dean's are aware of the various BBSs and forums and fan sites but admitted that they sometimes have trouble keeping up with the torrent of attention (my words) generated by their own superstar.

So .... not a review, just the high points of my two Phoenix shows.

If you exist anyplace on Earth you owe it to yourself, if you count yourself a real BillyManiac, to get to Phoenix. You have till Christmas. Give yourself a pressie you'll treasure forever. I might ... again.

tzwicky

You might not called it a review, but I think it's an excellent one. Thanks tzwicky.

I loved your comments tzwicky . I had the pleasure of seeing Matthew play Billy at the ocean state theater in Warwick Rhode Island. I was surprised at the quality of the production, but I was truly gob smacked with the performance by Matthew. Here is what I wrote on the form following that experience....

"A new and extraordinary Billy is about to emerge. His name is Matthew (Matty) Dean. He is currently starring in the role of Billy at the ocean state theater in Warwick Rhode Island. His greatest strength is his ballet/ gymnastics, background. He is also a good actor, and singer, the perfect combination for a great Billy. His tap dancing is dazzling, his angry dance really and truly an angry dance, powerful and riveting. His electricity is good as I've seen anywhere, mixing aerials and flips and concluding with 22. Continuous pirouettes. He plays a somewhat shy, innocent and vulnerable Billy. But when backed into a corner he responds with fierce determination.
I have seen him perform three times. His acting reminds me a bit of Zach Manske, his voice a bit like Noah Parrets, and his dancing, very much like Drew Menard. That may give you some idea of why I feel he will develop into an extraordinary Billy. He has two more productions coming up. Phoenix and Berkeley. I think we are going to hear great things about this young man."

I want to echo your final red letter invitation....

If you exist anyplace on Earth you owe it to yourself, if you count yourself a real BillyManiac, to get to Phoenix. You have till Christmas. Give yourself a pressie you'll treasure forever.

This unusual write up makes me wonder has he been to see the show. I disagree with a number of comment but neverless a good promo.

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/arts/bil ... on-8902560

It seems obvious to me the reviewer has indeed seen the show, but he seems to be more in love with his own sarcasm than writing a sensible review.

I agree. I get the impression that his understanding is extremely shallow.