BILLY ELLIOT- OCTOBER 18th- comparing to the OLC (SPOILER ALERT)

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 6:08pm

I saw Billy Elliot on Saturday night October 18th. Having seen the Original London production with Bily played by Liam Mower (who is on the CD recording and was the Billy reviewed by Brantley and other major reviewers).

I was slightly disappointed by the current state of the Broadway production but feel all that is wrong can be fixed by opening.

My thoughts-

- David Alvarez who played Billy was a wonderful dancer and acted adequately enough. His acting was rough around the edges and he may need more time to get into the role. He is, however, showing signs of starting to change his voice- his voice was cracking in some of the songs. The man sitting next to me said " there's no way he's 11 years old"- i.e. he definitely came off as being too old.

- The mostly American cast danced and sang better than the London cast. However, they weren't always quite believable as miners, townspeople or cops. While the dancing and singing were of the highest caliber, I feel that more work needs to be done on the acting side- i.e. the chorus especially still needs work in fully fleshing out their roles/backstories/etc.

-The North England accents were softened too much, making the accents quite inauthentic.

- Changes to the original London production such as having Billy's father on stage during the Electricity scene were unncessary and distracting.

-It may be my imagination but staging and direction seemed to add more Broadway "pizzazz" to this production than in the original London one. That extra pizzazz or razzle-dazzle really detracts from the gritty nature of the story and really took away from the dramatic qualities of the story. I didn't feel the sadness of the miners' plight in this production and felt that the emphasis needs to move back to the dramatic rather than the comic.

Since so much of Broadway "traffic" depends on the Times review, I'd advise the production team to go back to basics and to not tamper with the original production which was received a rave from Brantley.

[sgv123]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 6:27pm

Billy's dad is on stage during electricity in London I believe.

[bundy5000]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 6:31pm

I agree with the Pizazz, When I saw it Oct. 1 the reaction was more of "yea for Billy!" IMO, IF You ever saw October Sky the Movie, there is screaming, cursing, death, crying, parent disapproval, and not many supportive people. BUT IT HAS A GREAT ENDING

Which I think is what the majority of tourists see it. While watching The Letter, Performance, I cried, and the people around me had there hands on their chins and grinning.

For me BE put me into the sense of being in that time piece. Not a 3rd person point of view...

[JenD512]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 7:54pm

<<- Changes to the original London production such as having Billy's father on stage during the Electricity scene were unncessary and distracting. >>

I've seen it in London twice. Billy's father was on stage during Electricity. If you go on YouTube and look for clips from the London production, that was always the case in that scene.

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 8:33pm

The North England accents were softened too much, making the accents quite inauthentic.
It's a really strong accent to begin with, I know on the CD there are some words I still don't get. If they used the "authentic" accent on Broadway a lot of the audience would be confused and not understand certain words. They dulled it down to please American audiences and make it easier for them to understand.

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 8:36pm

My point, which may be a minority one, is that even with the slight commercialization of the work to fit American tastes, the emotional honesty of the show gets lost.
I didn't see anybody crying in the NY audience. In London many people had tears down their faces.

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 8:38pm

Maybe it was a bad night, but the story it self makes people cry. I'm sure people did, I'm know Ryan O'Connor did.

[bundy5000]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 8:54pm

IMO Broadway has evolved into a American "pop" culture in the last 8 years or so. It has always been in our culture. But pop culture has an effect on pretty much most of society.

Walk into a Barnes and Nobles and they have Wicked Merchandise for sale. Many teens were attracted to "Rent" the Movie. Not the play but the movie. Disney Musicals are popping out like daisies in the last decade. Before the movie, Mamma Mia was a hit for the regular tourist and their families. Legally Blonde the Musical had a MTV Reality show.


point is I think "some" Broadway is now somewhat an advertising commercial success. and the take on with BE is that some audience comes into the show to expect to be razzled and dazzled. But does not consider the source or core elements into a show like Billy Elliot.

Anyone noticed the decline in Quality Movie Musicals and an increase in sales for 'pop'ular shows now? apart from shows in the 80's and 90's

Updated On: 10/20/08 at 08:54 PM

[LotteTBS138]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 9:48pm

I haven't seen the production here... gonna wait til it tones down a little bit and they get all of the hydrolics fixed. BUT, seeing it in London, I can see why they would tone down the Geordie accent EVEN THOUGH, it does play a good plot point when they go down to London and the locals have a tough time understanding Dad.

Shame though if it lost it's sad/happiness factory coz I sure was balling my eyes out in the scene with Michael!

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 10:01pm

I saw it in London and I saw it here. I cried a little in London, but a lot in New York.

It's only "emotionally honest" if it speaks to you. The cast I saw in London (June 2007)--with a couple of exceptions--was not nearly as "real" as the cast I saw in New York.

Updated On: 10/20/08 at 10:01 PM

[LTinOregon]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 10:32pm

If David Alvarez needs more time to get into the role, I can't figure out when the other two will ever be able to play "Billy".

BTW, David Alvarez is the big time favorite for the critic's night.......

And if his voice is cracking (I didn't realize though....), now it explains what I was just told, that David Alvarez has already a big offer in Hollywood.

However, I think they should wait a bit longer, because if David goes, no way the Billys will get the Tony next year, seriously.....

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 10:33pm

What kind of offer... movie?


Also, the already have the replacement Billys picked.

[LTinOregon]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 10:53pm

All I heard is that a big casting office in LA came to see him after they saw him perform, and that the offer is for a lead role in a Hollywood production with Johnny Depp. I presume is a movie..............

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 10:58pm

I'm sure David Alvarez is wonderful, but I got to see Trent Kowalik and he could easily take the Tony home. I know that with the three of them together--if Tony rules them the same as the Olivier--they will be strong competition for the top award. Kowalik was brilliant, especially in his acting. When I saw him dancing "Electricity" I just thought that one day when he is older, I'd love to see him dance-act his way through "The Music and the Mirror" (which probably would never happen but still).

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 11:33pm

Well, I saw Kiril Kulish and I cannot imagine ANYONE better in the role of Billy. So there you have it: The Holy Trinity.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 11:36pm

They shot the B-roll footage with David Alvarez, if that says anything.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 11:49pm

That's a great way to put it, Miss Pennywise.
By the way, I never saw the show in London, luckily we got the f-ing brilliant Haydn Gwynne on this side of the pond but I will say that to say the show lost the emotional connection with the audience is just not true.
The story packs a punch. "The Letter" is a most touching, beautiful, sad moment and the audience definitely reacts to it. The guy I saw it with definitely cried during it, and my eyes were watery (I don't cry in shows/movies so that says a lot). The show is not afraid to show its emotions, from "Angry Dance" to the dance that Billy does after the Christmas Party (can't remember the name of the sequence, but can definitely remember how powerful it was to see Billy finish the dance and stand facing his father) to the showstopping "Electricity" right through that touching kiss between Michael and Billy.
I understand the original piece might have been tighter and more daring (can't agree or disagree since I didn't see it in London) but you can't say that the production currently running in NY is not an emotional, beautiful, fantastic story full of true sentiments and full of spectacular theater moments.

[LTinOregon]

Posted: 10/21/08 at 8:53am

"They shot the B-roll footage with David Alvarez, if that says anything."

IT SAYS IT ALL!!!

[LotteTBS138]

Posted: 10/21/08 at 8:58am

>> All I heard is that a big casting office in LA came to see him after they saw him perform, and that the offer is for a lead role in a Hollywood production with Johnny Depp. I presume is a movie.............. <<

What a great casting company! Coz, y'know, I can totally see Johnny Depp as a miner!

[LTinOregon]

Posted: 10/21/08 at 9:16am

LotteTBS138:

It's clear you've never been offered something like this, and that you don't enjoy the critic's praise Johnny Depp is enjoying since he's a teen!

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 10/21/08 at 2:06pm

There is no question that the show is better sung/danced in NY than in London. The acting, however, at least in previews, is not up to what I saw in London. I also felt that the emphasis on musical comedy rather than drama is stronger in the NY production.

I love the show and wish it to succeed. I just want the Broadway show to recapture the Original London cast magic...