Almost any review is certain to short-change the magic that is Billy Elliott the Musical. Words alone cannot describe the unique chemistry among all the elements that come together in this award-winning musical. The North American tour gave Milwaukee audiences their first look at this international sensation.
Billy is first and foremost a dance show, and so it is necessary to first credit choreographer Peter Darling. In odd and inspiring ways, he communicates the emotions of a community in chaos. Coal miners are launching what becomes year-long strike against the English government. And children are trying to grow up amidst the uncertainty and anxiety that surrounds them.
At its core, Billy is the tale of a coal miner’s son who dreams of becoming a dancer. At first, Billy practically stumbles into a girl’s dance class. The ballet teacher, who dresses like Betsey Johnson and acts just about as kooky as the famous fashion designer, drills the young girls into something of an ensemble. It is a hopeless task, yet Billy joins in at the teacher’s instruction. The girls don’t seem to mind that their arms and legs flail away as if possessed. Billy, however, puts his mind to the task. The teacher notices his talent. All is well until Billy announces his intentions to his family.
The father, who initially scoffs at Billy’s ambition, is the one who changes the most during the production. He starts off as the hard-drinking widower who desperately misses his wife. He has an older son, who is already following in his father’s footsteps, and a mother-in-law who is hilariously addled. In fact, Patti Perkins makes such an indelible impression as Grandma in Act I that it’s a shame she disappears from view until the end of Act II. It’s clear she once had dreams of her own, and the audience would like to hear more of her life story. Alas, it is not to be.
The focus is firmly on Billy and his quest. Strong production numbers propel this musical on its own trajectory. Fantasy combines with reality in fascinating ways, especially in the tune, “Solidarity.” The full-scale production number combines police officers (wearing riot gear) with coal miners and even the small dancers in their pink tights and tutus. The girls and adults dance to different rhythms but occasionally overlap. It is a beautiful, visual expression of how the entire community is caught up in this labor struggle.
The current changes entirely in other numbers, like “Expressing Yourself.” Billy’s friend Michael (played brilliantly by Cameron Clifford, one of two boys cast in this role) pulls out the stops to prance about in his sister’s boas, dresses and makeup. Although it’s clear that Billy finds this sort of entertainment a bit bizarre, he goes along for the ride. Eventually, faceless mannequins join them as they twirl and whirl about the stage.
However, the poetic pinnacle of this show is a dreamlike sequence to the music of Swan Lake. Billy (played by Kylend Hetherington in the opening performance) is paired with a simple prop – a wood chair – and a mirror image of himself as the Older Billy (played by Maximilien A. Baud). It is a haunting, ethereal number that audiences will remember for years.
The topnotch cast performs beautifully, led by one of four Billys cast in this production. And the fusion of production elements blends so well together that it creates its own universe. The result is simply breathtaking.
