Billy Elliot the Musical at the Bristol Hippodrome Review
Billy Elliot
Bristol Hippodrome
25 October to 26 November 2016
Reviewed by Katy Hart
Billy Elliot the Musical has been seen by nearly 11 million people across five continents and is the recipient of over 80 awards internationally, including ten Tony Awards and five Olivier Awards. It is now touring across the UK & Ireland for the first time after 11 extraordinary years in London’s West End.
Last evening, I had the pleasure of going to see Billy Elliot The Musical at the Bristol Hippodrome and it was every bit as good as when I saw it in the West End many years ago, if not, better.
The story is set in the North East of the UK during the miners’ strike of the 1980’s. The struggles and depravation that this time had upon these mining villages and towns is evident from the opening scene.
The plot follows the story of Billy, a young boy who lives with his widowed Father, Jackie (Martin Walsh), and older brother, Tony (Scott Garnham), and his Grandmother (Andrea Miller). Billy attends a weekly boxing class and one evening ends up staying late and happens across a ballet class run by Mrs Wilkinson (Annette McLaughlin). This chance happening changes his life as he discovers a natural ability and love for dancing. Mrs Wilkinson nurtures this passion for dancing and believes Billy is talented enough to study at the Royal Ballet School in London. Throughout the plot, there are scenes played out between the striking miners and the police, and Billy misses an audition with the Royal Ballet following one such skirmish. Up to this point, Mrs Wilkinson had been seeing Billy in secret for lessons, however she confronts Jackie and tells him of Billy’s talent. He is enraged by his own prejudices as had been anticipated, and forbids Billy to pursue his dreams of being a professional dancer. Sometime later Jackie happens to see Billy dancing and at that moment he sees Billy’s potential, he decides to set aside his prejudices to support his son. The whole mining community pull together to help and find the finances to allow Billy the opportunity to travel to London with Jackie to attend an audition. Feeling totally out of his comfort zone, and incredibly nervous, Billy is frustrated that the audition didn’t go as he had hoped and ends up hitting out at another boy. As he is reprimanded by the interview panel he feels rejected and despondent. However, there is that wonderful moment when he is asked what it feels like when he is dancing, and he replies that it is “like electricity” and so beautifully puts into words and dance the way in which dance totally takes over him and he loses himself into it. Does Billy get offered a place to study with the Royal Ballet? Well, I strongly recommend that if you get the opportunity to, that you go and watch this incredible Musical and discover for yourself what happens.
Woven throughout the plot are wonderful characters such as Billy’s friend, Michael (Henry Farmer), and Mrs Wilkinson’s daughter, Debbie. Another such character is Billy’s Grandmother who suffers from dementia. Her rendition of “Grandma’s Song’ is absolutely brilliant. Billy’s Dead Mother features alongside Billy at some parts and each time is incredibly moving and beautiful. Other great characters include George (Leo Atkin), the boxing teacher and Mr Braithwaite (Daniel Page) the faithful accompanist for Mrs Wilkinson’s weekly ballet classes.
The musical features the most incredible and moving music written by Elton John, and it is performed by some very talented musicians. It is so easy to focus solely on the onstage performers, but these musicians were outstanding in every way too last evening.
The whole evening was incredible and I would thoroughly recommend anyone reading this to try and get tickets to see the show. You will be in awe at the wonderful all round talent of Billy, you will laugh with the utterly brilliant Michael in ‘Expressing Yourself’ and Mr Braithwaite’s wonderful dance moves, and you cannot fail to be moved during ‘The Letter’. To round it all off, the final bows were also a treat and something to behold.
This is one evening that I’m sure will not disappoint. Last evening’s performance was thoroughly deserving of the standing ovation it received.
The main characters played by children have an alternating cast, I’ve listed above who was performing last evening.
Age guidance 8+. Contains strong language and is not recommended for children under the age of 8 years old. Running time 3 hours and 5 minutes including interval.
Rating: 5/5 
Tickets cost from £22 to £68 (plus £4 transaction fee)
Billy Elliot the Musical is at the Bristol Hippodrome until 26 November 2016. For more information or to book tickets click here or call the box office on 0844 871 3012.
Bristol Hippodrome, St Augustine’s Parade, Bristol, BS1 4UZ | 0844 871 3012
