Sydney theatre review: Billy Elliot is in town

Dust off the tutu and slide on your tap shoes because Billy Elliot is back in town.  Based on the movie of the same name which was released back in 2000, Billy Elliot the Musical is a celebration of dance, infused with comedy, drama and inspiring music by Elton John. Originally premiering in London’s West End in 2005, the musical first toured Australia in 2007 for two years. After a 10 year absence, the production is back in Australia, playing at the Sydney Lyric Theatre until December 15, 2019. It then plays at the Festival Theatre in Adelaide from December 2019, the Regent Theatre in Melbourne from February 2020, the Crown Theatre in Perth from June 2020 and QPAC’s Lyric Theatre in Brisbane from July 2020. The show opens by taking the audience back to 1984, to a small coal-mining village in Northern England just as the coal miners’ strike is unfolding under the Thatcher government. Billy’s mother is no longer with us, so Billy is being brought up by Jackie, his working class father who is a coal miner (played by Justin Smith) and Billy’s grandmother (played by Vivien Davies). The role of Billy Elliot is being shared by four young talented actors – Omar Abiad, River Mardesic, Wade Neilsen and Jamie Rogers. Also appearing in the cast is respected Australian actor Robert Grubb, who plays Billy’s hilarious boxing coach, George.  We follow Billy on his life journey during some of Britain’s most turbulent times as it takes him out of the boxing ring… Read More