Billy Elliot Tickets: The Musical That Offers More Than Simple Pleasure

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Billy Elliot is a 2000 British drama film written by Lee Hall and directed by Stephen Daldry. Set in the fictional town of "Everington" in the real County Durham, UK, it stars Jamie Bell as 11-year-old Billy, an aspiring dancer, Gary Lewis as his coal miner father, Jamie Draven as Billy's older brother, and Julie Walters as his ballet teacher. In 2001, author Melvin Burgess was commissioned to write the novelisation of the film based on Lee Hall's screenplay. The story was adapted for the West End stage as Billy Elliot the Musical in 2005; it opened in Australia in 2007 and on Broadway in 2008.

The film is set during the 1984/1985 UK miners' strike, and centres on the character of 11-year-old Billy Elliot (Jamie Bell), his love of dance, and his hope to become a professional ballet dancer. Billy lives with his widowed father, Jackie (Gary Lewis), older brother, Tony (Jamie Draven), and his invalid Nan (Jean Heywood), who once aspired to be a professional dancer. Both Jackie and Tony are coal miners out on strike.

Georgia believes Billy is talented enough to study at the Royal Ballet School in London, but due to Tony s arrest during a skirmish between police and striking miners, Billy misses the audition. Georgia goes to Billy's house to tell Jackie about the missed opportunity. Jackie and Tony, fearing that Billy will be considered a "poof", are outraged at the prospect of him becoming a professional ballet dancer.

After unintentionally seeing Billy dance, however, Jackie realises his son is truly gifted, and he will do whatever it takes to help Billy realise his dream. Jackie attempts to cross the picket line to pay for Billy's training, but is blocked by his older son. Instead, his fellow miners and the neighbourhood raise money for Billy, and Jackie takes him to London to audition for the Royal Ballet School. Though highly nervous, Billy performs well, but after he punches another boy in an unprovoked attack at the audition, he is sternly rebuked by the review board. Seemingly having lost his chance, Billy, disgraced and dejected, returns home with his father. Sometime later, Billy receives a letter accepting him to the Royal Ballet School, and he leaves his family to go there.

Street scenes were filmed in Easington, County Durham, a former mining village. As Easington Colliery closed in 1983 the mining scenes were filmed at the Ellington and Lynemouth colliery in Northumberland, with some filming in Dawdon and Newcastle upon Tyne. The producers used over 400 Easington people as extras.


About the Author:
Amanda Harrison is the author of Ticketsinventory.com. Ticketsinventory is a leader tickets market search engine that enable Ticket shoppers to easily find, compare and buy Billy Elliot Tickets sports tickets, theatre tickets Theatre Tickets plus other events tickets.



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