Nobody can ever BETTER Jamie Bell's performance, as he is the original Billy. To a certain degree, every West End Billy will always be copying or trying to redefine Jamie's performance.
I first came to watch the show having seen the film about 50 times and was prepared to be disappointed. Jamie gives such an innocent and beautiful performance as Billy, it would be hard to compare.
However, even as such a cynic, when I saw BE at the VP for the first time, I was blown away (and it was James LM/MF so eat your words. The musical doesn't and could never compare to the film. They are both fantastic but completely different. My advice is; if people LIKED the film, they will LOVE the show. Just don't make comparisons.
Incidentally, if our arch enemy (whether he's LM or MF at the moment - I'm not sure he knows himself) was such a Billy fan, surely he would know that Joe Caffrey plays Tony in the show, Stuart Wells was the original Michael with Nichola Blackwell as the "do ya wanna see me fanny" Debbie, and who (if they care about BE at all) wouldn't know that Ann Emery (long live Rentaghost) plays Grandma.
And finally, as for the Liam Mower Appreciation Society (otherwise known as LM or MF), your ideal cast wouldn't work as Stuart Wells is 23 - in the film he was almost 18 when he played Michael. Not only that, he's in the army, but even he couldn't get away with it now.)
Shake that bum Billy - it's big enough!
Updated On: 10/18/05 at 08:58 PM