Billy Elliot the Musical
You need binoculars to tell the difference between this performance and a fully professional one.
The Very Popular Theatre Company is now (arguably) the largest community theatre company in Australia (or more accurately pro-am), and has put together a production of the highest standard in every department.
Billy Elliot the Musical is a very challenging musical to perform, requiring excellence in dancing, music and staging.
The licence from rights holders even calls for aerial dancing – which means you need to co-ordinate a (thereabouts) 12-year-old boy dancing and twirling above the stage in a duet with a mature aged male ballet dancer.
Like everything else, this was pulled off with great panache. On opening night Lewis Nicholson was on duty as young Billy – dancing, acting and spinning with inexhaustible energy and passion.
To give you an idea of the calibre of the cast, Benjamin Obst in the role of older Billy in the dance duet has a CV which includes engagements as a principal with The Australian Ballet and it showed.
Debora Krizak, another seasoned professional in the cast, nailed the role of dance teacher Mrs Wilkinson, fresh from performing the same part on the Gold Coast.
Newcastle’s leading lights shone too. On opening night Charlie Murphy elegantly played the role of Michael Caffrey (Billy’s young friend) fresh from – wait for it – making his West End debut as Michael Banks in Mary Poppins.
The cream of local talent including regular leading man cast Danny Folpp as Billy’s Dad, Nicholas Langthorne as Tony and Felicity Biggins as Grandma all rose to the occasion.
The ensemble of police officers/miners were well drilled, the ballerinas in Billy’s dance school just gorgeous and music under Dan Wilson was crystal clear.
The set designed by producer Daniel Stoddart included a clever bedroom bunkbed which rolled onto the stage.
Sometimes when you see a musical that you have seen before if feels like you are going through the motions.
But the story of Billy’s journey from mining town during the Thatcher era strikes to the Royal Ballet school felt fresh and emotional in this production.
(Lewis Nicholson at the after-show party)
For those in driving distance of Newcastle this performance is well worth the trip up the Pacific Highway.
David Spicer
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