The superlatives continue to roll in.

In the mood for dancing
The musical Billy Elliot is unforgettably brilliant. By Susannah Clapp for The Observer


A line of orange boiler-suits meets a row of tutus. A round-faced schoolboy pulls on a pink skirt and a glitter headband: clawing at the proscenium arch, he tosses his head towards his mate, and, in a Geordie accent, demands: 'Sing it to me, sister.' On a smoke-filled stage, a slender 12-year-old leapfrogs over an adult dancer and spins into the air on a flying machine; he's so constitutionally airborne that you can scarcely tell when he's harnessed and when free. He comes back to earth at the feet of his astonished, rooted father.

The brilliance of Billy Elliot - The Musical, Stephen Daldry's fierce and gorgeous improvement on his own movie, is that it never says anything if it can dance it. It makes its points on its toes. That adult dancer is the older Billy, tugging his younger self away from a mining future.

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Billy Elliott
By Jann Parry for The Observer


The film of Billy Elliot delights ballet-lovers and the musical is guaranteed to give even more pleasure. One of its endearing messages is that everyone can dance: miners, policemen, little girls and growing boys. Peter Darling tailors his choreography to suit each of the three casts....

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This girl said 'It's Billy Elliot!' and waved at me
By Damian Whitworth for The Times


Three boys were plucked from nowehere to share the role of Billy Elliot in the new West End musical. How are they coping with the pressures of instant fame?

THE slightly built adolescent wearing jeans and a tutu stands bathed in the spotlight in the centre of a West End stage as a packed house rises to its feet to salute him, cheering and clapping their hands above their heads.

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I'm not entirely surprised by Lahr's reaction. When I saw the stage version of "Billy Elliott" I realised that the focus on left-wing politics and the regular, but not interminable use of "bad" language would make a successful transfer to the US difficult. I imagine that even as we speak there are discussions about a sanitised version for Broadway - I hope the producers resist any such dilution of the show's rich brew.

Yes, the songs do lack memorable tunes. However, due to the pithy libretto, they work dramatically. But really! The final curtain call scene has nothing to do with the rest of the production and, full of cliches, is the weakest part. If that's the section Lehr enjoyed the most, he missed the point, more than somewhat.

The Director’s Cut
By Stephen Daldry for Dancing Times


Exactly five years to the month since the film was first shown at the Cannes Film Festival, Billy Elliot – The Musical opened at the Victoria Palace Theatre on May 11. The musical has attracted a great deal of attention from the press over the last two years – from viewing auditions and meeting the first cast of Billys to music launches and hearing the songs performed live by Sir Elton John – and has now won astounding reviews from theatre and dance critics alike.

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Michael Jackson sees Billy Elliot
From Scotland on Sunday

Controversial pop star Michael Jackson took in the West End musical of Billy Elliot on his visit to Britain.

The singer arrived at London's Victoria Palace theatre in a people carrier and security staff forced a path for him through a scrum of fans and photographers to the building's front door.

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I think you are right guys! :)

Many thanks for your vote of approval, "Guest". It's always good to have the support of an acknowledged authority.