BILLY ELLIOT the Musical Broadway review

The Imperial has found itself a new show that will run for a very, very long time.

BILLY ELLIOT the Musical is a massive show that is, at its core, a very simple story. The thing that sets BILLY apart from all the other musicals right now is that it doesn't try to be anything it isn't - it doesn't TRY to be a big, splashy, flashy, tacky, etc Broadway musical - it very simply tells the story with heart, passion and energy.

As a scenic designer, I was absolutely fascinated by the choices made with the design. Ian MacNeil hit the design on the head and then some. The set itself has a certain character about it - it's very drab and dirty and some have complained about it, calling it ugly - it has done its job. The miners' strike was not happy, cheery, bright, etc it WAS drab and dirty, very bleak and disheartening. The coolest part of the set is the "screwdriver" spiral-staircase unit that revolves, rises and falls out of and into the stage. The back of the stage is a simple brick wall that is visible almost the entire show and serves as a great 'backdrop' for the musical, as opposed to something like a painted cyc.

The lighting design was phenomenal! From various moments of lighting that projected shadows of the actors onto the brick wall at the back of the stage, to the incredible colors in 'ANGRY DANCE' - the lighting was truly fantastic and definitely deserves notice.

David Alvarez was on for BILLY that night and was breathtaking. His BILLY is so genuine, pure, honest - I could go on with plenty of adjectives, but I won't. David was simply perfect. No one could take their eyes of off him and his 'ANGRY DANCE' had everyone holding their breath - it was unbelievable. Applause lasted long after he left the stage for intermission.

Elton John's music and Lee Hall's lyrics are not typical, brassy Broadway songs. They're simply not. If you're going in expecting huge musical theatre 'hits' and should-be standards, you're out of luck. However, if you're looking for music that fits this show and helps tell the story and pushing the plot forward - you're in luck. Lee Hall's lyrics are very, very smart and original and, again, extremely genuine. Elton's music is perfectly matched to Lee's lyrics and his music for the "ANGRY DANCE" brings something of a huge rock concert to mind, but with the beating of a heart as the basis for the whole thing.

Lee Hall's book is very smart and raw. Definitely one of the strongest, if not the strongest, aspect of the show.

A quick rundown of things that stood out/moved me the most...

-The boxing scene - VERY funny, especially the little kid walking out. Audience ate it up!

-SHINE - Hayden Gwyn rocked this song and made it clear she thoroughly understands Mrs. Wilkinson and then some. The girls' ensemble is a hoot and each one has a clear character - loved it.

-SOLIDARITY - Stephen Daldry's direction is so organic and symbolic - definitely a memorable song and powerful one at that.

-EXPRESS YOURSELF - Frank Dolce as Michael was perfection. The lines were delivered so dead-on and the song got incredible reception, it certainly puts things in a different place with a message like this coming from kids to adults, as opposed to it coming from adults to adults...

-ANGRY DANCE - By far the best moment in the show for me. From the moment the first chord hits with Billy running up the stairs, to him throwing the mattress off of his landing and the lighting creating the shadow of him on the back wall. Wow. When the 'screwdriver' unit started to revolve with him tapping it became even more impressive and passionate. Once he made it down to the stage level and the shack came up it was clear David was deep into the role and had let it all out - the small bit I really loved was with the pieces of the huge sign - from Billy being lifted on one to being dragged by someone reaching through one to the back of the stage where all the pieces came together - very powerful. The shields and the police officers banging on the shields was such a powerful image and everything in this moment made that even more powerful (lighting, smoke, music). What really put it over the edge was how loud the music got - it's as if they turned everything up as high as it would go and then told the orchestra to play as loud as possible. Just, wow. I get chills just thinking about it.

-MERRY CHRISTMAS MAGGIE THATCHER - Very funny and the audience got it!

-Transition during DEEP INTO THE GROUND - The staging of the transition was fantastic. Definitely made me take note of it in my mind.

-SWAN LAKE - A very powerful moment of theatre. The whole scene is unbelievable and extremely energizing to watch. When the dance proper ends and Billy dances to his father - lots of tears came. The entire scene working up the that is so well constructed that all the emotion going with it just builds and builds, but you don't notice it until he dances up to his dad and finishes.

-ELECTRICITY - The applause David received stopped the show. Well deserved.

-The ending was very interesting - I'm well aware of the 'megamix' though I think I prefer the show without it. Being left with Michael onstage and Billy leaving through the audience certainly isn't the happiest ending, but it's real and puts a bittersweet outlook on the whole thing.

It's my understanding the 'megamix' will return later in previews once the big kinks are hammered out...

Other notes - David Furnish (Producer of the show and husband of Elton John) was sitting behind me... Lee Hall, Peter Darling and Stephen Daldry were at the back of the house with all of their assistants taking pages of notes... I talked to Stephen very briefly to tell him how much I was enjoying the show and he seemed to enjoy the feedback....

If this is a very 'rough' version of the show with more work to be done, I can't imagine what the final product will be - incredibly stunning show and the best piece of the theatre I've ever seen.

Feel free to ask questions...


EDIT - It completely slipped my mind to mention the direction. Stephen Daldry has directed this show so naturally and organically that it makes it feel REAL. The moment that you first truly notice his fantastic direction is in GRANDMA'S SONG/WE'D GO DANCING - the 'ghosts' moving across the stage in a 'slow motion' throughout the song and interacting with Grandma... beautiful - it really felt like you were either watching a movie take place in front of you, or you were seeing these people in Grandma's mind... the point is, it's a beautiful image and that's just the tip of the iceberg.