We Were Born To Boogie (Part 1)

This blog is a bit impromptu, spontaneous... I just really feel like telling you about today. I normally plan blogs in advance, but somehow I think I will lose that buzz if I wait until tomorrow to start this. You know when you have days that are just so perfect? Well today was practically that. As you may have gathered from the earlier blogs I have completely fallen in love with the show Billy Elliot... Its like a drug, once you see it, your addicted and you just crave more. Great... now I sound like a junkie or something! Anyway back to Billy Elliot, if i didn't have enough reasons to love this show already, I have found 1oo more today.

The day started rather early as myself and a friend Charlotte were queuing to get day tickets at Billy Elliot. We had planned to do a double - two shows in one day. Obsessed? Maybe a little, though I prefer to see it as passionate, it just sounds better that way. Theres something about this show that appeals to all of the senses, you feel the love, the hate, the joy, the anger, you laugh, you cry... it truly hits on the full spectrum of feelings with such depth you can't help but be touched by the story... that is unless you have no sole... so it's probably a no go for Simon Cowell, but for anybody else the show is something you will fall in love with.

So in queue for the day tickets we meet an American gentleman called Dennis. I have always liked Americans. They are much more sociable than us Brits on the whole, and they just come across as a lot more likable. Dennis is just that. This guy is hugely passionate about the show and has seen it in total approximately 30 times both in London and Broadway. He was a delight to talk to both about the show and indeed other walks of life. He takes in everything you say which is nice and whats more he and I have very similar thoughts on many elements of the show. I will be seeing Dennis again on Saturday. I am really looking forward to it, and will definitely be staying in touch with him on his return to America.

Now theres Charlotte... shes lovely! She has seen Billy Elliot a few more times than me and is equally as passionate. As it happens me and her share the same favorite Billy which is a great starting point. We were able to talk about the show most of the day, which is really nice as many of our friends are nowhere near as interested as we are about the production. This too would be my first time of meeting her. I can't say I was too nervous. There is something calming about her personality which makes her a great person to chat to whether its online or in person. I am really looking forward to seeing more shows with her be it Billy Elliot or indeed any other West End show.

So on to the first show. Well playing Billy was Fox Jackson-Keen. Fox is simply awesome. For those of you who have just started reading my blogs let me tell you a little about why Fox is so special to me. I have for a long time been bouncing the idea about that I should get back into drama, but I lacked that push that i needed to get the ball rolling again. Whilst I enjoyed practically every show I had seen up until this point none had the effect on me that Billy Elliot would. Back in February I saw the show for the first time, where Fox appeared alongside Lewis Cope who played the role of Michael. I was really enjoying the show much like I do today, but it was Fox's "Electricity" routine which wowed me. Words cannot explain how i felt, I was completely moved, it was that push i needed. So from that day forth I set about changing things, and as you may have read in the previous blogs I have already got the ball rolling. So yeah, I owe this all to Fox... A fourteen year old kid... no a fourteen year old inspiration. I'm not afraid one bit to admit that he has inspired me more than any other individual, infact I am quite proud of this fact, so what if he is a kid? It changes nothing in my eyes, he is still a legend! I just hope one day I get to meet him and thank him for all this.

So was Fox as good as that first time I saw him perform? This is a question that doesn't even need asking. This was the third time that I have seen him in the role of Billy, and every time he has won over the audience better than any other Billy at any of the other shows which I have been to. He is a delight to watch and has an on stage charisma and personality that is second to none. I am not normally one for saying something is perfect, because normally there is room for improvement, but in my eyes I can't see anything which Fox's performances lack. Maybe he is not quite as emotional as Tom Holland in "The Letter", but that doesn't really detract from the show at all. I think it is just part of the personality that Fox gives Billy... its just different to Tom's rather than being better or worse.

Playing Michael tonight was the delightful Connor Doyle, who I had now seen four times in a row, you'd think I would be tired of seeing him right? Not at all he reminds me of Lewis who I saw that very first time so much, he is completely the right person for the role of Michael. Flamboyant, outrageous and completely hilarious, I will never tire of seeing Connor perform. He has a bright future ahead of him in show business, mark my words!

I don't normally comment on the role of Debbie very much, its a part in the story that whilst is essential I have never warmed to. One of the new additions Francesca was playing this role tonight. I didn't rate her the first time that I saw her, but I think tonight saw a definite improvement. I still think she needs to work on the voice a little bit... but who cares about that? Because she makes up with it through her acting, in particular her facial expressions. I think she does this better than any other Debbie in the show. Its an important part of acting, as facial expressions speak a thousand words, and help to build whatever emotion is needed in that scene. She really does have the ability to capture the moment.

So in all how did the show compare to others. Well there were a lot of understudies on which gave the performance a different feel at times, sometimes for the better and sometimes for worse. I do like to see understudies, however I think there may have been a few too many on today in my opinion. But in the grand scheme of things did this matter? Hell no!!! As expected Fox completely stole the show. I sometimes wonder if I am bias, but then all you have to do is ask around, and everyone agrees.... Fox is simply awesome! As ever after a Fox performance I leave even more determined than I was before to follow my dream.

What a show.... what a day... but there is still so much more to tell!!! I will do another blog "We Were Born To Boogie (Part 2)" in the morning. I hope you continue reading, and leaving comments. The love and support you have shown so far has been great.... keep the comments coming and for the love of god keep reading the blogs!!!

G xxx