Billy Elliot Broadway Update- Page 2

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 8/19/07 at 3:55pm

Its essential to the setting of the work, if you know it. And no they dont change accents for London audiences-ever.

Updated On: 8/19/07 at 03:55 PM

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 8/19/07 at 4:04pm

Yes, I know the show well enough. Sure, accent adds to the whole setting of the show, but it's not important at all.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 8/19/07 at 4:11pm

'accents add to the whole setting but its not important'
?
Exactly- dont touch it. In the UK, American plays or musicals, new or classic are never played around with. Maybe we have a greater ability to understand accents. Ive never seen any of Tennesse Williams's or Eugene O'Neils work given a different accent so we can understand them easier.

Updated On: 8/19/07 at 04:11 PM

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 8/19/07 at 4:24pm

Dude, just drop it. You're British.

If everyone can understand what is being said on stage, then I wouldn't touch it either. But there's a problem when a lot of people can't understand what the hell is being said on stage.

[jakebloke]

Posted: 8/19/07 at 5:19pm

There's a big difference between the English accent we know or typically hear in London and what you hear in Billy Elliot. I think it's a Northern English accent or so I've been told. I have NO problem understanding what you would call a traditional English accent. I was lost a lot in Billy Elliot due to the severe accent. I think it should still be English.....just maybe not as severe.....if that is even a possibility. Add that to the whole backplot with the uprising and politics and American audiences are going to be completely lost. I'm just saying.
Updated On: 8/19/07 at 05:19 PM

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 8/19/07 at 5:46pm

Whats that supposed to mean? 'Your British' is that a problem?

Updated On: 8/19/07 at 05:46 PM

[WOSQ]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 10:13am

Spoil the ending? The film was released in what, 2000? If you post on this board and you haven't seen the film, why haven't you seen the film? It is 'BroadwayWorld 101".

The accent that is used is perched in the back of the throat and a lot of the words become swallowed and garbled. Before you tell me to listen, I had my hand cupped to my ear and that was what helped clarify the words. The accent has to be changed.

I wasn't wild about the set. It could be redesigned or altered and the show might be better.

I will be in Sydney in Feb and Mar so perhaps I will find out if the show has many changes and if they work.

And trust me, the only reason the Shuberts are going to let Billy Elliot out of the Imperial is if one of their better musical houses becomes available and it looks like none will. The Shubert Organization only owns 5 decent-sized musical houses (Shubert, Majestic, Winter Garden, Broadway and Imperial), and all are spoken for right now.

[ruthiefan_felix]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 11:11am

Let's hope they won't change anything to 'adapt' the Broadway audiences! I mean... look at how ridiculous Mary Poppins looks like now with the changes!
I personally thought the accents were essential to the plot, it really brought the whole audiene into the Durham/North Yorkshire setting.

[Anastasia_Beaverhausen]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 11:17am

I imagine the Broadway will be available by the time Billy comes to town.

[Anastasia_Beaverhausen]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 11:17am

duplicate Updated On: 8/20/07 at 11:17 AM

[whatever2]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 11:37am

> Spoil the ending? The film was released in what, 2000? If you post on this board and you haven't seen the film, why haven't you seen the film? It is 'BroadwayWorld 101".


WOSQ: apparently, the ending was changed from the film to the musical ... NOT something widely known on this side of the pond. it was a spoiler. definitely. Justin even agreed.

get over yerself! :P

[Jilani]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 11:51am

The ending was not changed that much from the film to the musical - it just ends before the last scene of the film (which - SPOILER if you haven't seen the film - fast forwards to Billy all grown up and performing in the Matthew Bourne Swan Lake).

I agree that the accent is hard for Americans to understand, but I also think it would be really lame to dumb it down. The bottom line, in my opinion, is that this show is just too British to do well with American audiences. I don't mean that as a criticism of either the British or the Americans.

[whatever2]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 11:56am

jilani: it all makes sense now ... thanks for splainin'!

[Shakespearean]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 1:13pm

It's a Geordie accent, one of the more difficult ones to comprehend at times for reasons already stated here. It's appropriate to the class and location, though, and is even referenced in the lyrics several times. I'm curious to see how they handle this as it's not easily softened without losing its key qualities. We should know more after we see how they do it in Australia. I'm still praying they don't relocate the story to make it easier on us poor, pampered Colonials

[avab802]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 1:22pm

Was the accent changed or "toned down" in the film? Because I don't remember the dialect in the film being that difficult to understand.

[LeaGirl]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 2:53pm

I saw Billy Elliot in London and I understood pretty much everything that was said. It really wasn't very difficult to follow. I was in the cheap seats in the back, too.

[broadwayhoney]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 2:58pm

If they're casting American boys as Billy Elliot I don't think you're going to have a problem understanding their "northern" British accent because I doubt they'll have one!

[LeaGirl]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 3:15pm

There was an American boy playing the role in London and he was taught the same accent. I don't know how his compared to everyone elses since I didn't see him, but...

[Chloe]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 3:37pm

That was Colin Bates, and you can see him in the Billy Elliot press reel that's been up on the official site and YouTube. His accent sounds pretty good to me. There's another American boy on in London now also, Corey Snide. I've heard there's a chance he may be in the Broadway version also.

Posted: 8/20/07 at 3:49pm

I'm so excited about this! I really would prefer nothing be changed, but if it is, it's just an excuse for me to go to London and see the original, I guess! This is the one show I'm wicked excited about coming to Broadway!

[alfgiotir]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 4:48pm

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/110445.html

Official News.

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 4:51pm

Spoil the ending? The film was released in what, 2000? If you post on this board and you haven't seen the film, why haven't you seen the film? It is 'BroadwayWorld 101".
It actually hasn't hit Broadway yet, and won't for more than a year. So it's really not BroadwayWorld 101.

[WestVillage]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 5:20pm

I am so excited about this. Loved it in London, and didn't have any problems understanding the accents or the politics of the time that were depicted. I hope they don't change a thing for Broadway ... Broadway audiences (especially the tourists) are too used to being spoon fed everything ... they should have to listen and, heaven forbid, think for a change. Billy Elliot should not be dumbed down to pander to today's audiences. If Billy Elliot goes over their heads, Broadway is in BIG trouble. But considering Grease is doing boffo business, Broadway might already be in big trouble.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 5:34pm

I hope you're right...that they don't dumb it down. Though after the dismal failure of Coram Boy, I'm kind of afraid it might happen.

[dramaparoxysm23]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 6:02pm

Me = excited.
I love Billy Elliot.
I can't even tell you how much.
(Or maybe...I can't really explain it, I haven't got the words...)