dance
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Behind the Scenes at Billy Elliot
Last Friday I was invited to go behind the scenes at the Birmingham Hippodrome to have a look at what goes on backstage at the musical Billy Elliot. Actor Scott Garnham, who plays Tony in the stage production, took us on a tour of the set and backstage areas so we could really get a feel of the hustle and bustle that goes into making a hit musical. The props, the wigs, the sets and the ballet tutus and riot shields were all there, making it a very exciting experience. Billy Elliot is a big musical in more ways than one. It has a large cast, and large production set…
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Billy Elliot – Just Brilliant!
Growing up in Durham during 1984/85, as the Miners strike was at its height was difficult for anyone. But for a motherless 12 year old boy who longs to be a ballet dancer, despite being pushed towards a boxing ring, life is damn near unbearable. Dad and brother are on strike, caught up in the terrible times they are living in, but not too caught up to not react with anger and horror when they discover the boy’s secret. This is the story of Billy Elliot, which left me open mouthed with awe at the Birmingham Hippodrome last night. It is, quite frankly, the best musical I have ever seen…
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The Red Shoes – A new classic from Matthew Bourne
A new classic ballet came to life last night, as Matthew Bourne’s version of Powell and Pressburger’s ‘The Red Shoes’ came vividly to life on the stage of the Birmingham Hippodrome. The beautiful haunting story of dancer Victoria Page, and how she is destroyed by her talent and love, is one of the great movies, and now, in the hands of a superb company, the tale that started life as a rather brutal fairy story is recreated for the stage, and shows once again why Matthew Bourne is rightly recognised as a genius of modern dance. The Red Shoes is a story of love, jealousy, obsession and determination. Aristocratic Victoria…
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Birmingham Hippodrome New season review Part 2.
Following on from Part 1 of the Birmingham Hippodrome New Season review, which appeared on the blog last week, today I bring you the second part of the Q&A sessions, this time featuring David Bintley, the creative director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, and Kash Bennett from the National Theatre, who was talking about the phenomenal success of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the night-time. David Bintley – Birmingham Royal Ballet David Bintley’s Cinderella is part of the new season at the Birmingham Hippodrome, coming to the theatre in February. David explained: “I felt there was a gap for a real Cinderella. The Ugly sisters needed to be…
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Make plans for the new year, not resolutions.
Every year, millions of us start the New Year by making resolutions that we then break within a few days. Whether it be to stop smoking, lose weight or get fit, it seems that all those good intentions start with promise, and more often than not, end in failure. So this year, why not do something different. Rather than challenging ourselves to stop doing something, which is ultimately a negative and is reactive, why not challenge yourself to start something, to do something that is pro-active – a positive. Here are a few suggestions for challenges that you just might stick too. Take up a pastime that gets you outdoors…
