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Show: Billy Elliot the Musical
Society: London (professional shows)
Venue: Novello Theatre
Credits: by Lee Hall and Elton John Dauntsey's School production
Type: Sardines
Author: Chris Abbott
Performance Date: 19/03/2017
Billy Elliot the Musical
Chris Abbott | 20 Mar 2017 10:53am
It is greatly to their credit that so many producers now allow school and youth companies to put on productions of their shows at the same time as the professional productions are still running. This provides current, interesting and attractive material for young people to engage with, and probably grows audiences for the show in question too.
The production of Billy Elliot by Dauntsey’s School, an independent school in Wiltshire, was so successful that the whole production was transported and re-created, for one night only, in the West End at the Novello Theatre, normally the home of Mamma Mia!. Anyone with a teaching background will be immediately staggered at the ambition of the whole exercise, let alone the practicalities of transporting, feeding and rehearsing more than 100 young people.
To have even achieved this aim is impressive; but Dauntsey’s have a history of this kind of thing, having taken their productions of Les Miserables to the West End in 2003 and Miss Saigon in 2012. To have done so again and to have delivered a highly impressive, tightly rehearsed and emotionally powerful performance – as they did – is a remarkable achievement.
Director and Designer Rikki Jackson (working with Choreographer Emily Wilkins and Musical Director Gareth Harris) has created a piece which both pays homage to the original production and makes best use of the talents and aptitudes of the cast. In the performances at the school, the parts of Billy and Michael were double-cast, which must have made for difficult decisions when casting the one-night West End performance, and it was a delight to see both duos included and centre-stage for the final number.
At this performance, Ollie Frost was a wiry, anxious and energetic Billy, totally convincing in the sections with his dead Mum as well as commanding the stage when he needed to do so, and more than able to convey emotion through song. As his friend Michael, a difficult part to get right, Archie Mackinnon was entirely believable and avoided the temptation to exaggerate.
Billy’s older family members create other challenges for young performers. Joe Stratford provided an appropriately angry and bitter performance as brother Tony and Pippa Adamthwaite-Cook gave a confident and gleeful portrayal of Grandma. As Billy’s Dad, Euan Falconer-Cunningham was very impressive, conveying the weariness of age, loneliness and responsibility and leading the audience to believe in his decision to return to work.
In such a large cast it is not possible to name everyone, although mention should be made of the heartfelt performance as Dead Mum from Mischa Jardine, and the audience-pleasing antics of Patrick Wu as Mr Braithwaite. One of the key relationships in this musical however is that between Billy and his dance teacher. As Mrs Wilkinson, Aurora Paris gave a mature and carefully thought-out performance, making us feel as sad for her, trapped and left behind, as we are happy for Billy as he goes on to new experiences.
Around these performers, a large cast played miners, police officers and children at the dance school, with a total grasp of the singing and dancing required. Within minutes, the audience accepted them as the adults they were playing, and this was due to the performances rather than through any resort to grey hair or drawn-on lines. The cast made a very believable group of miners and the use of Kate Powell’s puppets at the beginning of the second act was most effective, although probably even more so on the much larger stage at the school.
With faultless sound and lighting, also controlled by students from the school, and an impressive orchestra located in the Stalls Bar, this was a phenomenal achievement from a school that recognises the values not just of drama and dance but of performance. How sad it is that it is increasingly only independent schools that are able to put performance at the centre of what they do; all schools should be giving these opportunities to young people for whom school should be about creativity as well as attainment, and teamwork as well as individual acclaim.
- : admin
- : 19/03/2017