Have you booked your last minute Billy Elliot tickets?
Billy Elliot the Musical is the story of a very talented young boy who doesn’t have a mother in this world. As is the tradition in this area and at this time, Billy’s father wants him to take up boxing. However, the young boy discovers a passion for dancing that leads him from secret ballet lessons to an audition in London for the Royal Ballet School.
Set in the North-East of England at the time of the miners’ strikes in the 1980s, Billy Elliot is the inspirational story of a young boy’s struggle to make his dream come true.
Billy discovers he loves to dance and wishes to begin training for a career that is at first against his father’s wishes. Billy goes through an emotional journey in a world of picket lines and family struggles.
The ballet school shares the facilities at the local hall with the boxing club, and Billy is drawn into a new world where he can realise his dreams. At the same time, Billy’s father Jackie, and older brother Tony, who are both on strike, struggle manfully to put food on the table.
Mrs Wilkinson (Ruthie Henshall) and Billy Elliot (Matteo Zecca) in Billy Elliot the Musical. Photo credit Alastair Muir
When they discover Billy has been wasting his boxing money on less than manly pursuits, they explode. When the time of the audition comes Billy is unable to attend the audition as a result of his brother’s fight with the police.
Distraught by his family’s lack of understanding, Billy releases his feelings in a dance intended to be seen only by his friend Michael. He is however, also seen by his amazed father who is astonished by the power and animation of his son’s talent. Billy’s father agrees to make sure that Billy finally makes it to London for the audition.
With memorable music by Elton John, sensational dance and a powerful storyline, Billy Elliot The Musical is a brilliant theatrical experience.
BILLY ELLIOT LONDON REVIEWS
The beauty of this show is that it really does have something for everyone, memorable songs, quality acting, imaginative and effective sets, beautiful dance routines and lots of comedy, which is welcome against some of the more serious and emotional content of the show.
It’s no wonder this powerful musical continually dazzles audiences year after year with such a strong creative team behind the scenes. The book and song lyrics were written by Lee Hall, who wrote the film, directed by Stephen Daldry who also directed the film a brand new musical score composed by Elton John and stunning choreography by Peter Darling. Billy Elliot is at the Victoria Palace Theatre, London.
Review by Haydn James
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Billy Elliot The Musical London West End Review:
“The musical touches the hearts of the audience in many different ways and it is simply brilliant how it does this on so many different levels.“
Billy Elliot Live at Victoria Palace Theatre 28th September 2014
London Billy Elliot The Musical
Victoria Palace Theatre
Victoria Street,
London West End, SW1E 5EA
Telephone 020 7492 1602
Evenings: Monday to Saturday 7.30pm
Matinees: Thursday and Saturday 2.30pm
Running Time: 3 hours
Age Restrictions: Children under 7 will not be admitted. Not recommended for children under 12.
Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
A brief history of Billy Elliot The Musical
Billy Elliot is a British film, first shown in 2000, written by Lee Hall and directed by Stephen Daldry. Set in a fictional north-eastern England town during the 1984-5 coal miners’ strike, 11-year-old Billy, discovers a love of ballet, initially against his father and brother’s wishes.
The film starred: Jamie Bell, Julie Walters, Gary Lewis and Jamie Draven.
In 2001, author Melvin Burgess was commissioned to write the novelisation of the film based on Lee Hall’s screenplay. The story was adapted for the West End stage as Billy Elliot the Musical in 2005; it opened in Australia in 2007 and on Broadway in 2008.
One of the most celebrated, award-winning musicals on stage today, Billy Elliot The Musical has been dazzling London’s West End audiences since 2005, and has gone on to captivate audiences around the world. When people book Billy Elliot the Musical tickets they know they are going to see a classic show!
The Billy Elliot musical premiered in London’s West End at the Victoria Palace Theatre, with previews starting on 31 March 2005 and Opening Night on 11 May 2005.
Liam Mower, James Lomas and George Maguire were the original actors who alternated the role of Billy, and the cast included Haydn Gwynne as Mrs Wilkinson and Tim Healy as Billy’s father. Grandma was played by Anne Emery. Tony was played by Joe Caffrey. Michael was played by Ryan Longbottom, Ashley Luke Lloyd and Brad Kavanagh. Debbie Wilkinson was played by Lucy Stephenson, Emma Hudson and Brooke Havana Bailey. Mr Braithwaite was played by Steve Elias. George by Trevor Fox, Dead Mum by Stephanie Putson and Billy’s Older Self by Isaac James.
Billy Elliot the Musical has won four Laurence Olivier Awards: Best New Musical, Best Actor (awarded to James Lomas, George Maguire and Liam Mower, the boys who played Billy), Best Sound design and Best Choreographer. Billy Elliot has also won the Evening Standard Award as well as the Critics Circle Award and the Theatregoers Choice Award, all for Best Musical.
In 2013, Billy Elliot The Musical won the Olivier BBC Radio 2 Audience Award.
