Billy Elliot 2005 synopsis Malmö Opera

Billy Elliot 2005 synopsis Malmö Opera Billy Elliot på Malmö Opera - synopsis
82 / 100

Billy Elliot. När ens vildaste drömmar blir verklighet – Billy Elliot har gjort sitt segertåg över världen som film – nu också som bejublad musikal med musik av Elton John.

Billy Elliot 2005 synopsis Malmö Opera

Akt 1
Easington, norra England 1984-85

Den stora kolgruvestrejken börjar (Under stjärnorna). Billy, 12 år, bor med sin far och storebror som båda är fackföreningsengagerade gruvarbetare och en förvirrad mormor. Hans mamma är död. Billy och hans vän Michael tränar boxning, något ingen av dem inte gillar.

När tränaren tvingar kvar Billy för att slå på säck hamnar han i fru Wilkinsons balettklass för flickor (Spräng dina gränser och gläns!).  Billy är enda pojken men blir fascinerad av dansen.

Danslektionerna blir Billys hemlighet då mormor är den enda som är hemma, de andra går strejkvakt. Mormor berättar om sitt dåliga äktenskap med sin avlidna make. Det enda som gjorde henne lycklig var att dansa (Mormors sång).

Kolgruvearbetarna strejkar och drabbar samman med kravallpolis* medan Billy i hemlighet tar danslektioner (Solidaritet).

Till slut får pappan reda på att Billy dansar och förbjuder honom att fortsätta. Dansläraren har insett Billys talang och föreslår att han ska provdansa för balettskolan. Hon erbjuder honom gratislektioner. Billy söker råd hos Michael som klädd i klänning övertalar Billy att ha kul och strunta i det inskränkta samhälle de lever i (Vara sig själv).

Ute på gatan blir konfrontationerna mellan gruvarbetarna och polisen allt hårdare. Billys bror Tony beger sig ut med en kofot.

Till privatlektionen tar Billy med sig personliga saker som ska inspirera till dans. Betydelsefullt är ett brev från hans döda mamma (Brevet).

Dansläraren och balettpianisten undervisar Billy och tar fram en koreografi till uppvisningen (Skapade för boogie). Danslärarens dotter Debbie är förälskad i Billy och försöker avskräcka honom från dansen. Nästa dag ska dansläraren ta Billy till dansuttagningen.

Men morgonen därpå sitter gruvarbetare och en blödande Tony i köket. Han har varit i slagsmål med polisen, helvetet har brutit ut på gatorna. Pappa förbjuder Billy att gå ut.

Dansläraren kommer för att hämta Billy. När hon säger att Billy vill bli dansare skrattar alla. Billy ger upp, det blir ingen balettskola. Polisen kommer, gruvarbetarna flyr. En frustrerad Billy dansar (Vredesdans).
Akt 2
På gruvarbetarnas julfest framförs en nidsång om Margret Thatcher, hennes högerregering och fascistiska polis (God jul, Maggie Thatcher). Billys pappa är full, sjunger en folksång och minns sin avlidna hustru (Djupt ner under jord).

Michael är förtjust I Billy som säger att bara för att han gillar balett är han inte gay. Michael lämnar kvar en bandspelare när han går. För första gången på länge dansar Billy. Han drömmer om att som vuxen dansa prinsen i (Svansjön).

Pappa ser honom dansa och söker upp danslärarinnan för att höra som Billy har en framtid som dansare. En ny uttagning på balettskolan närmar sig och dansläraren erbjuder sig att ta Billy till London.

Pappan vägrar men börjar inse att det inte finns någon framtid i gruvsamhället. Han går tillbaka till arbetet och blir strejkbrytare, vilket upprör Tony och andra. (En stjärnas kraft). Pappa måste tänka på Billys framtid. Både strejkande och strejkbrytare hjälper till att samla ihop pengar till Londonresan.

Billy och pappan anländer balettskolan.

Dansuttagningen går inte bra. Billy blir arg och slåss med en pojke. Juryn ber honom förklara vad han känner när han dansar. Billy svarar och dansar sin förklaring (Elektrisk).

Till slut får Billy ett brev** från balettskolan. Billy öppnar brevet, läser och kastar det i papperskorgen. Tony plockar upp brevet, det visar sig att Billy visst blivit antagen. Samtidigt står det klart att gruvfacket efter ett år förlorat striden.

Billy tackar dansläraren för allt. Han säger hej då till gruvarbetarna som återvänder till gruvan (Vi kallades hjältar). Han tar slutligen farväl av sin döda mamma (Brevet, repris). Han pussar Michael på kinden och går sedan ensam iväg. (Final)

* Geordiepack syftar på en person från nordöstra England, även den dialekt som talas här. Cockneyskallar syftar på Londonbor ur främst arbetarklassen – dvs poliserna är utkommenderade från London. Bethnal Green, arbetarstadsdel i East End, London.

** Esquire, ett hövligt tilltal skrivet efter namnet på ett brev till en manlig person som inte har någon titel.

IN ENGLISH
Act I 
In County Durham, the 1984–85 coal miners’ strike is just beginning (“The Stars Look Down”). Motherless eleven-year-old Billy stays behind after his boxing class to give keys to Mrs. Wilkinson, who runs a ballet class. The class is all girls, but Billy is attracted to the grace of the dance (“Shine”).

At first, Billy’s interest in dance is easily concealed from his family, as the only person home at the time is his grandmother. She reveals to Billy the abuse she suffered at the hands of her late husband, but that she found great joy in dance (“Grandma’s Song”).

While his father Jackie, brother Tony and neighbours are on strike and clash with riot police, Billy takes dance lessons, keeping it a secret from his family (“Solidarity”). During the number, the violent reality of the strike is contrasted with the peaceful practise of ballet.

Eventually, Jackie discovers Billy in the ballet class and forbids him from attending the lessons. Mrs. Wilkinson, who recognizes Billy’s potential, privately suggests that he should audition for the Royal Ballet School in London. To prepare for the audition, she offers him free private lessons.

Billy is not sure what he wants to do, so he visits his best friend Michael for advice. He finds Michael wearing a dress. Michael persuades Billy to have fun with him by dressing up in woman’s clothing, rejecting the restrictive inhibitions of their working class community (“Expressing Yourself”).

Arriving for his first private ballet lesson, Billy brings things to inspire a special dance for the audition (“Dear Billy (Mum’s Letter)”). Through his lessons from Mrs. Wilkinson, he develops an impressive routine for his audition (“Born to Boogie”), as he forms a close bond with her. Mrs. Wilkinson’s daughter Debbie tries to discourage Billy from auditioning because she has a crush on him.

Meanwhile, Jackie and Tony are engaged in daily battles with riot police that often turn bloody. They struggle to support the family with very little in strike and union pay, a difficult task that goes on for nearly a year.

When the day of the Royal Ballet School audition comes, the police come through the village, injuring Tony. When Billy fails to meet Mrs. Wilkinson at the union hall to leave for the audition, she goes to the Elliot home. There, Billy’s family and some members of the community are gathered. She reveals that she has been teaching Billy ballet in preparation for this audition.

The news upsets Jackie and Tony, who argue with Mrs. Wilkinson. Tony tries to force Billy to dance on the table in front of everyone. Suddenly the police approach and, as everyone escapes, Billy calls out to his father saying that his mother would have let him dance, to which Jackie says, “Your Mam’s dead!”. Billy goes into a rage (“Angry Dance”), and for nearly a year, stays away from anything related to ballet.
Act II 
Six months later at the miner’s annual Christmas show, the children put on a show disparaging Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who is seen as the antagonist by the coal miners (“Merry Christmas, Maggie Thatcher”). Billy’s father gets drunk and sings an old folk song that elicits memories of his deceased wife and the usually stoic man leaves in tears (“Deep Into the Ground”).

Left alone with Billy in the Community Centre, Michael reveals he has feelings for him, but Billy explains that the fact that he likes ballet does not mean that he is gay. Michael gives him a kiss on the cheek. Michael tries to get Billy to show him some dancing, but Billy is sad and just tells him to leave.

Michael departs, but leaves a music player running. Billy feels like dancing for the first time since the day of the aborted audition and dances while dreaming of being a grown-up dancer (“Swan Lake”). Unknown to Billy, his father arrives and watches him dance. Overcome with emotion, Jackie goes to Mrs. Wilkinson’s house to discuss Billy’s prospects as a dancer.

She confirms Billy’s talent, but is not sure whether or not he would get into the Royal Ballet School after missing the audition. Mrs. Wilkinson offers to help pay for the trip to London for the next audition, but Jackie refuses. He leaves questioning his working-class pride and the future mining has for his boys.

Jackie decides the only way to help Billy is to return to work. When Tony sees his father cross the picket line, he becomes infuriated and the two argue over what is more important: unity of the miners or helping Billy achieve his dream (“He Could Be A Star”). The argument eventually comes to blows and Billy is hit accidentally. One of the miners chastises them for fighting and says that the important thing is looking after the child.

One by one, the miners give money to help pay for the trip to the audition, but Billy still does not have enough for the bus fare to London. A strike-breaker arrives and offers him hundreds of pounds. An enraged Tony attempts to shun his donation, but no one else speaks up in his support. Now drained of hope, Tony dismally ponders whether there’s a point for anything anymore, and runs off.

Billy and his father arrive at the Royal Ballet School for the audition. While Jackie waits outside, an upper-crust Londoner highlights the contrast between the Elliots and the families of the other applicants. Jackie meets a dancer with a thick Northern accent. The dancer confesses that his father does not support his ballet career. He sharply advises Jackie to “get behind” his boy. Billy nervously finishes the audition with a sinking feeling that he did not do well.

As he packs his gear, he lets that emotion overwhelm him and he punches another dancer who was trying to comfort him. The audition committee reminds Billy of the strict standards of the school. They have received an enthusiastic letter from Mrs. Wilkinson explaining Billy’s background and situation, and they ask him to describe what it feels like when he dances. Billy responds with a heartfelt declaration of his passion (“Electricity“).

Back in Durham, the Elliots resume life, but times are tough and the miners are running a soup kitchen to ensure everyone is fed. Eventually, Billy receives a letter from the school and, overwhelmed and fearful, knowing that it heralds the end of the life he has known, informs his family that he wasn’t accepted.

Tony retrieves the letter from the waste bin and discovers that his brother was accepted. At the same time, the miners’ union has caved in; they lost the strike. Billy visits Mrs. Wilkinson at the dance class to thank her for everything she did to help him. Debbie is sad that Billy will be leaving.

Billy packs his things for the trip to the school and says goodbye to the soon to be unemployed miners who are returning unhappily to work (“Once We Were Kings”). Billy says goodbye to his dead mother, who often visits him in his imagination (“Dear Billy (Billy’s Reply)”).

Billy breaks the fourth wall and begins to walk down the center aisle before Michael stops him to say goodbye. Billy drops his suitcase and runs onto the stage to give Michael a kiss on the cheek. Billy then walks back off stage, retrieves his suitcase and walks out to his future alone.

The entire cast comes out on stage and calls Billy back to celebrate the bright future ahead of him (“Finale”).
UPPHOVSPERSONER
Musik: Elton John.Manus och sångtexter: Lee Hall. Svensk text: Calle Norlén
LÄS MER