Bill Blows Cold for Billy???

At yesterday’s press launch for Billy Elliot - The Musical (See News, 22 Jun 2004), director Stephen Daldry wasn’t backwards in coming forwards about rumours relating to the show. Anyone heard that the stage adaptation of the hit Brit flick was never going to happen because the creative team wouldn’t be able to cast it? While Daldry acknowledged that finding the right “extraordinarily talented” 10- to 14-year-olds to play Billy and his best friend Michael was a gargantuan task, he hoped the establishment of the Billy Elliot School would silence the doom-mongerers. And who, according to Daldry, was chief amongst said doom-mongerers? Veteran West End producer Bill Kenwright, no less. Kenwright’s put his big money this autumn behind his own musical, an adaptation of Graham Greene’s literary classic Brighton Rock, which premieres at the Almeida Theatre in October (See News, 10 May 2004). We’re assuming he doesn’t have too many shares in Billy backers Old Vic Productions or Working Title.

Got some goss? Contact gossip@whatsonstage.com

Related Content