Note 9: Billy Elliot the Musical

Billy Elliot the Musical is a musical based on the 2000 British film Billy Elliot. The music is by Elton John, and book and lyrics are by Lee Hall, who wrote the film's screenplay. The plot revolves around motherless Billy, who trades boxing gloves for ballet shoes. The story of his personal struggle and fulfillment are balanced against a counter-story of family and community strife caused by the UK miners' strike (1984–1985) in County Durham, in North Eastern England.

The musical premiered in London's West End in 2005 and was nominated for nine Laurence Olivier Awards, winning four including Best New Musical. The production is still running strongly, and its success led to productions in Australia, on Broadway and elsewhere. In New York, it won ten Tony Awards and ten Drama Desk Awards, including, in each case, best musical. It has also won numerous awards in Australia including a record-tying seven Helpmann Awards.

Something interesting to notice is the accent the actors speak. In UK, the accent the actors speak and sing with is a northern English accent called Geordie.  Cast members of the show spend many hours with dialect coaches learning the accent, which is thought by many to give BETM an authentic air.  It can be hard for some people to understand, however, and the accent has been toned down for audiences of the American productions.

To be honest, I know nothing about dancing and I’m seldom touched by the dance moves. But whenever I watch BETM’s clip, their dance moves always move me to tears. There is a production number called “Angry Dance“. In it, all of the pent up anger, hopelessness and frustration that Billy feels, caused both by how his family and community are being affected by the miners’ strike and by his family’s lack of support of his desire to dance, comes out in a torrent.  He expresses his feelings in the only way he knows how — by dancing.  In an extraordinary exhibition of tap and modern dance skills, this high energy, sometimes violent scene ends the first act while often leaving audiences in awe of what they’ve just seen. Frankly speaking, I don’t really recommend the musical numbers, but BETM’s dance numbers are really irresistible.