Billy Elliot!

I’m one of those people who absolutely love musicals! This is most likely because I have such a passion for the performing arts: whether it be going to check out some live theatre or musicals, or performing myself (acting is my greatest passion – I would love to be an actor one day; I also enjoy singing and have danced for 12 years). Some of the best musicals I have seen include: Dirty Dancing, The Lion King and Priscilla Queen of the Desert. The next ones that I plan to cross off on my ‘must see’ list are The Rocky Horror Picture Show and oh my goodness - The Phantom of the Opera - I just can’t wait!!!!!! Anyways, I recently went to see Billy Elliot (the musical adaptation of the film that was directed by Stephen Daldry and released in 2000) and I thought it was really fantastic.

For those of you who don’t know much about Billy Elliot it’s basically the story of “an 11 year old coal miner’s son in the north of England, whose whole life is changed when he stumbles into Mrs. Wilkinson’s ballet class during his weekly boxing lesson. Before long, he finds himself immersed in ballet, demonstrating a raw talent never seen before and reaching for a dream that changes the lives of everyone he touches” (source: the back of my Billy Elliot DVD – I am such a fan!!!!).

(Photos of Jamie Bell, the original Billy in the film that was released in 2000.)

Highlights:

There were so many great things about this show. Firstly, the Billy that we had (as there are four boys that share the role) was absolutely amazing! His name was Lochlan Denholm (he was selected from the Melbourne auditions) and his British accent was spot on. He was also incredibly talented both as a dancer and singer - I was really impressed in particular by the way he sang Electricity. Overall though, I thought the entire cast performed exceptionally well. I also really liked the costumes (they really helped to bring the story to life) and the set was just incredible! It was constructed in such a way that allowed the transitions from Billy’s bedroom to the local ballet school for example, to seem effortless.

Furthermore, the music (composed by Elton John with lyrics written by Lee Hall) was also extraordinary! The songs were all great fun but I particularly enjoyed The Stars Look Down (opening song), Expressing Yourself (haha, Billy and Michael dancing around in dresses and trying on lipstick!), Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher, Electricity (where Billy explains how he feels when he dances – such a nice song!) and also Once we were Kings (one of the final songs with the miners calling off their strike and going back to work). Another song that I also liked was Solidarity, in which the miners are fighting with the police over their strike. Haha the lyrics were pretty funny but I don’t think that they were really appropriate for young kids.

For example:

Police:

Oi Geordie

Wanna see something

You’ve never seen before

And that’s just off the overtime

Wanna see some more?

Miners:

You think yer smart ya cockney shite

You wanna be suspicious

When you were on the picket line

We went and fucked your missus

All of us at once

[The chorus however was actually really catchy]

Chorus:

Solidarity, solidarity

Solidarity forever

We're proud to be working-class

Solidarity forever.

Solidarity, solidarity

Solidarity forever

All for one and one for all

Solidarity forever

There was only really one thing I didn’t like about this stage production and that was the ending! [If any of you don’t want to know what happens then I suggest you skim past this particular section.] I didn’t like the way it just ended with Billy kind of walking off the stage out into the crowd on his way off to attend the Royal Academy of Ballet. In the movie there is this amazing final scene where Billy is all grown up and his father comes to watch him perform as the lead dancer in Swan Lake - it’s such a powerful and beautiful scene where Billy’s father is just so proud and very much in awe of his son and all that he has accomplished. I was really disappointed that they didn’t include it as it was such a wonderful scene to watch in the film. I remember thinking are they gonna do that scene? But instead the whole cast just came on for the finale routine, tapping away with spirit fingers and all!

Other then that though, I thought this musical was awesome. It’s definitely worth buying a ticket for! Afterwards it was also really nice because we went and met some of the cast members. I was really happy because we met two of the Billy’s - Lochlan and also Rarmian (who was obviously there in case anything happened to Lochlan - the show must always go on!) Haha we actually got photos with them and they were such sweet kids. My mum insisted on taking photos, she loves to take them at any happy or special moment - she even wanted to take a bloody photo of me when I voted for the first time in the Federal election for 2007! Haha, luckily I got out of that one because that would have been seriously embarrassing!!!

Overall, I really enjoyed this theatrical adaptation of the original film. I don’t know that you can actually really compare the two – the film and the musical. Some people may think that the musical doesn’t do the film justice but I think that they were both very entertaining in different ways. I highly recommend that you all go and see this musical (especially if you loved the film as much as I did) and make up your own mind. You won’t by any means be disappointed, just very entertained by this spectacular production about a young British boy and his love of “fucking ballet dancing!”

(The four Australian "Billys" - Lochlan Denholm, Rhys Kosakowski, Nick Twiney and Rarmian Newton.)

(The boys in their Billy costumes.)

(The Australian Premiere of Billy Elliot with special guest Elton John, which took place on Thursday December 13th at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre.)