Essay on Billy Elliot, the Musical: A Story Through Song & Dance

Introduction

The performance is Billy Elliot, the Musical which was first done in London on 31 March 2005. It is classified in the musical play genre, just as the title of the play suggests. A musical play is a production that incorporates many songs and dances, and also utilizes spoken dialogue amidst musical beats to tell a story. Billy Elliot, the Musical fits perfectly within this description. The play includes about fifteen songs across two acts, running for almost three hours to tell its story. The playwright intends to tell the audience that, at times, one needs to transcend and go above the conformity to social and family norms, find a passion and pursue it to the very end to find satisfaction.

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Play Content Analysis

Billy, the main character in the play, is born and brought up in a setting among miners in North England. It is uncommon in this social class to find people who love the game of ballet. However, Billy chooses to start ballet lessons against the wave of love for boxing. Billy’s family was against the idea of him joining the dance classes, but he would take the money provided for his boxing classes and secretly pay for ballet. Such was the determination by Billy to become a ballet star that he had to do the dishonorable thing of diverting cash from his father. The act shows the level of commitment that Billy has placed on the ballet dancing classes.

In Act 1, the family of Billy is entangled in the society’s coal miner’s strike, and they are dong running battles with the riot police. In total contrast, Billy is enjoying ballet classes in incredible peace. It tells that Billy was ready for the ballet challenge, and not even his family suffering could stop him from his path. Nothing was happening beyond the walls of the ballet classes that would change his mind.

After joining the dance lessons, the teacher noted the talent that Billy possessed and ensured that she took him under her wing. He developed fast and became an outstanding dancer. The playwright is trying to pass across the message that with determination and passion, there will always be a support system from unexpected quarters. Through this determination, the teacher – Mrs. Wilkinson, secured an audition for Billy with the Royal Ballet School in London. The teacher is so committed to Billy’s success; she offers him free private lessons to bring him up to speed with the audition contest.

It does not get comfortable for Billy with the audition, and the society is still yet to come into terms with his choice to take a path with the art of dancing. However, his commitment overcomes the prejudices that were held by his people and his family. They get convinced that Billy has taken a path that he likes, and they should allow him to thrive in that. After hard work and great commitment to the challenge, Billy received acceptance to Royal Ballet School in London. At this point, his star is ready to shine. Most importantly, he has convinced those initially against him to back his cause.

Analysis of the Production

The playwright passes a clear message through the elements of production incorporated in the play. From the stage set, the costumes, lights, sound, acting and directing, all the elements play a part in ensuring clarity of the playwright’s message. As an example, a director may not set a thrilling love story with low-key and dull lighting, as it takes away the meaning of the romantic scene. As such, the production elements of Billy Elliot the Musical are a careful selection to rhyme with the playwright’s message.

The play’s set is a masterpiece and conveys the theme. The transition between scenes is impressive, with little changes to lighting, a seamless introduction of music, and flowing acts by the characters. With the music leader in place, and the figures emerging from backstage, the storyline of Billy gets the focus as he is left on stage most of the time. The exit and entry of actors are set well, such that there is no blank moment on stage. The stage sets the mood of the play through lighting and actor’s positioning on stage from one scene to another.

Costumes are significant in play, and they play a great role in this one. The coal workers in their aprons, Billy with the boxing shorts, and the girls in their bright white dancing costumes help pass the message. There is a reason the director chose a red short for Billy’s unwanted dancing classes and white tutu for the ballet dancers. White could be interpreted as the peaceful one and the direction that Billy wanted, while red is a color for danger and bloodstain and one unlikely to attract the attention of a teenage boy. The costumes also bring forth the reality of the situation, other than making the play appear all theoretical and fictional.

In Scene I, the stage is dimly lit. There is a screen on the background. It is displaying the images of the riot by the coal miners, as reported in the news. It is a good show of the background that Billy has to come from, filled with uncertainties and harshness that the boy has to overcome to achieve his dream. The initial stages are set to show the pain and mistreatment of coal mine workers, as they fill the stage with their aprons and helmets in search of justice. The dim lighting of the stage across the play is a clear show of the tribulations of the characters. The coal mine worker’s strike and the prejudice against Billy’s selection of ballet against dancing are all negatives, and the stage could not be better set in terms of lighting.

Being a theatrical performance, surround sound is very important. It may not be enhanced for the dialogues, but it is very sharp and immersing with the music. The music is aligned to Billy’s commitment to success, and the struggles of dialogues are well aligned to his challenges with society. However, the general mood of the play is adequately handled by the sound element of the musical.

The main character is Billy, and the dancers play a perfect support role. The symmetrical and aligned movements on stage are a joy to watch. At times, it is easy to lose the play’s plot as one employs that seamless dance moves and styles displayed on stage. In every scene, the play seems to be focused at the center of the stage. It ensures that there is clear visibility of the activities on stage. They could not have set it better. The voice of Billy changes depending on the scene and situation, expressing excitement and disappointment as they come his way.

The director could not have done a better job in terms of actors’ movements. There is good synergy between music playing, dialogue, and movement of characters, ensuring that the message is passed clearly. In case the perfect movement by actors was missing, it would have been difficult even to follow the flow of the musical play. However, that has been well taken care of by the director. Every element of the production is appropriately aligned to the play, and they complement each other to pass the message with clarity.

Conclusion

Social resistance and forced conformity to norms should never be a reason for anyone not to achieve their dreams. One must soar above the social challenge and find their way towards what they believe is their destiny. Billy Elliot the Musical is a good lesson on how one can transcend the challenges and achieve their dream. The smooth presentation of the musical play gives a glimpse of the beauty of art in passing across social messages. It is an inspiring play by and large. The playwright’s intent plays out very clearly with every element of the musical.

References

YouTube. (2017). Billy Elliot [Video]. Retrieved 25 June 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F35b5Ywq4MM.