Billy Elliot The Musical- Page 134

[Anastasia_Beaverhausen]

Posted: 3/15/06 at 2:28pm

This may have been discussed before, but is there a schedule of which Billy is on when? I am seeing the show in May and would like to know which Billy I am seeing.

Thanks!

Updated On: 3/15/06 at 02:28 PM

[Jeff3]

Posted: 3/15/06 at 2:42pm

No, there's no schedule that runs that far ahead. Some devotees have got quite good at predicting up to about a week ahead (though that presumably becomes harder with five Billies!) and there are some quirks that we have got used to - Liam never does evening performances on Thursdays or Saturdays for example - but really there's no way of knowing who will do what in May.
Updated On: 3/15/06 at 02:42 PM

[matthew3]

Posted: 3/15/06 at 2:53pm

When did Liam stop doing Thursdays? I saw him on a Thursday evening last July and it was a scheduled performance. Is he doing fewer performances since his break last year?

[Anastasia_Beaverhausen]

Posted: 3/15/06 at 2:55pm

Well, I was hoping to see Liam...but I am going on Thursday evening, the 11th so I guess that is out! Too bad. I believe that Thursday is the evening before the 1yr anniversary. Does anyone know if there are any special plans for the Friday performance?

P.S. Thanks Jeff3! Updated On: 3/15/06 at 02:55 PM

[Jeff3]

Posted: 3/15/06 at 2:58pm

Yes, I believe it was when he returned from illness around Novemberish. If it still applies, it does mean that if you know a week or so ahead that Liam is going to be one of the two 'in residence' on any given Thursday or Saturday, then you know he will (more or less) definitely be on in the afternoon.

[Jeff3]

Posted: 3/15/06 at 3:02pm

That last was the answer to Matthew's question obviously.

As for 12th May, well there are predictions of all sorts of nonsense. Apparently, people purchasing tickets are being warned not to expect a normal show, so most of the seats are being snapped up by groupies.

The expectation is that there will be appearances from all Billies - past and present.

[Anastasia_Beaverhausen]

Posted: 3/15/06 at 3:07pm

At the time I purchased tickets, you could not get them for that performance (from the US anyway). When I look now, it says to call the venue. I would like to see that performance, but as a first time viewer, I want to see the "real" show more....without all the hoopla. :)

[Karlo]

Posted: 3/15/06 at 3:10pm

That would be fun to see. I don't think I'm going to get out there to see my third show until maybe June or July.

Good to hear that Colin did well in his debut. And I certainly hope to hear reports of the possible "hoopla" of the anniversary show!

Anyone heard any more news about the Toronto/US run being planned? Very anxious for that to happen smoothly!

k

Posted: 3/16/06 at 8:32pm

I thought that Colin just okay - he lanked the strength of character that Billy Elliot needs. I am not certain, but I think that as Liam will be ending very soon, they are reducing his performances.

[EddieM]

Posted: 3/16/06 at 10:45pm

Jeff3,
Thank you so much for your review of Colin's opening night. I had the pleasure of seeing him last year in Florida touring with Oliver playing the Artful Dodger. His performance was so great I couldn't stop talking about him. After the show I got to meet him & he was so charming.I was so excited for him when I learned he won the role of Billy. What a great talented kid & what an exciting career he has ahead of him.

[matthew3]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 6:16am

Jeff, your comments about Colin's acting were very interesting. Can you be a bit more specific - by "impishness" do you mean at the end of the letter scene, i.e., "No, she's just my mother"? I can't see any where it would come in before that point.

[Jeff3]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 6:58pm

Sorry, I didn't actually mean in the letter scene, which was played for maximum sentimental impact. Elsewhere though, his performance was lightened by some very nice touches. I asked someone to remind me of specific examples. He said:

"There was a definitely playful quality to his Billy that was most clearly expressed in Expressing Yourself and Shine. You somehow got a sense that he wanted to dress up and dance with Michael/dance with the ballet girls but he's pretending for them that he doesn't want to. Notice the way he tries out the ballet girls movements in Shine or pretends to half-heartedly go along with Michael in the beginning of Expressing Yourself before launching full-on."

You have to see it really.

[DQplum]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 5:19pm

May 12th is a special gala performance, with all the original Billies performing..i think they are doing a scene each(taking in turns) should be a good one! cant wait!
amyX

[matthew3]

Posted: 3/24/06 at 2:40pm

Thanks for the info about May 12th. Where do you find out about these things?

[Chris T]

Posted: 3/24/06 at 3:33pm

There's quite a lot of detail on the Billy Elliot forum www.billyelliotthemusical.me.uk; but this has been reported in the press and also the box office have been phoning ticket holders for this performance telling them that "all three Billies" will appear and the show will overrun.

I wonder what role the later Billies will have - could we have 7 Billies all dancing the finale - James, George, Liam, Leon, Travis, Matthew and Colin?

[David3]

Posted: 3/25/06 at 11:58am

Jeff, you said recently that Liam no longer does Thursday or Saturday evening shows. Why is this and where did you get this information? Apparently he does a lot of Thursday matinees!

As there are now five Billies, each boy takes it in turns to have a complete week off. So there are only four "on duty" in any one week. This makes the maths easy as each boy will do two shows a week! Obviously, sickness or accidents will have to be covered within the rota, and I don't know whether specific shows are allocated to certain boys. I doubt it.

[Jeff3]

Posted: 3/25/06 at 5:29pm

I can't remember who told me now, but I tested the information out a couple of times and it seemed to be true. I don't know why. I know Liam was unwell for a bit in the Autumn. Maybe, when he came back and it became clear that they wanted him to do a longer run than the other two originals, he and his parents got to call a few shots about when he was going to perform and what pattern of performances might best keep him fresh and healthy. But I'm guessing.
Updated On: 3/25/06 at 05:29 PM

[David3]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 10:04am

That sounds a good explanation to me. I knew that Liam had not been well for a time late last year, so perhaps in exchange for him extending his contract, they agreed a revised performance schedule. It seems an odd pattern of performances though. I can understand having Saturday night off to give him a long weekend to refresh himself, but Thursday night? But, as mentioned already, Liam does seem to do a lot of Thursday matinees, so, of course, wouldn't do Thursday nights as well. Perhaps he needs his beauty sleep more than the others!

[Chris T]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 10:10am

Liam used to do lots of Thursday matinees, but doesn't seem to have done any since there have been five. I think Colin is scheduled to do this week. I guess the reason he doesn't do Thursday evenings is historic - if he performed the matinee he'd not be scheduled to do the evening performance unless circumstances made this unavoidable. As for Saturday evenings, the buzz is he'll make his final performance as Billy on Saturday 3rd June in the evening.

[matthew3]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 11:07am

It's a pity WestEndPro is not still around. He worked on the show and started this thread (see Page 1!). He always knew the answers to questions such as these and was willing to enlighten us as far as confidentiality allowed. He disappeared last October and his inside knowledge is a great miss. Does anyone know where he went?

[matthew3]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 7:03am

I hear the Queen went to see the show last week. Were any of you there that night? If so, please post an account of what happened and who performed. Presumably she didn't need ebay to get her tickets!
Updated On: 4/2/06 at 07:03 AM

[AccordCanada]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 9:16am

Hi all,

Sorry I haven't been here for awhile.

For those that are new, I welcome you to visit my Multimedia Updates list showing all the known Billy Elliot video and audio clips available on the Internet.
http://www.billyelliotthemusical.me.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=776

To access the Members Only videos, join the forum
http://billyelliotthemusical.me.uk/forum/profile.php?mode=register
and then PM Lin for the password
http://billyelliotthemusical.me.uk/forum/privmsg.php?mode=post&u=2
There you will find clips such as the Colin Bates interviews on CBBC last Monday (pictured above).

I also have a shorter version of my list at http://www.billyelliotfans.com, but the whole site is down right now so I don't have the exact address.

If you only plan to watch one clip, I highly recommend this newly-discovered promotional piece from Theatre.com called STREET CRITIC:
http://www.theatre.com/video/id/3000712

Accy
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PS. Although I would dearly love to go to the May 12 Gala, I'm already booked in for June 3 (highly speculated to be Liam's final performance). I think there will be nearly 100 people fom the fan sites, including at least five of us from North America who are flying over specifically for the big night. Check out Yam's seating chart and look for me in Stalls C24-25.
http://www.abarmstrong.com/billy/june3_730.htm

Visit the Multimedia Updates List Updated On: 4/2/06 at 09:16 AM

[timballwiz]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 10:48pm

Phew... I'm a bit worn out after reading so many pages of this topic, but it was worth it! Takes me back to last December, when, on holiday, I saw the show for the first time. A glorious, dare I say, life-changing evening with Leon Cooke on stage. He was absolutely brilliant, and the play moved me beyond words.

I'm returning to London, finally, and will be in town starting Monday for two weeks... I'm going to see the show at least once more, probably a couple times, and would desperately like to see Leon again. If anyone has any insight as to which day(s) he's currently on (or NOT on stage, as the case may be) that information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, everyone, for all the valuable (and passionate) information and opinions you share here. It's a pleasure just reading it all!
Updated On: 4/8/06 at 10:48 PM

[Alan Roger]

Posted: 4/8/06 at 7:31am

A report of the Royal visit can be found under March reviews and the chat section of billyelliotthemusical.me.uk. Liam was Billy and Ryan was Michael

[Electricity]

Posted: 4/23/06 at 1:34pm

Hi all,

I've not posted on here for ages but thought I would let those of you who are new to the world of Billy Elliot, know about the galleries that are available showing photos of the cast:

The Fansite Gallery:
http://www.billyelliotfans.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=7

* Need to register

The Forum Gallery:
http://www.simply-the-best-online.me.uk/gallery/index.php

If you have any photos yourself that you wish to share with others, please email them to me at:

[e-mail] or [e-mail]

All the best,

Electricity

Updated On: 4/23/06 at 01:34 PM