Billy Elliot

Finally made it to Billy Elliot. I originally bought tickets to replace Ratime when it was announced it would close Jan.3, the weekend before our tickets. But then the rush of last minute ticket purchases for Ragtime allowed them to extend the run to the weekend my dad was coming to see it. Yeah for dad! Scramble for me. So we ended up seeing two shows today after I made a frantic call to Telecharge to explain the situation thus allowing me to change the tickets for the evening performance.

Tons of kids are here to enjoy Broadway. WOOHOO – kids in the theater! We need new blood to keep the theater and dancing alive. Lights go down, show proceeds. BOOOO – kids in the theater! Where are their manners? What about theater etiquette? Where are the parents? All I hear is the crinkling of every know plastic made to contain sugary snack. AND I keep hearing the rattling rhythmic percussion of one gall munching on the world's largest bag of M&Ms. She can't just poor them all out, she must be shaking out one at a time because this sound continues through the ENTIRE first half of the show. I kept turning around, shhusshhhhing, no effect. Where were the parents? I only saw one mother and she seemed oblivious to how the noise her daughters were making was annoying the experience for others around them. Guess the acceptable threshold of kid noise is much higher when you're an actual parent. During intermission, I even asked the girls to be try to be considerate of all the noise the wrapper make. I think it helped, or more likely they ran out of candy. While exiting the theater, I notice candy shrapnel of the greatest carnage - piles of empty M&M, Godiva, and Twizzler packaging crumpled on the floor. Noisy and litterbugs, these demon spawn. So much for the future of manners at the theater. Wow, must have lost my maternal instincts at the last witch convention.

Billy Elliot jumped the pond about a year ago and yet I still hadn't been able to get excited enough to pay full price to see it. With guests in town, that excuse went away. As a musical, it's hard to get excited about coal mining, labor disputes, and Margaret Thatcher.

Sadly I don’t recall one song from the entire musical. Sometimes Sir. Elton John can’t get it together. Oh wait, I do recall a rip-off of a Chicago tune … they even used Razzle Dazzle in the refrain! Ouch.

Trent Kowalik was the lead during our performance. He was lanky and id a very nice job, particularly in the solo moments. I found a brick wall and shadow number very good. The flying nymber was rather silly and dated, reminding me on many a bad production of Peter Pan.

Kate Hennig as the dancing teacher was phoning it in. She flubbed several lines and seemed to walk about the stage if she didn’t care; not her character no caring, she didn’t seem to care or even like the fact that she was there to entertain, to enjoy performing.

The standouts were several supporting roles. Izzy Hanson-Johnston played the upstart and annoyingly funny young girl, Debbie. She never mugged for the audience but she had great comedic timing and a spark of happiness and joy even when her character delivered apathetic or jaded lines.

Trevor Braun Michael was the friend who liked dressing up in girl’s clothes. The HUGE dancing dress number is rather stupid and forced, relying on costumes and lots of stagy tap and movement. When the dancing is more organic, focusing on the boys trying on tutus, the fun and frivolity make for good vibes throughout the aisles.

Two fun numbers meant to surprise the audience are when Grandma (Carole Shelley) and the pudgy piano player (Thommie Retter) break out in their own solos – wonderful fun and big audience pleasers.

Overall, as a musical there really isn’t much to Billy Elliot. Luckily the production redeems itself, and some of the purchase price, with dance. Even with a few stumbles and some lackluster supporting players, the movement, energy, and support from more minor characters, the evening was still a fun romp, and that’s an impressive task around a labor-busting, gay-adolescent themed musical. Break out your tutu and dance.