Things I like better about UK show (prolly repeating myself here, but who cares):
• The boxing scene. For one thing, in the UK show it really looks like Michael hits George in the balls; in the US the boys go so low between the legs it could not possibly hurt! I mean, yeah we Yanks have bigger balls than the Brits, but still… Just a joke, okay? And I like how Billy actually repeats the lines “…and the fine tradition…” loudly and clearly, which you almost never see in the US. And I really like the UK George. Lots of funny lines that the US does not have.
• The Royal Ballet Audition. There was no need to change this for the US show. It makes more sense, it is funnier, and you get to see why Billy is upset about it. Also, I prefer the UK smashing of Tall Boy’s head into the safety curtain to the cheesy and poorly done fake punch in the US version. And in the UK version they do not waste time with that stupid line of Ballet Girls marching by. I like the whole scene with the judges, with the tape and the pencil and the money.
• More later today – it is 5AM and I need to go back to bed!
• Waiting for Dale to wake up. I could pound on the wall but that would be mean as I woke up with a terrible coughing fit last night and prolly kept him awake!! Anyway, did I mention I like Joe Caffrey as Dad. Great acting and line delivery, though I prefer Greg Jbara’s “It’s and egg actually”.
• Not sure about Craig’s Tony. I like some of the scenes, but he is a bit of a cry baby.Jury is still out.
• I am loving seeing the show in the “original Geordie”. Hahahahah! It is missed in New York and elsewhere and for the most part could be brought back. There is something so refreshing about it.
• Another minor acting bit: When Billy does his first two pirouettes, he is so proud of himself and he smiles. He may do that on Broadway, but I never noticed it. Here, every boy does it and it is very well communicated to the audience.

London – Day Two
The day started off just fine. I should mention that the weather has been overcast for the most part, with a light drizzle from time to time, but so far nothing you can call serious rain. Fingers crossed.
Also crossed that my friends will make it to London, because that fucking volcano is acting up again.
Anyway, day two started out with a very nice breakfast at Giraffe at 120 Wilton Rd., followed by a relaxing walk along Buckingham Palace Rd., with the oblgatory pictures at you-know-where, and then continuing along Birdcage Walk to Parliament and the London Eye, on which,we all know from my previous trip, I refuse to go!
Dale and I then sauntered back to our hotel – our rooms are next to each other at the Chery Court – and relaxed a bit before heading off to lunch at Garfunkel’s in Victoria Place. Food was okay; service there is slow and sucky!
Then the matinee of Billy. Got my first new Billy, Rhys, and Jake as Michael. It was a good show, but like last night’s show was plagued with more than a few missed sound and lighting cues. Not any missed lines that I recall. Obvious tha Rhys is new. His dancing skills will get better as he gets stronger and more experience. The thing is, like Tom last night, he is a much better actor than a lot of Billys I have seen, and a good singer as well.
We met tzwicky (Bill) at the matinee and he joined Dale and I for dinner at my favorite London chicken restaurant, Nandos. Hope he forgives me for dominating the conversation; after you have been around Dale a while, you get into the habit, as Dale says about two words every hour! LOL Turns out that Bill is also at the Cherry Court.
Okay! So now to show number three. Dean-Charles and Joe (again). Some more good acting by Billy. Overall another goof show. That was supposed to say “good show”, but “goof show” works as well, as there were more sound and lighting issues, but no missed or dropped lines as I recall.
(BTW, I suspect that a new viewer to Billy would never notice any of the sound, lighting, or dialog mistakes that we did.}

London – Day One
The flight was long, as usual, and uneventful. We did fly NORTH of Iceland and very high, and the ash cloud apparently began again right behind us. Landed safely, made my way quickly through customs and on the underground to my hotel. Went to breakfast at McDonalds. (United Airlines, if you are listening, your stupid sandwich thing you serve for the second meal of every flight is crap!!) Then a donut at Krispy Kreme – there is a GOD!!
Then back to Heathrow to pick up Dale, a stop at the VPT to pick up our tickets, and then a check in at the hotel. Nice LITTLE rooms!! Right next to each other. Dinner was dish and chips at the DOY, and then Billy.
I will tell you right now, this was one of the two or three best Billys I have ever seen. Tom Holland is by far the best acting Billy I have seen. His timing is amazing; his responsiveness and reaction to what is going on around him is fabulous. In Grandma’s song, which was itself just fabulous – Ann is the Queen of Nanas -, Tom laughed when he needed to, and was sympathetic when he needed to be, and acted as though he was hearing it all for the first time. And the playful way that he and Ann interracted at the end was wonderful.
But the real masterpiece was The Letter, mostly the first one, but also the reprise. I have never seen a Billy cry so convincingly during The Letter. This kid was sobbing by the time he hugged Dead Mum, and so was the audience. And though less so during the reprise, it was just as emotional.
Tom’s electricity is all acro, and he slipped at the end of his opening tumbling run which included a wonderful no-hands flip, but it was otherwise flawless, and I got to see someone do a wal flip live. Really nice.
I really like Joe as Dad and I really, really liked Joanna Riding as Mrs. W.
Express was about the weakest part of the show. The Michael, Joe Massey, is new enough that he is not in the newest program. He seemed a bit tentative at times, but I still prefer the first half of Espress from the UK, and then the US for the part with the dresses!
An overall word about the UK show: It is MUCH better than the US version overall. It is purer and richer and so much more realistic. Stephen!! You out there?? Take the UK show, change about 10 words, but not the lines, and plop it down in front of any American audience! I promise: WE’LL GET IT!!!
That’s all for day one! Day two to follow!!

That’s right, boys and girls! My next “Billython” is nearly 9 months away here, in London for the REAL BETMUK 5th Anniversry show (and 7 others). Have great seats and looking forward to great times with many, many friends!
UPDATE: Turns out the bastards decided to part with tradition and have the 5th anniversary show on March 31st, the 5th anniversary of the first preview show! So I got screwed! But I am still going to have a wonderful time with friends, and I have added an Oliver! to the mix, so now 9 shows in 7 days!

PREVIEW
Uhmm, I fly out of Modesto bright and early next Thursday morning, May 6th, and have my usual idiotic 6 hour layover in San Francisco followed by a 10 hour non-stop flight to London, where I land at 7 A.M. Friday morning. My friend Dale will land at around noon, so I am planning on heading into London, dropping my stuff off at our hotel, and then maybe working my way back out to Heathrow to greet Dale. Just depends.
At any rate, except for whatever sleep I can manage on the flight, I will be up about 36 hours by the time I crawl into bed Friday night, but I did it last time I went to London and survived!
So many people will be coming and going during the week that I have lost track: Dale, Bobz, BEKat27, Pugsnort, JJF, ERinVA, Johnnyc, tzwicky, electrrricity, RichB, Muppet and more, so sorry if I have forgotten you.
The big event will still be the REAL 5th Anniversary show on the 12th, even though I hear nothing is planned. Still, it is expected to be a great time. So stay tuned for more exciting entries!

Getting Ready
Yup I am starting to pack. Have magnets made and cut. I finally decided on a suitcase, one that I bought last year and never used. Dunno how I will like it, but I am gonna give it a try. Just 4 days to go! Yay!
Printed my boarding passes just now (5:53 AM, exactly 24 hours before my flight to SFO). Gotta do some laundry and then pack.
My buddy Dale texted me at 4:45 AM; I thought about going back to sleep, but then I decided it would be good practice since I have to get up at 3:45 AM tomorrow!! So now it is 6:24 and I have already done my computer backups and printed my boarding passes and I am going to start laundry and breakfast!
And soon I will be in the land of Uppy-Downy Mind-The-Gap!
Am now splitting this into separate posts for each day.

In September 1960, I woke up one morning with six hungry babies and just 75 cents in my pocket.
Their father was gone.

The boys ranged from three months to seven years; their sister was two.

Their Dad had never been much more than a presence they feared.

Whenever they heard his tires crunch on the gravel driveway they would scramble to hide under their beds.
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Pictures from my New York Billython and Mary & Keith’s 40th Anniversary are now on my pBase site. Select the link in the sidebar to take you to my pBase Galleries.

View Billy Cities: Places of Interest for BETM Fans

As many of you know, I am not good at doing a “show” review. I have neither the time nor the patience, nor the memory. So, for my most recent adventure, “Uncle Dave’s Second Annual Birthday Billython” (ADSABB), I am doing my usual compiled impression of performances, highs and lows.

I am not one to shy away from saying negative things. I know a lot of BETM reviewers feel they should never post anything negative, especially about the kids, but I disagree. Feel free to disagree with me.

I saw 5 shows between October 3rd and October 7th, and there is no such thing as a bad BETM, but three of these shows were very special, and fourth was really good, and a fifth was a great BETM like they all are.

Before I begin, I would like to mention that Tommy Batchelor is now my sworn enemy for life. He knows this, too. I have been to New York twice in the last 5 months. Both times the little wanker has been injured. When I told him this he thought it was very funny, but he also had the kindness to suggest that I would have to come back. So while I have never seen him perform, I think that he is just an absolutely wonderful, funny and kind young man. However, rumor has it that you should not let him offer you anything edible or chewable!
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Well, the Billython is over. I am home, safe and unsound!

First, an UPDATE!!! Remember the shoe debacle on my first day, at the hotel near the SFO airport? Remember how I had forgotten my dress shoes at home and so had to make an emergency run to Kohl’s to buy a new pair? So today I get home and look on the bathroom counter where I last remembered seeing them. Not there! So then I looked some more. And guess where I found them? In the backseat of my car where I had placed them before leaving for San Francisco, so I would be sure to remember them!!! Arggghhhh! But I like the new shoes, too!
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Well, the next 36 hours are going to be pure hell with a drop or two of heaven thrown in.

First of all, the weather has started to turn south. Not too bad yet, but may get worse.

Had breakfast outside at Junior’s again, so weather not horrible or anything. Left one bite of french toast on my plate. It is said that if you throw a coin in the fountain in Paris, keep money on your London Oyster card, or leave a bite of french toast on your plate at Junior’s, you will return. Here’s hoping!
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