Take off your boxing gloves, and put on your dancing shoes – because Billy Elliot is here to razzle Melburnians. Billy Elliot The Musical was brought to the stage by the multiple award-winning creative team behind the film, including writer Lee Hall (book and lyrics), director Stephen Daldry, and choreographer Peter Darling. Add in a score composed by Sir Elton John, and you have a surefire hit.
From start to finish, Billy Elliot is an engaging, comical, and at times, emotional experience. Set in 1980s Northern Britain the musical deals with the coalminers’ battle against the conservative government led by the infamous Maggie Thatcher. Times are tough for the community, and especially for the Elliot family as they grieve the loss of their mother. Father Jackie, played brilliantly by Justin Smith, exemplifies the stereotypical father of the time; supporting the strike with his eldest son Tony, who is passionate about the cause. Jackie pushes younger son Billy into boxing lessons, only for Billy to discover that he is intrigued by dancing, after he is asked to hand keys to Mrs Wilkinson (Lisa Sontag), the dance instructor who shares the gym for her dance classes. Sontag wonderfully portrays the role as the chain-smoking, quick-witted dance instructor, who is uninterested in her current students. Her passion is reignited when she sees Billy’s talent and the opportunity for him to attend the Royal Ballet School.
Darling’s choreography was indeed challenging – asking miners and police of the era who don’t like dancing, to dance. Militant moves timed to perfection, weaving in and out, and a clever use of props such as chairs, hats, truncheons and rolled up newspapers was highlighted in the powerful song Solidarity. The song Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher was a crowd favourite, with a satirical dig at the Iron Lady. Actors wore Maggie Thatcher masks on the back of their heads, swaying and swinging. The grim reaper chased Maggie around the stage amidst an entertaining puppet show, with a monstrous inflatable Maggie Thatcher dwarfing them in the background.
The audience fell in love with Billy’s endearing and eccentric Grandma (played by Vivien Davis), who has a habit of leaving pastries in strange places around the kitchen. She steals the show in Grandma’s Song, where she recalls her 33 years of marriage – being less than complimentary towards her husband. Other crowd favourites included Billy’s friend Michael, played by Oscar Mulcahy, whose whimsical nature provided plenty of entertainment. A highlight was cross-dressing scene Expressing Yourself, where the actors display their dancing prowess amidst giant, colourful dresses on coathangers. The ballet centre pianist Mr Braithwaite (Dean Vince), boxing instructor George (Robert Grubb), and Mrs Wilkinson’s daughter Debbie (Ella Tebbutt) also provide terrific comedic relief throughout the production.
There are emotional moments in the show when Billy shows a letter from his dead mother (Danielle Everett) to Mrs Wilkinson, and then writes and sings with her in A Letter of Reply. In both scenes, Everett’s angelic voice leaves the audience wanting more.
The show indeed is about Billy Elliot, and on opening night, River Mardesic played the title role (which he alternates with Omar Abiad, Jamie Rogers and Wade Neilsen), and he confidently carried the entire show on his shoulders. He was able to follow every move Darling threw at him, including impressive tap routines with ease. The highlight of his performance was the scene between him and his older brother (Aaron Smyth), as the audience sees him progress into an adult. Their dance is nothing short of impressive, where the lighting transforms the dancers and captivates the audience.
Plaudits and congratulations to all cast members and the production team on their show. Audience members in unison gave a voluntary, well-earned standing ovation after the performance. If you want a fast-paced, action-packed show to see, Billy Elliot is that show. Tickets are on sale now, so make sure you head to their website to lock yours in now!
Photo Credit: James D Morgan (Getty Images)