2019 Australian Tour Reviews (Sydney)

[Sheffan]

Another good one:

https://www.hunterandbligh.com.au/enter ... dYXDgIgrS4

[Sheffan]

The Musical is a powerful show with its political and personal content. The raw grittiness of the world is displayed via the hostility between police and miners as well as the miners' hatred of Thatcher and scab labourers. Add to the mix, loads of swearing (cover your ears children) and splashes of self-expression through dance from Billy and his friend Michael to lighten the mood.

https://www.weekendnotes.com/billy-elli ... al-sydney/

[porschesrule]

The Daily Review contributes this different take on the Australian Tour show:

Watching some precocious tyke entertain you to exhaustion is part of the fun of Billy Elliot, the screen-turned-stage, working-class-boy-made-good musical that returns to Australia 11 years after the West End and Broadway hit first put dozens of starry-eyed little Aussies to work.

But there’s even more to the bargain. Billy Elliot doesn’t rest on a songbook of pretty ballads — there are, in fact, surprisingly few earworms in Elton John’s score — but does the hard work of good storytelling.

https://dailyreview.com.au/billy-elliot ... re-sydney/

[Sheffan]

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/s ... wBOV4GDOcM

The zesty children are led by Jamie Rogers, a tightly coiled, hugely loveable Billy (he shares the role with three other boys).
First among equals in the adult cast is Justin Smith. Billy’s Dad is a firebrand in his milieu and touchingly bewildered out of it.
Smith gives us the whole man in all his contradictions as he battles his way through prejudice to acceptance. Unforgettable.

[Sheffan]

https://www.theatretravels.org/post/rev ... ic-theatre

Let’s start by focusing on the true stars of the show – the kids. Asked to deliver comic timing, accent work, decent vocal range and skill in multiple disciplines of dance, these kids don’t have an easy job and yet they absolutely rise to the challenge. On opening night, Jamie Rogers took on the titular role with an enthusiasm and diligence that proves he will go far in this industry. Talented across the board, Rogers star shone brightest when he was given his trusty tap shoes – a natural tapper, the Tap Dogs may well want to sign him up now.

Partnering as his best friend, James Sonnemann played Michael for Sydney’s opening night and let me tell you, this kid is a star! A consummate showman at only 11 years old, I cannot wait to see what comes next for this kid.

[Sheffan]

The 10th anniversary Australian production of Billy Elliot The Musical (led by Simon Pollard) is a testament to why this show remains so revered the world over. It’s a story of daring to be different in a conservative and tough working-class town, where community expectations of what is and isn’t appropriate are deeply entrenched; it’s a story of changing times; and it’s a story that encourages people not to be deterred by others from becoming who they want to become. It is moving and it has enormous heart.

https://www.theatrepeople.com.au/billy- ... e-musical/

[porschesrule]

There are very few shows which one might be able to call, perfect. Last night’s performance of “Billy Elliot” is is one of those few triumphs which dazzle and move the audience in a true spectacle of stage, music, and theatre. Every aspect of the production, from the stage direction, to company singing, to the choreography, sprung flawlessly from the stage, erupting the audience in a frenzy of delight and unstoppable energy.

The above is the opening paragraph of a review appearing in the On The Town website:

https://www.onthetown.net.au/theatre-no ... ly-elliot/

[porschesrule]

Yet another great review:


https://scenestr.com.au/arts/billy-elli ... e-20191023

[Sheffan]

This review is written from the point of view of someone (myself) who saw the UK tour 2016/17 at every venue apart from the opening one (Plymouth), having previously seen the London version just a few times over the previous decade. It is not a formal review, just a series of thoughts and observations.

It has been 27 months since that momentous final weekend I attended, of the UK tour in Hamburg, Germany. After months of anticipation, was it worth it to travel so far to see the show in Australia (a country of which I'm very familiar from visits to friends)? A big, resounding and emphatic yes. The sheer wealth of talent and enthusiasm of this brilliant company had me bowled over the moment the lights went up on my first show. After 48 hours to recover from jet lag, I had decided to see both shows on Wednesday 6 November and the evening shows of Thursday 7 & Friday 8 November.

The Sydney Lyric theatre is a very modern, comfortable theatre in a beautiful setting overlooking Pyrmont Bay & Park. I had seats on the front row of the stalls at each show, as I like to be close, but this wasn't too close as the orchestra was in front of, rather than under the stage. It was very easy to speak to and strike up conversations with seat neighbours. In fact Australian audiences are very respectful of the performers as well. I was a bit worried that the auditorium wouldn't be very full as Australians seemed to be booking this show at the last minute, but no matter as each evening show was about 98% full, with the Wednesday matinee well over 90%.

This show uses the set from the Dutch/UK tour productions, having been refurbished by the Adelaide Festival Theatre workshop (which will be second stop on the tour). New automation has been installed to improve the smooth running of the scenery and the whole show feels very slick now (there were some occasional technical issues on the UK tour).

I knew it would be a tall order to see all the Billys, but I expected to see three of them. In the end it was only two – Wade on the 6th November Wednesday matinee and then a straight run of three Omar performances. Jamie was originally on the cast board for the Wednesday evening, but pulled out at the last moment and the cast board corrected. I will hopefully catch up with the other two on a future visit. Both these Billys were of the “street” variety – it later became evident from reports from other fans, that River and Jamie are of the “ballet” variety. Wade is quite a serious, intense Billy (echoes of Matthew Lyons in the UK maybe) but his dancing and acting are both a joy to behold. A master of facial expressions. Omar is such a supremely confident and charismatic actor and strikes me as a naturally happy person and coped with three shows in a row with consummate ease and professionalism.

The staging and script follows the UK tour very closely, but in a nod to the London show, the newsreel coverage at the start has been reinstated for this new tour. Although Small Boy doesn't climb up from the stalls with the blaring transistor radio any more, the Scargill & Thatcher audio clips are now presented with their corresponding video coverage after the Herbert Morrison footage. Although I prefer the tour staging in general, I am very pleased with the reintroduction of the newsreel scene.

Thereafter, Stars Look Down followed with its familiar gusto and the shear level of teamwork in the cast was evident. The producers have been able to draw from a huge pool of Australian talent for some of the smaller adult character roles and even though some look quite different from before, these portrayals really work in the context of this production. Characters like George (Robert Grubb) and Mr Braithwaite (Dean Vince) ring true and I convincingly felt like I was in Easington.

Shine showed off the slightly revised lighting to good effect. The role of Mrs Wilkinson was to have been played by Kelley Abbey, who was returning to performing after 20 years as a choreographer. Sadly, she left after opening night for “personal circumstances” reasons. It was announced on November 7th whilst I was in the city, that Kelley was confirmed as having left the show permanently. The shows on the Wednesday were both performed by Sarah Kate Landy (Miss Saigon, Mamma Mia) - cover to Lisa Sontag. Lisa is a well known performer in her own right (Mamma Mia and Les Miserables) and was Kelley's cover but has now taken up the lead role as Mrs Wilkinson full time. Lisa played the role on the Thursday and Friday, a very fine performance in my view – with a similar feel to Ruthie Henshall. One UK fan of Ruthie and Billy Elliot has commented that he agrees.

Grandma's song has lost none of its familiar ghostly choreography through the smoky haze. My jaw dropped on witnessing Vivien Davies' rendition – she was born to play this part. Outstanding from the start, she was so perfect for this role in every way. Another Billy Elliot legend in the making. She has a strong record in working with children in her private life. She was born in Wales, UK and moved to Australia in 1968.

At the start of Solidarity, the entire cast climb the stage from the audience using a walkway stage left. During the stomping parts of the police routine – it was quite amusing that my front row seat was bouncing up and down to the rhythm!!

The changing room scene dialogue between Debbie and Billy – i.e. the “I'll show you me f***” scene has been slightly altered in that it has been speeded up, which is a shame as it looses some of its dramatic impact and comic timing. I make this observation for all four shows I saw, so it is down to directorial choice rather than me implying any criticism of the girls themselves.

Expressing Yourself was exactly the same as before but in another nod to London, Michael's dress is the one used at the Victoria Palace (the UK tour using the Broadway and US tour dress). I managed to see all four Michaels and Debbies. They were all excellent. I would need to see them all again to make more specific comments but Oscar's rendition felt the most cheeky and James in particular excelled in comic timing. Mason would win a Tommy Batchelor (US tour Billy) lookalike competition!! Hamish in particular had a very “breezy” take on the role.

The Letter – I regret to say I couldn't seem to connect well with Danielle Everett's portrayal. Maybe it will grow on me.

Born to Boogie - Dean Vince's Mr Braithwaite is a bit different to many portrayals I've seen, but his take is sure footed and is an obvious audience favourite. Rather surprisingly, both Wade and Omar just simply jumped off the piano – there was no gymnastic element. No idea why.

Things returned to form with Angry Dance – exactly as per the UK tour. Very beautifully lit and full of the usual sound effects. Both Omar and Wade looked truly exhausted.

Merry XMT – Robert Grubb's Mrs Thatcher was truly nightmare inducing, but that is meant as a compliment! Robert ad-libs as Father Christmas in every show – so every show I saw was different. The puppet show is as good as ever. The Australian grasp of British political history is obviously quite strong still. Drew Livingston as Tony clearly enjoys the lighter side of his character here. Whilst in the audience, he hilariously put down one lady, saying that contactless wasn't available for donations in 1984!!

Deep Into The Ground – a very moving portrayal of Dad by Justin Smith (he played Tony in the original Australian production). The Billy & Michael welfare hall scene was superbly staged and beautifully lit and the slow and whimsical atmosphere was as full of pathos as ever. Aaron Smyth is a fine older Billy – the audience strongly applauded the Dream Ballet scene even before it ended.

He Could Be A Star kept to the UK Tour version with the lines “take this and this...and this and this” - for me one of the most emotional scenes in the show, dramatically depicting the miners' despair to the greatest effect. Damien Bermingham's Big Davey was superbly acted – tough and gruff yet full of care and compassion for Billy – a very moving portrayal. This song is also emotionally the biggest for the role of Tony. Drew Livingston has proved to be superbly cast in this role. He is slightly younger than some actors who have played it, but in my view this adds to the authenticity. Perhaps a little more mellow a portrayal, but he carries well the emotions of the scene and stuns the audience into silence, exactly the reaction needed.

The audition scene very closely follows the UK Tour which of course gives a tribute to the Victoria Palace Theatre in London, with that huge image of that theatre's auditorium as the backdrop. The three posh mums still works well in Australia. The scene between Dad and the Scottish dancer is slightly different but very hilarious when Dad drops his cigarette. All the Michaels were as posh as can be – a tribute to the dialect coaches.

As discussed above, Electricity was very interesting for me. I was aware of the street version of this scene from YouTube, but this was the first time I had seen it performed live - both Wade and Omar gave me the goosebumps in this scene. I'm pretty neutral on which version I prefer – different interpretations are one of the things that make Billy such a special production.

Once We Were Kings is probably my favourite “adult” part of the show and it produced all the familiar emotions in me – sadness and resignation but care for Billy. This scene to me is perfect in its hymn like feel. The staging of this scene is completely unchanged.

The Letter Reprise staging has only a very minor difference – the final bars played by the orchestra as Michael rides on with his bike are as per the London show. This is more delicate and subtle, whereas the US and UK tour version was a played a little more bombastically. Once again, I am pretty neutral on which version works best. No change to the Finale.

A few general points to finish. To me, the audience is Sydney seems quieter than I have been used to elsewhere. Only on the Thursday, did any of the audience stand and that was confined to only about 20% of the audience. I had a frank but very amicable chat with a couple who had come from Broken Hill who sat next to me. They agreed that in Australia, audiences are in general more reserved. In no way is that a criticism and I am so impressed with the kindness and welcoming spirit of everyone in Sydney. That said, they were happy to clap along in places were it doesn't usually happen - in some of the dance routines for example. It was pleasing to see some children in the audience, whom I heard were aspiring dancers. Everyone seemed to enjoy the show and there was quite a buzz along the pavement when leaving the theatre.

The sound was a little less loud than the UK tour, but is has been suggested to me that this suits the acoustics of this theatre. The quality of the sound was excellent and Michael Azzopardi and his nine colleagues did a sterling job of accompanying the show.

In this show there are just two ballet teams, alternating their performances. Each team has three young adults who appear in every show plus five different children in each team. Small Boy is once again played by the shortest ballet girl.

At present, the part of Tall Boy is played by an off duty Michael. I expect Billys will join them later in the tour. One of the Michaels – Oscar Mulcahy - is listed as understudy to the Billys – effectively the 5th Billy in reserve. All the Billys understudy the role of Michael.

In general I'm just so impressed with the whole cast and the dedication and professionalism they have shown. Their confidence and “razzle dazzle” really shines through in communicating the show's key messages. That said, some of the action is not quite as “dark” as I'm used to – for instance Mrs Wilkinson could have been even more sarcastic and dismissive to the children. Because of the quieter audience, it was harder for Billy to “milk” the audience response at the end of Electricity as that would need a louder response to begin with to be effective. However, the show is no way dumbed down – all the swearing has been retained for example.

As always, shows do change and improve all the time – I expect after less than a month, the cast are still “bedding in” to their roles. It will be interesting to see what happens in this regard on my visits later on in the tour. I am certainly going to Perth in June 2020 on the direct flight from Heathrow and I will almost certainly visit Melbourne in April or May.

The dialect coaches have done a good job – the children's accents were all spot on. Occasionally, the odd adult ensemble member would lapse into a sort of Irish, but this only ever affected the odd line.

In my view this production enhances the prospects of an eventual return to the UK and maybe the US. It has been shown that the creatives are still committed to keeping the show alive one way or another. The UK tour set has been preserved, rather than destroyed. The fact that amateur rights are still very restricted in the UK leads me to believe they are eyeing a revival at some stage. Billy in my view is more relevant than ever in today's world.

A few bits of trivia:

Apparently only River does the full acro dismount from the piano in Born to Boogie.

Reference to Palestines by George and the frying pan pyrotechnics were dropped for Hamburg but have been fully reinstated here.

References to Wayne Sleep have been removed and Rudolph Nureyev inserted in the script. Perhaps he is more well know outside the UK?

[porschesrule]

Thank you so much, Sheffan, for this wonderfully put together group of your thoughts (still reads like a review in my book) It is very detailed and very well written.

Thanks again for taking the time to write such a detailed and "right on" review.