Review: Heartwarming BILLY ELLIOT at Ocean State Theatre Company

Billy Elliot, the musical based on the movie of the same name, follows the development of a dance prodigy in Northern England during the 1984 miner's strike. The story examines the juxtaposition between the working class world of mining and the posh world of dancing, along with traditional masculine ideals and family sacrifice. The musical version features some truly fantastic dancing and standout vocal performances that create a show that is both dazzling and heartwarming to watch.

Billy Elliot is an 11-year-old kid who is supposed to be taking boxing lessons after school, but who accidentally wanders into a ballet class. Knowing that his father and brother won't respect his interest in dancing, he continues to take lessons in secret until he's eventually caught and has to admit--to his family and himself that he loves to dance and wants to audition for the Royal Ballet School in London.

This is very much a show about juxtapositions of seemingly opposite ideas. The hyper-masculine world of coal mining and boxing is juxtaposed against the pink femininity of ballet. The gloom and anxiety of the year long miner's strike juxtaposed by the joy of discovering the world of dance. One of the most striking visuals of the production comes when the miners are singing the song "Solidarity" about standing together against the riot police and scabs. The miners are in orange jumpsuits, and the riot police in stark black with massive shields, but while they sing, tiny girls in pink tutus leap back and forth between the two groups. It's an incredibly striking visual that is both heartbreaking and hopeful.

There are several standout performances in this production, but the most impressive is that of Matthew Dean, who plays Billy Elliot. This young man is truly a performer to watch. He manages the Northern English accent handily, his acting is subtle, but effective and so believable. He manages to bring real growth to his character and convey much of his inner turmoil without coming off as hammy or like he's overacting like many young actors do. As if that wasn't impressive enough, he has such control as a dancer that he manages to pretend to initially be bad at dancing so convincingly that my theatre date for the evening was legitimately nervous that the whole show would become a trainwreck.

In the middle of Act II, there is an extended fantasy sequence of Billy Elliot the 11-year-old dancing Swan Lake with Billy Elliot the adult professional dancer. Dean handles the scene with the poise of a much older dancer and commands the stage perfectly. It was a pure pleasure to watch this young man's performance, but he also had the support of some exceptional castmates.

Christopher Swan as Billy's father proves once again that he can transform into any character, and he also has a magnificent singing voice. Much of the music in the production is somewhat forgettable, despite the impressive name of Elton John attached to it, but Swan's performance of "Deep in the Ground" is haunting and beautiful. It manages to convey so much of why the miner's refuse to give up their cause despite being out of work for a year and the hardships they're still going through.

Surprisingly Greg LoBuono as Mr. Braithwaite, the piano accompanist for the ballet classes, manages to inject a somewhat minor character with such life and personality that he almost steals the show at certain points. Shannon Lee Jones is a hilariously crass Mrs. Wilkinson, Billy's ballet teacher, and she and Mr. Braithwaite have fantastic chemistry that make their scenes a joy to watch.

This is a show with a few hiccups, but that is still a remarkable endeavor for director Aimee Turner. The story is sweet and inspiring and performances exceptional. It must be a daunting proposition to hang the weight of an entire show on the shoulders of a seventh grader, but all of the elements come together to create a stunning display of dance and music that will put a smile on anyone's face.

Billy Elliot: The Musical will be presented at Ocean State Theatre, 1245 Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick, RI, from September 28 - October 23. All performances will be held Wednesday (except October 5), Thursday (except October 13 & 20), Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm, with matinees on Thursdays (except October 13 & 20), Saturdays at 2:00 pm (except October 1 & 8) and Sundays at 2:00 pm. Tickets are available at www.OceanStateTheatre.org

(from left) Matthew Dean and Christopher Swan star as Billy and Dad. photo by Mark Turek

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