Daldry Says "The Musical's Storytelling in 'Billy Elliot' Surpasses the Film"

"I believe that the storytelling was more successful in the musical than in the film."

Stephen Daldry, who directed the 2000 film 'Billy Elliot' and also helmed the 2005 musical adaptation, made this remark during a press conference held at a cafe in Jongno-gu, Seoul on April 13.

The final scene of the film, in which the protagonist Billy achieves his dream of becoming a ballet dancer, is famous. Billy soars energetically on stage in 'Swan Lake,' a signature work by the world-renowned British choreographer Matthew Bourne. Lewis, Billy's father, who had strongly opposed his son becoming a ballet dancer, is seen overwhelmed with emotion in the audience as he watches his son achieve his dream.

Musical 'Billy Elliot' directed by Stephen Daldry. Shinse Company

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The ending of the musical is different. Instead of the film's finale, the musical concludes with a duet performed by young Billy and adult Billy. Just before this, the stark contrast between Billy's life and that of the miner Lewis is highlighted. Daldry explained, "Billy gets the chance to enroll at the Royal Ballet School in London, but the (mining) community faces destruction. The scene where the miners return to the mines is an expression of mourning for their community. I wanted to stage the moment when the miners descend into the pit as if they were entering a grave."

Daldry said that, unlike in the film, in the musical he "wanted to show not just Billy and his family, but more of the community's story," adding, "I wanted to portray a broader narrative." He described 'Billy Elliot' as a work that mourns a community.

'Billy Elliot' is set in the 1980s, when the late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher pursued economic restructuring, leading to fierce conflict with the people of coal-mining towns in northern England. Lewis, a miner, wanted his son Billy to become strong in order to survive in a harsh world. This is why he preferred his son to learn boxing, which seemed tougher, rather than ballet, which appeared weak.

Daldry said, "Since 1984, the United Kingdom has gone through deindustrialization. All manufacturing disappeared. The coal industry vanished. Thatcher did away with all the labor unions. Today, while Korea produces a variety of products, the UK manufactures almost nothing. Banking is now the core industry. 'Billy Elliot' shows the disappearance of the coal industry. The miners' strike was the last stand of the labor union. Miners were once proud workers, but now the towns they live in have become marginalized communities." He added, "Korea also went through very rapid industrialization, which left some occupational groups marginalized. Through this process, a sense of community emerged. In that sense, I think people in Korea can relate to the musical 'Billy Elliot.'"

Daldry also commented that the recent development of artificial intelligence (AI) will have a massive impact on jobs. "I believe the Western world will undergo radical changes over the next five years, and not all of these changes will be positive. I think there will be big winners and losers. In the film industry, for instance, I expect that jobs in animation and special effects will disappear completely within about two years. Unemployment rates will skyrocket. Not just in film, but across all industries, jobs will disappear at a frightening pace."

Musical 'Billy Elliot' 2021 performance photo. Shins Company

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The reason Daldry decided to recreate 'Billy Elliot' as a musical was because of Elton John. Elton John suggested the idea to Daldry and took charge of composing the music himself.

Daldry said, "I think Elton John felt that the story of Billy and Lewis in the film was similar to his own story with his father. At first, I didn't take Elton John's suggestion seriously, but as he remained committed for several years, I eventually began to take it seriously as well." Daldry also mentioned that he spoke with Elton John after arriving in Korea. "Elton John is extremely excited and thrilled that 'Billy Elliot' is being staged in Korea. I told him that the Korean production is outstanding and that the actors are excellent."

The musical 'Billy Elliot' made its Broadway debut in the United States in 2008, and the following year, it won the Tony Award for Best Musical, North America's highest honor in musical theater. In Korea, the show premiered in 2010, followed by performances in 2017 and 2021, making this the fourth season. This is Daldry's first visit to Korea. "For a long time, I wanted to come to Korea, but every time 'Billy Elliot' was staged here, I was too busy. This is my first time visiting Korea, and I am extremely excited and thrilled."

Daldry described Seoul as an amazing city. "Before coming here, a friend told me that Seoul is an incredible city, but I never imagined it would be this vibrant. You can feel an energy here that you can't find in other cities. Paris is a beautiful city, but it's boring. There's no place quite like Seoul, where the city is still buzzing with energy even after 9 p.m. Seoul is special and full of life."

The musical 'Billy Elliot' opened on April 12 at Woori Finance Hall, Blue Square, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and will run until July 26.

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