I went into Billy Elliot really excited since I had been waiting almost a year to see it. I was not nearly as in love with it as I thought I would be, but I don't think it's really a bad musical. I was confused during the first 10 minutes, but I don't think I would have been if I read the playbill before the show. Everything cleared up and turned into the show I was expecting to see, the one about a young boy who wants to be a dancer, and I got my hopes up again. The musical never met my expectations, which may have been a little high, but I can't say I was ever bored or dreaded being there.
My biggest problem with the show, other than my confusion with the beginning and some of the English terms, was that I couldn't empathize at all with the musical, which is what I look for when I go see a Broadway show. I danced when I was younger, but I couldn't wait to quit, so there was nothing in the dancing area for me to relate to. I am also just not impressed by sticking kids on stage to make a cutesy musical that probably wouldn't be cared about if it was all done by adults. Many people sympathize for Billy because of his mom and because of his situation, and many people are impressed and fall in love with the little kids on stage. It's not a bad thing, just a different taste.
All of my dancer friends who have seen Billy Elliot love it and have seen it multiple times. I also know people who aren't dancers who love it for the score, story, acting, dancing, or anything else. Whenever I'm asked if someone should bring their family members to Billy Elliot I ask if they're dancers and what types of musicals they like. I usually say that dancers, people who like larger scale musicals, and people that go occasionally or because it's nice, but not because it's a hobby, will like it. People who go to Broadway every week also love it, so it really just depends on the person. If a teenager wants to see a show like American Idiot or Next To Normal, I wouldn't say pick Billy Elliot as an alternative. If the choice is between Billy Elliot or something like Wicked, I'd say it's a tougher choice, and it comes down to personal choice.
If you can't decide whether or not to go, it will be around for a long time, so it's also a show that can wait for a trip in a few months or longer. If you have any questions or comments just comment or e-mail me!
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