BILLY ELLIOT
Posted on
| By
London Theatre Direct
If you loved the film, then you have to see the stage musical of Billy Elliot ! The musical is based on the 2000 film with music written by Sir Elton John. It has been running at the Victoria Palace since 2005 and has been a huge success. When it first opened, the show was up for nine Laurence Olivier Awards, and won four, one of those being 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.
If you are not aware of the storyline, then read on. It is a heart warming story and everyone should try to visit the show. Set in a northern mining town, against the background of the 1984/’85 miners’ strike, Billy Elliot is the inspirational story of a young boy’s struggle against the odds to make his dream come true. Follow Billy’s journey as he stumbles out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class where he discovers a passion for dance that inspires his family and whole community and changes his life forever.
Tickets for the show can be bought from many ticket agencies or booths, and even the theatre itself. There are often special offers to be found if you can attend Mondays to Thursdays. If you do find a source for great tickets, then make sure the company is a member of STAR, which is the leading self-regulatory body for the entertainment ticketing industry across the UK. The organisation operates within guidelines supported by, amongst others, VisitBritain, VisitLondon, the Society of London Theatre and the Office of Fair Trading.
As well as working with government and other bodies for the benefit both of consumers and the ticketing industry, STAR offers general advice and information on ticket buying and provides a dispute resolution service for customers who have a problem with their purchase from a STAR member. That’s why, you must always buy tickets from a STAR member, if they are not a member chances are they are touts and frauds, and nothing can cover or support you if this occurs.
As mentioned earlier, Billy Elliot is currently showing at the Victoria Palace Theatre. It is centrally located at Victoria, and with mainline links and an underground station it is very easy to get to. Performance time of the show is at 7:30pm Monday to Saturday with matinee performances at 2:30pm on Thursdays and Saturdays. The show runs for approximately 3 hours, including one interval of 20 minutes.
The theatre has many facilities including wheelchair access (which is via the second exit on Allington Street) with adapted toilets just inside this entrance. There are ladies and gents toilets on every level in the theatre, there is an infrared system working throughout the auditorium with both loop and conventional type headsets. Guide dogs and hearing dogs are permitted in the auditorium, and staff can dog sit by prior arrangement. Dogs will be looked after in the manager's office. Some performances are also Audio Described.
There are many deals to be had not only with tickets but with pre-theatre meals as well. It’s a great way to book a dinner if you are a visitor, new to the area or stuck for somewhere to go. There are many restaurants nearby that offer a pre theatre menu, or when booking tickets ask if there are any meal deals.
Billy Elliott is one of Britain’s most successful films, so go and see the stage production today!