REVIEW: Billy Elliot

httpv://youtu.be/wVE7CdO5TWE

Last night I was invited to see Billy Elliot The Musical, which just opened at The Ordway.

Winner of 10 Tony Awards, Billy Elliot The Musical is the joyous celebration of one boy’s journey to make his dreams come true. The story follows Billy as he stumbles out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class, discovering a surprising talent that inspires his family and his whole community and changes his life forever.

I had not even seen the movie so I really had no idea what to expect.  Billy Elliot starts off somewhat slow.  There is a lot of story to build up and the musical relies heavily on the story in the beginning as the dance and music would not hold the show in itself.  Once you get to ‘Angry Dance,’ right before intermission, things really pick up and the second half is much more exciting.  I was really impressed with the production of many scenes; Angry Dance and Once We Were Kings were quite memorable and definitely left me saying ‘wow’.  For those looking to musicals for incredible vocals and dance numbers, Billy Elliot might disappoint.  I am not humming any melodies in my head this morning and many of the songs are forgettable.  The dancing and choreography was entertaining but it was not show stopping.  Perhaps, Fela! set too high of a bar for me.

Overall, Billy Elliot is a crowd pleaser.  There is really something for everyone in this musical.  There is comedy, darkness, intensity, emotion, struggle and accomplishment.  Watch the trailer above for a great introduction.

Billy Elliot plays through October 14, 2012 at The Ordway Theater in St. Paul.  Ticket availability at this time is very limited.  Click here to purchase.