When Billy Elliot started in London did it have as many tech problems as the Broadway company?

There have been many preview performances of Billy Elliot on Broadway that have either been stopped mid show or in at least one case canceled due to technical aspects of it. I was wondering if the show in London had the same problem in the beginning or has it just been for the Broadway company?

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It's completel different I guess cuz when it opened in London during previews, they were changing EVERYTHING and it's a new musical so it's harder. But I guess on Broadway, it's more of a fact of getting it right into the schedule of things if it makes any sense. But I'm glad the finale's back on Broadway now!

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There were lots of worries before Billy Elliot opened because there were a few shortcuts on the technical side of things. The bridge, I recall, was causing concern amongst other things.

Of course, the show lost Annie Anne Rogers just before previews and it was quite a turbulent process.

At the time, I wondered whether the critics would turn on the show, because there had been a series of hits in the West End and the show was all set up to be a bit of popular culture ripe for a kicking. Plus it has the audacity to advertize on phone boxes- how common!

Fortunately, it came through. Fingers crossed it does the same on Broadway.

I've often wondered what interpretation Ann Rogers would have given of Grandma?
I've seen the show about 5 times now and I don't think Ann Emery could be beaten.
The show has been stopped just the once when I've been and that was for about 20 mins.

I've been to about 20 or so performnace's of shows in the last 30 odd years that have been stopped, cancelled half way tru or whatever but I've never encountered any hostile reaction from an audience when its happened.
Stoppages in recent memory-
'Mama Mia' -one in preview and once at normal perf (also stopped in Madrid)
'Hairspray' -(one preview and one normal perf stopped)
'Wicked' -(twice during previews, in review alone- stopped 3 times!)
'Dirty Dancing' -(in Sydney) major probs with the stage elevators at the 2nd preview
In the past...
'Song And Dance' -The sliding cage set was always stopping at The Palace
'Lutrec' -Those bloody drapes!
'Sweeney Todd' -(Drury Lane)
'Tommy' -Many stops and many cancellations during the years run!
'Me and My Girl' -Sliding set stopped 5 or 6 shows and delayed many.
'Singing In The Rain' -Water leakage
'Cats' -The drum was old and should have been replaced long before the show closed.
'Chicago'
'Starlight Express' - The show was stopped most weeks when the bridge refused to budge and threatened to cut the heads off performers!
An Alan Ayckbourn play called 'Way Upstream' at the National in the 80s was cnnelled for 2 weeks after 'the river' burst its banks (yes, they build a river complete with banks on the stage of the Lytleton- absolutely amazing!) and was canceled many times in its short run due to major problems with a leaky set!
All of these and many others suffered major scenery break downs and had extended intervals or complete cancellations when I've been there.

Updated On: 10/18/08 at 08:24 AM

"I can understand the annoyance of only seeing half the show or having lengthy delays especially if youre from out of town but you dont have to go to previews."

As has been pointed out on the New York board (and I would think carries over to the West End as well), John and Jane Ticketbuyer who only go to the theatre once a year while on holiday don't know what previews are or if a show is in preview vs. regular run. All they know is that they spent £60/$135 + booking fees and that the set broke.

Broadway price there previews very badly. The previews are always just reduced by either $1 or as much as $5 whereas in the West End previews are normally £5 to £20 off and some a hell of a lot actually do half price previews. Years ago all West End plays and musicals would always be half price or 'all seats for previews £...' and all advertising would be very clear. All producers do now is make a fast penny by letting an audience pay almost full price for a show that needs them there to see if it works!!!
I've always seen it as bad practice by Broadway producers that they charge $1 less to see a show that they still are working on and incomplete. For example' Billy Elliott' should be half price with the tech probs they are having and people paying that price will then know they are seeing a work in progress because basically that is what a preview is.
The London 'La Cage' that opens next week is reducing sats by £20 and that show has very little work to be done before its official opening.

Did the Oz Billy have many tech issues in preview?

It was the Nov 13th show where the producer came onstage and offered everyone free tickets to compensate for not only the technical problems of the show but also the fact that they ended up canceling it.

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Exactly!