I was fortunate enough to spend Thanksgiving in New York City, thanks to a wonderful friend who was out of town, and lent us her apartment in Brooklyn. We walked all over, saw the sights, and went to see Billy Elliot on Broadway. I saw the movie last year, and we really wanted to go and see a play – so this was our choice. It was really interesting – the stage play puts much more emphasis on the politics of the Thatcher years in Britain, and her resounding defeat of the labour unions in the 1980′s. It brought back many memories for me – of a society that was angry, of frustration, economic hardship, aggression and pride fighting for space. thee were poignant moments, hilarious comments, dark struggles and the beauty of the ballet. It was a time of hardship, solidarity for the working class and deep rifts and divisions in the coal mining families that are still rife today.
Britain has changed so much since then – I’m not sure if it’s for the better – the whole nature and composition of society has altered. I’ve spent the last twenty years living outside of my country, and feel very much like a stranger looking in, with the right accent and passport. Going to see Billy Elliot took me back to a very different country, and back to many forgotten memories of childhood. Who’d have thought a Broadway play could have such a powerful effect on my psyche – it’s even made me want to write an essay about it – how about that!
