Billy Elliot The Musical Is Back: Inside the Launch of the Musical's Next Generation
Set in a mining town overshadowed by unemployment, industrial action and an uncertain future, Billy Elliot the Musical tells the story of a miner’s son who discovers a passion for dance. Yet that is only part of what makes the musical so powerful. Beyond the story of a young boy pursuing his dream, it is also a deeply moving portrait of the impact of the 1984–85 Miners’ Strike on families, communities and the choices people are forced to make in difficult times.
Created by playwright Lee Hall, director Stephen Daldry and composer Elton John, Billy Elliotthe Musical remains one of the defining works of contemporary British musical theatre. After an acclaimed eleven-year run in London's West End, the production closed in 2016. At the time, many theatre fans felt it was only a matter of time before it returned. Now, eleven years later, following a new UK and Ireland tour beginning in November 2026, Billy Elliot is finally set to come home, returning to London's Adelphi Theatre in February 2027.
Ahead of its return, I was fortunate enough to be invited to the musical's launch event, where I met the four young performers selected to take on the title role after thousands of applications and auditions from around the world. They are Noah Mannion (12, from Stockport), Rafferty Smale (12, from Leigh-on-Sea), Spencer Collins (13, from Los Angeles) and William Gurney (12, from Berkshire).
The event also marked the return of Liam Mower, one of the three original actors who first played Billy in the West End production. This time, he will appear as Older Billy in the new production. During the event, Liam watched footage from his original audition and reflected on what it means to see Billy Elliot return to the stage more than two decades after its premiere.
Liam: “I’m thrilled to be here. It’s quite a surreal one at that. Back in 2004, when I was 12 years old, I was cast as one of the original Billys, and it changed the course of my life forever. The journey I was about to embark on was something beyond a young dancing boy's wildest dreams. Growing up in Billy's world was one of the most exhilarating, challenging, but extraordinary experiences of my life. Starting out my career working with such genius creators and master storytellers is something I will never forget. It offered me a space to truly express myself as a young artist on and off the stage. I've always felt in some way that Billy has always been at the core of who I am, not only as a dancer, but as a person too. Returning back to the show over 20 years later to play the role of Older Billy feels a bit bonkers. The fact that it has revisited me in my life when I'm still able to dance it feels like a truly unique and special situation. Billy's story is a remarkable one, and I'm so excited to connect with a whole new generation of kids, cast, crew, creative team, and audiences up and down the country that will get lost in the story too. Working alongside the new generation of Billys will be one of the greatest joys and I'm so thrilled I get to dance the Dream Ballet with each and every single one of them and experience all of their distinctive and beautiful qualities as young performers. Thank you.”
Being there to witness this moment was already a privilege, but seeing Sir Elton John in person was an unexpected delight.
Despite the 35-degree heat, he arrived impeccably dressed in a tailored blue suit and took a moment to thank everyone for coming. With his characteristic warmth and humour, he told us how pleased he was to see us all — even if he couldn't quite see us clearly.
Following the introductions, each of the four young actors had prepared a question for Elton, leading to a short but insightful conversation. Though brief, the exchange offered a fascinating glimpse into his connection with Billy Elliot and the journey that brought the musical to life.
Rafferty: “What inspired you to create the music for Billy Elliot?”
Elton: “Well, Billy Elliot the film was originally called The Dancer, and Stephen directed it, and David and I went to a showing in Cannes at the Cannes Film Festival, not in competition. And it just destroyed me. I just loved it so much. I was sitting in there sobbing in my seat for the last 10 minutes. It really affected me. And we went back to the party that we had afterwards, and we all stood around Lee Hall, Eric Fellner, and Stephen. And David said, ‘this would make a great musical’. Now, all the music in the film was by T. Rex, and it was fabulous. But we said, ‘yeah, that's not a bad idea’. And So I said, ‘I wouldn't mind doing that’. And Lee said, ‘well, who's going to do the lyrics’? And I said, ‘You are’. And he said, ‘I've never written a lyric before’. And I said, ‘Well, you’re gonna have to, aren't you? Because you're the one that brought this incredible book for the film’. So he did. He'd never written a song before, and he came up with the most incredible stuff. So that's why I wrote it. I was so impressed with the film and the performance of everyone in the film.”
Spencer: “What was your favourite scene in the movie or which scene made you go like, wow, I want to make a musical out of that movie? “
Elton: “Well, God, it’s hard. I think the thing that really impressed me the most, I decided that I wanted to write it was when Billy's dad comes into the balcony to see him dance with the Royal Ballet for the first time. During my career, my dad never came to see me. And that struck a chord, and of course, I sobbed, because I’d love my dad to come and see me. But, you know, I'm not going to blame him anymore because he just didn't have the wherewithal to come. But that really struck a chord to me. I thought, God, I would love my dad to see me. And so that's the scene I remember most”.
Noah: “Can you relate to the character of Billy Elliot?”
Elton: “Not really, because I can't dance. When I was a child, I was driven into music because music was my life. It's where I retreated to when my parents were arguing, it was my solitude, it was my inspiration. And Billy's dancing was his inspiration. And against all odds because his dad didn't want him to do it at the beginning and he came round at the end. I think the stories are very similar, I decided to become a rock and roll player which my dad was horrified by it. Even though I was going to the Royal Academy of Music and playing Chopin and Bach and Mozart, but he didn't want me to do that. And so I approved him wrong. And that's what Billy did with his dad, so I think that's what really connects me to the musical and the film.”
William: “Are you excited that Billy Elliot is back?”
Elton: “Well, the money is good, isn't it? I am thrilled. I mean, of all the musicals I've written-I've written a few-I've never been to a performance of Billy Elliot where I haven't been so blown away by the dancing and the cast. See, the thing with the musical is it's more about the story of the miners and what they went through, and that's Lee Hall’s brilliance, because he came from out there. And so every time I go and I see the musical and I see the mum's letter, the grandma, and at the end when the miners go down at the pit knowing they’ve lost, I always sob. And it always affects me because those people went through so much, their families were divided, they didn't speak to each other again, it was hell on earth for them. And so it really means a lot socially for me, and it means, I think what we got right in the music department or the musical was that we told the story of the miners.”
Following the conversation, we were treated to performances of Electricity by the four young actors sharing the role of Billy, as well as Once We Were Kings performed by the adult cast.
Watching them on stage, I was reminded once again of how effortlessly moving the score of Billy Elliot is. The music feels both natural and deeply emotional, drawing the audience into the story with remarkable ease. One moment it invites you to smile; the next, it confronts you with heartbreak. Billy's dancing, meanwhile, combines explosive power with grace and lightness, creating a performance that feels vibrant, expressive and full of energy.
The afternoon left me even more excited for the production's return. Each of the four young performers brings something unique to the role, and I have no doubt that every Billy will leave his own distinctive mark on this beloved musical.
Billy Elliot the Musical will return to the UK in 2026, opening at the Sunderland Empire on 4 November as part of a UK tour and a West End engagement booked for 2027.
