Keep Dancing! In the Rehearsal Room with the cast of Billy Elliot
Twenty years since it first opened in the West End, Billy Elliot the Musical is back – heading out on tour to Sunderland, Manchester and Edinburgh before coming back to London for a limited run at the Adelphi Theatre, from February to July 2027.
Based on the award-winning film and set against the 1984/85 miners’ strikes, it tells the story of a working class lad who moves from the boxing ring to ballet, with dance changing his life.
The iconic title role was originally played by James Lomas, George Maguire and Liam Mower (who now returns to the show in the role of Older Billy), with the three jointly winning the Best Actor Olivier Award. Other West End Billys including Olivier-Award winning Iceberg and Strictly star Layton Williams, and a young Tom Holland – I wonder what happened to him?!
Now, four more young actors are about to have their lives changed, with Spencer Collins, William Gurney, Noah Mannion and Rafferty Smale announced as this new production’s latest Billys earlier in the summer.
With the show’s full cast recently announced, I was invited to join them in the rehearsal room as they prepare to take this electric musical on the road. The full cast has been rehearsing together for just four weeks, but the Billys have already been hard at work for three months. All of the effort from the cast and creatives is clearly paying off as this rehearsal room is, to borrow from the show, buzzing with absolute electricity!
With each number led by one of the Billys, the cast performed four excerpts from the show – showcasing the exceptional talent of the company. Billy is known for ballet, but the young actors have also mastered tap and jazz, performing with huge skill and energy.
We started – of course! – with the finale, a slick and precise company number led by William Gurney as Billy. This was followed by the scene between Billy and best friend Michael with Rafferty Smale and Harper Etienne playing the boys – Billy wants to talk ballet but Michael wants to try his mum’s dresses on! It’s a joyful tap routine, and the two bounce brilliantly off each other.
Then we had a change of pace with Noah Mannion performing Swan Lake alongside Liam Mower as Older Billy. It’s a full circle moment for Liam, who was one of the show’s original Billys. On returning to the cast, I asked Liam about whether the industry and perception of men and boys taking up ballet has changed. He said:
“I would like to say yes but I do think there’s still a long way to go in terms of the stigma But I do see a lot more boys and men dancing now. When I started dancing there was maybe one boy apart from me in my class, but now you go to regional schools and there are a lot of boys and that’s beautiful to see, but I think there’s some way to go”.
Liam is an absolutely mesmerising dancer and it’s a real treat to see him dancing with Noah.
The performance finished with the whole company performing iconic number Solidarity – the young cast members are in a dance class offset by the adults performing bold and aggressive choreography to bring us to the miners’ picket line. Spencer Collins performs as Billy – pirouetting across the stage lost in his own world where dance is all that matters. It’s a powerful contrast with the violence and desperation in Billy’s community.
Although the focus of the performances was on our four brilliant Billys, I also had a chance to speak to some of the adult cast about their involvement in the show. Taking on the role of Billy’s Grandma is the legendary Lesley Joseph. Speaking about the show and its cast, she told me:
“The boys can do everything: jazz, tap, ballet, singing and acting. The kids playing Michael and Debbie as well, they’re all just brilliant.
“Lee Hall has written a fantastic script. To me it’s not a musical, it’s a play with music but Elton’s songs are just fabulous and they’re so right for this piece. In every scene, people are struggling. Although it is a historic piece, set during the miners’ strikes, it’s about people and what they go through in their lives – fighting to make a living, they don’t have enough to eat, there’s sadness because people have died or somebody (Grandma) is on the verge of dementia. There will be something in there that you’re going through in your family life and there’ll be something that will speak to you. It’s a real punch in the gut musical, I defy anyone to see it and not go WOW!”
Following on with Liam Mower and Natasha J Barnes, who plays Billy’s Mum, we talked about the people who inspired them to pursue their performance careers. Fittingly, for a show in which Billy’s Grandma is such a strong presence and influence in his life, they both paid tribute to their Nanas.
Natasha: “My nana inspired me, she used to sing for a big band during wartime but she never did it (as a career), she was an orphan, very poor and my Grandad rescued her from that. She always wanted to be a singer and when she figured out I was alright at it, she wanted me to do it a little bit for her and so I am”.
Liam: “Growing up, one of my favourite movies wasBilly Elliot and when I saw Adam Hooper make the giant leap at the end, leaping onto the stage with swan pants and slicked back hair and make up and I thought ‘I want to do that’. That was one of my first inspirations as a dance figure, but the same as Natasha, my biggest support has been my Nana and Mum, they have been by my side for the whole journey”.
Finally, they summed up why everybody should come along to see Billy Elliot.
Liam:” It’s a story that pulls at the heart strings and brings you so much joy at the same time, a real rollercoaster of emotions and feeling of community. A lot of people can relate to the story, we’ve all been part of many communities in our lives”.
Natasha: “It’ll be an event, it’s really special, I feel really privileged to sit at the side of the rehearsal room and watch Liam doing what he does so brilliantly, everyone is special on this show and it’s going to create something really magical”.
Billy Elliot is on tour from November 2026, visiting Sunderland, Manchester and Edinburgh , with its London run from 12th February to 31st July 2027. It will then visit Cardiff, Dublin, Bradford and Bristol. Find out more and book tickets at https://billyelliotthemusical.com/
