Having made it’s debut in London’s Victoria Palace Theatre on March 11th 2005 Billy Elliot is still one of The West End’s most successful musical’s. The Musical has won a number of awards including four Olivier Awards, Ten Tony Awards and Ten Drama Desk Awards.
Set in the tough North East area of Tyneside Billy has spent his childhood longing to impress his family. With his mother dead and father caught up in the bitter mining strikes of 1984, Billy’s father has hopes for him to fulfil his dreams of being a boxer little does he know that the art of ballet has caught his sons eye. While he trains in the gym he spends his time fantasising about ballet - the perfect pirouette rather then a mean right hook, the beauty and grace of ballet is something that Billy cannot forget.
As his struggle to become an established dancer begins Billy finds it hard to keep it from his father in failing to do so Billy comes clean and after a little persuasion; from various people Billy’s father gets behind his son and works to fulfil his dancing dreams which looks promising as he manages to land an audition at ’The Royal Ballet School’ in London. The strains of being on strike begin to take its toll on the family especially now his son has big dreams of stardom, getting to London is not going to be easy on a strikes wage, the suspense of weather he makes it keep you gripped and leave the audience yearning for Billy’s father to return to work. Will he turn his back on his work mates? Or do it for his son? On one hand we experience a group of hard faced miners who think Billy may be harbouring homosexual feelings due to his passion for dance on the other we see a community who stand by each other and encourage all to do their best.
The story of Billy Elliot will have the family chanting ‘GO BILLY’ the whole way through the show, pulling at your heart strings and crying with laughter, this is a real must see for people of all ages. ’Billy Elliot - The Musical’ has been a West End sell out for nearly five years and has been taken across the pond showing in Broadway and debuting in Chicago in March 2010. Australia’s version of the show has bagged itself 6 of Australia’s most prestigious awards - The Helpmann Awards. Korea also want a slice of the Billy action and have been holding auditions throughout the year in search of their perfect Billy Elliot.
Lee Hall - a name all male ballet dancers should highly respect as he is the man who bought us the 2000 screenplay of Billy Elliot, his work was taken from the big screen to the stage and he went with it, beginning life as a modest boy from North East England, he managed to launch his playwriting career on radio with a piece called ’Spoonface Steinberg’ however to date ’Billy Elliot’ is his most successful work, which I’m sure is why he is so keen to have a say in every direction the story of Billy takes. The directing skills of Stephen Daldry and chorography by Peter Darling (who also worked on the screenplay) shine with perfection and professionalism much like the film allowing none of the Billy magic to be lost in translation.
'it's like forgetting who you are and at the same time something makes you whole.' a quote taken from the song ‘Electricity’ this is Billy all over although it’s not what is thought normal of a 12 year old boy from the North East in the 1980’s however it’s what makes him go.
If you haven’t seen “Billy Elliot - The Musical” yet then your missing out and it defiantly needs to be added to you Christmas list…
Victoria Palace Theatre,
8 Victoria St, London, SW1E 5EA
Transport Victoria
Telephone
0844 248 5000, bookings 020 7432 4220
Set in the tough North East area of Tyneside Billy has spent his childhood longing to impress his family. With his mother dead and father caught up in the bitter mining strikes of 1984, Billy’s father has hopes for him to fulfil his dreams of being a boxer little does he know that the art of ballet has caught his sons eye. While he trains in the gym he spends his time fantasising about ballet - the perfect pirouette rather then a mean right hook, the beauty and grace of ballet is something that Billy cannot forget.
As his struggle to become an established dancer begins Billy finds it hard to keep it from his father in failing to do so Billy comes clean and after a little persuasion; from various people Billy’s father gets behind his son and works to fulfil his dancing dreams which looks promising as he manages to land an audition at ’The Royal Ballet School’ in London. The strains of being on strike begin to take its toll on the family especially now his son has big dreams of stardom, getting to London is not going to be easy on a strikes wage, the suspense of weather he makes it keep you gripped and leave the audience yearning for Billy’s father to return to work. Will he turn his back on his work mates? Or do it for his son? On one hand we experience a group of hard faced miners who think Billy may be harbouring homosexual feelings due to his passion for dance on the other we see a community who stand by each other and encourage all to do their best.
The story of Billy Elliot will have the family chanting ‘GO BILLY’ the whole way through the show, pulling at your heart strings and crying with laughter, this is a real must see for people of all ages. ’Billy Elliot - The Musical’ has been a West End sell out for nearly five years and has been taken across the pond showing in Broadway and debuting in Chicago in March 2010. Australia’s version of the show has bagged itself 6 of Australia’s most prestigious awards - The Helpmann Awards. Korea also want a slice of the Billy action and have been holding auditions throughout the year in search of their perfect Billy Elliot.
Lee Hall - a name all male ballet dancers should highly respect as he is the man who bought us the 2000 screenplay of Billy Elliot, his work was taken from the big screen to the stage and he went with it, beginning life as a modest boy from North East England, he managed to launch his playwriting career on radio with a piece called ’Spoonface Steinberg’ however to date ’Billy Elliot’ is his most successful work, which I’m sure is why he is so keen to have a say in every direction the story of Billy takes. The directing skills of Stephen Daldry and chorography by Peter Darling (who also worked on the screenplay) shine with perfection and professionalism much like the film allowing none of the Billy magic to be lost in translation.
'it's like forgetting who you are and at the same time something makes you whole.' a quote taken from the song ‘Electricity’ this is Billy all over although it’s not what is thought normal of a 12 year old boy from the North East in the 1980’s however it’s what makes him go.
If you haven’t seen “Billy Elliot - The Musical” yet then your missing out and it defiantly needs to be added to you Christmas list…
Victoria Palace Theatre,
8 Victoria St, London, SW1E 5EA
Transport Victoria
Telephone
0844 248 5000, bookings 020 7432 4220
Times Mon-Sat 7.30pm; Thur, Sat Mats 2.30pm
Prices £17.50-£60. Runs 3hrs. Booking to Dec 18 2010
hey gabrielle,
ReplyDeletegreat marketing piece. liked how you told the stroy but in doing so didnt give too much away. i think you should add more larger and bold text to highlight parts like you did with:
‘GO BILLY’ as it really draws the eye of the reader. i think all you really need to re-look at is the puncuation. apart from that really lovely piece. well done
sarah c