Billy Elliot musical..

[SleepyHead]

DD who is 8 (nearly 9) would like to see Billy Elliot in the West End. I am concerned about taking her as I do think she is too young and because of the language used in the show.

However I am interested to find out if your DC have seen the show, how old they were when they went, and whether you would take a 9 year old to see it.

as always, any feedback would be gratefully received.

Thanks
Sleepy Head

[2outof3]

Sleepyhead,

Has your daughter seen the film? I think if you wouldn't show your DD the film because of the language then I would think twice about the musical.

It is the most fantastic musical though and I can really understand why she is so keen to see it. Both of my DDs have seen it already and DD2 is about to see it again with the school . She is 14 and first saw it when she was 11 as a friend of ours was one of the ballet girls. DD1 also saw it at 11.

I would have been uncomfortable about them seeing it at 8 as there is a significant amount of bad language, but it really depends on how mature your child is and how you think she would cope with it. To be honest I have seen it three times now and each time I have been I would guess there were children younger than 9 there.

It's a tricky one..........

[SleepyHead]

Hello 2outof3, thanks for your reply. really helpful in deciding. I think I will wait a bit, and reconsider in approx 6 months time. It's a good idea to try the film at home first (as I can edit the dodgy bits!)

Glad you loved it as it's a beautiful story line, perhaps I'll go without DD first

[sbarnes]

sorry if this sounds like an odd question, but of the children in the audience, were there more girls than boys watching the musical please?

[2outof3]

Definitely more girls than boys - many, many more!

[push-pull-mum]

My DS (a dancer aged nearly 9) is very very keen to go.
I told him maybe as a post 11+ treat in Autumn 2014

[Loopyloulou]

I have not seen this musical myself, but I have been told by a friend that it is quite unnecessarily peppered with bad language.

[ginx]

Oh - not keen on bad language. Dd1 who is almost 14 is going with school in summer to see it. I am sure she knows lots of bad language but fortunately at home (at least) she doesn't use it.

I've paid now so she's going, thanks for the warning about the language.

[Samlet]

I've been following this one with interest as I've been wondering for a couple of years when I will feel comfortable taking DCs to it.

I was puzzled when I went a few years ago at the astounding proportion of swearing - mostly the F-word, which, as I recall, was used about 3 times in every sentence. The reason I was puzzled is that I felt that the producers would limit their potential audience, not just families, but older people. I was regretting not feeling able to take my children, while a colleague was similarly regretful that he couldn't take his vicar father and mother.

Still it is regularly sold out, so what do I know?

[sbarnes]

I used to shield as much as I could my child from bad language but hearing the language used on text chats and playground, give up now.