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Boris on Broadway: Mayor on New York stage
Tom Teodorczuk, in New York14.09.09
When Boris met Billy it was never going to be anything other than an entertaining spectacle.
So it proved when Mayor of London Boris Johnson joined the cast of Sir Elton John's musical Billy Elliot at Manhattan's Imperial Theatre as part of his four-day New York visit to boost tourism and investment to London.
Following its run at the Victoria Palace Theatre, Billy Elliot went to the US this year and won 10 Tony awards, New York theatre's equivalent of the Oscars. The Mayor was paying tribute to British success on Broadway, which also includes West End transfers God of Carnage, The 39 Steps and Hamlet, starring Jude Law.
Mr Johnson met Kiril Kulish, 15, and Tommy Batchelor, 13, two of the actors playing the ballet-loving boy from Tyneside, with London-based actress Haydn Gwynne, who is reprising her West End role as Billy's dance teacher Mrs Wilkinson.
The occasion required the Mayor to engage in some politically nimble footwork. In May he criticised Billy Elliot for historical misrepresentation of the 1984 miners' strike led by Arthur Scargill to protest against then prime minister Margaret Thatcher.
Mr Johnson wrote in the Daily Telegraph: “For millions of young people who have watched Billy Elliot, Thatcher is the evil, boss-eyed termagant whose disastrous economic philosophy was responsible for the break-up of ancient Hovis-ad mining communities ... what Billy Elliot will not tell you is that Scargill never held a proper ballot.”
The Mayor asked Gwynne if she thought Billy Elliot accurately portrayed the strike. She said: “I do actually. Do you?” Mr Johnson responded: “Certainly it's a great work of art.”
He confessed he had yet to see the musical but had seen the film of 2000 that inspired it. “If people were to take it as the only account of the events of the Eighties, they mightn't be getting a fair picture,” he said.
He had to decline viewing yesterday's matinee but did stride on to the Imperial's stage, proclaiming: “This is my moment on Broadway. It's fantastic!”
Mr Johnson also visited Times Square — where he was besieged by Americans keen to shake his hand — and dined with his New York counterpart Michael Bloomberg. Today he will ring the Nasdaq opening and closing bells.
Reader views (7)
Can any person explain to me why Boris Johnson told New Yorker's at a speech that the uk gave American's Mad Cow Desease and America gave Britain's Swine Flu ? American's probably think that we are somewhat weird in the UK and could be put of visiting because Boris Johnson has reminded them that our food was dodgy once . Very intelligent thing for Boris to say at an important speech.
- Mr Tomis, London
Boris
Take a long hard look at the Subway and what we have here..New York subway may have filthy stations and no announcements, but its ALL airconditioned...trains run fast ontime, and it runs 24/7 365 days the year and can run in snow, rain, leaves...and to top it all is $2.25 a trip from one end to the other....or £13 pound a week as opposed to mine which is £44.....take a long hard look
- Francis, London, England
A handsome dashing man,I don't think so.He should get back to England and stop his aides ripping off Londons rate payers.
- James, Manchester England
Brilliant work as always Boris promoting London abroad. A handsome, dashing man bringing a slice of real Britishness to the Big Apple, excellent!
- Kimberley, London
he should be here sorting london out..the mans a baffoon...
- Rsaviour, lonodn england
Good work Boris, showing the world that London has regained a bit of light-heartedness and that it's no longer the cold, unwelcoming (unless you were an outspoken socialist) private fiefdom of the marxist state-building Lingstone, or whatever his name was!
- St, London
Trying to ally himself to a successful show won't stop everyone think what a fool he is in life as in politics
- Keith Price, Luton England
