MARCH 3rd
Today – March the 3rd, in 1985, the National Union of Mineworkers voted to end the longest Coal Miners’ Strike in British history.
The mine workers – who had been on strike for a year, voted to give up despite achieving none of their aims. The Thatcher Government in Britain had won.
This strike was devastating for thousands of families and hundreds of mining communities across England and Wales. Thousands of families were plunged into crippling poverty with no income for a year. Clashes between the miners and the police were frequent and at times brutal. It was a dark chapter in British history and within a decade, most of those mines had been closed down for good.
But if there was anything positive to come out of that mining strike, it was an eleven-year-old boy named Billy Elliot who just wanted to be a dancer.
Confused?
Lee Hall is an English playwright who was inspired by the tales of these doomed mining communities and his own childhood to write a play called ‘Dancer’ about a boy who grew up in a mining family and develops a passion for ballet. In the story Billy has to contend with the hostile reaction from his family, questions about his own sexuality and pressure to confirm, all while pursuing his passion.
The play was adapted into the hit film Billy Elliot in 2000 with thirteen-year-old Jamie Bell (himself a trained dancer from a mining community in the north of England) making his film debut in the lead role.
Let’s watch a clip.
As Billy discovers his love for dance, he becomes empowered and despite the resistance, Billy’s dogged determination and passion wins the day.
But, in an amazing turn of events, non-other than the incredible Sir Elton John happened to be in the audience at the Cannes Film Festival in 2000 when the film debuted. Moved to tears by the film (Billy’s story being very similar to his own background), Elton met the filmmakers back stage and made a proposal.
Would you be willing to work with me to adapt Billy Elliot into a musical?
A musical about mine workers with an eleven-year-old boy might seem an unusual prospect but over the next few years Elton worked with Lee Hall and Stephen Daldry, director of the film, to turn Billy’s story into a stage production, with songs written by Elton John.
The key of course was finding the right boy, or boys (since child labour laws mean a child cannot be on stage for eight performances per week) to play the lead role.
And Jamie Bell was already too old for the part.
They needed boys who could act, sing, dance ballet, tap dance and contemporary dance.
And they had to master a northern English accent.
Be around 10-12 years old.
And they could only play the part until their voices started to break!
If you’re interested in the incredible audition process, then watch this short doco – it is fascinating.
The musical debuted in 2005 to rave reviews and packed houses. Twenty-years later it still plays on stages all around the world, including here in Australia. Having seen it last year I can confirm it is a remarkable, memorable, and moving stage production – well worth a look.
Here’s a clip from the musical.
And here is a clip of a young Tom Holland, who would later go on to play Spiderman in the MCU and become a big movie star, and who first made a name for himself playing Billy Elliot in the West End Production (London) in 2009 – 2010.
Now last I heard, there are plans underway to adapt the musical version of Billy Elliot into a musical film!
This little story of a boy from a mining town who wants to be a dancer has become a global phenomenon. But it would never have existed had it not been for the mining strike of 1984/1985 which ended on this day 39 years ago.
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