Billy Elliott Will Not Be Americanised - Daldry

24-06-2005 23:00

New York critics are desperate to see BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL Americanised for Broadway audiences, but director STEPHEN DALDRY is determined to keep it set in its northern England location.Members of the US theatre press travelled across the Atlantic to see the celebrated show in London's West End, and although they were wowed by the song and dance spectacular, they fear American audiences won't relate to it.THE NEW YORK TIMES reviewer BEN BRANTLEY is convinced it is "too full of real feeling for the synthetic Broadway of today."

But Daldry has no intention of changing the show for the sake of US theatre-goers.

He says, "Billy's in the NEW YORK POST and now every producer is really keen. They were keen before, but now they're more so."

"I think the idea of relocating it is not the way to go and they can take it or leave it."

In other stage news BUZZ ALDRIN, the second man to walk on the Moon in 1969, is to be the subject of a new opera for British television network CHANNEL 4.Playwright NICHOLAS WRIGHT is determined to tell not just the astronaut's story but also that of his long-suffering first wife JOAN ARCHER - who had to cope with her legendary husband's fame at the time of the historic event.

He says, "It's about Buzz Aldrin, but really it's about his wife.

"How she has to be like this Stepford Wife because, at the time of her husband going to the Moon, the eyes of the world were constantly upon her.

"So she had to behave perfectly at all times - and that was a strain behind the scenes. That's what I'm exploring."

The production is set to screen next year (06).