Act summaries

Act 1

Scene 1

The film Billy Elliot (2000) directed by Stephen Daldry begins with Billy putting a record on and jumping on his bed. He then runs to the kitchen to get breakfast ready for his grandmother. However, he finds the bed empty and runs out the door to find his grandmother wandering around confused, and takes her back to the house. Later that day, Billy’s older brother Tony accuses Billy of playing his records and though Billy denies it, Tony smacks him. 

The next day, Tony and Billy’s dad Jackie rush to get ready in time and go to the picket line where the miners are protesting against the closing down of several coal mines. Billy is playing the piano, and Jackie tells him to stop. Billy complains that his mother, who is now dead, would have let him play. On the picket line, the miners, including Tony, shout “Scab!” at the busses that are taking the miners to work. 

Scene 2

At school, Billy is trying to convince his friend Michael to come with him to his boxing class. Michael refuses and says he does not know why Billy bothers since he is so bad at boxing. 

The girls’ ballet class is taking place in the same room as the boys’ boxing class since the ballet room is being used as a soup kitchen for the striking miners. Jackie is watching as Billy boxes very badly and gets hit. After the class ends, the teacher tells Billy to give the keys to the room to Mrs. Wilkinson, the ballet teacher.

Billy watches the ballet practice and when he tries to give Mrs. Wilkinson the keys, she ignores him. Eventually, he finds himself in the middle of rehearsals and joins in. Mrs. Wilkinson gives him a pair of ballet slippers and corrects his form. After the rehearsals, Mrs. Wilkinson tells Billy he owes her the 50 pence fee for the class and invites him to come again next week. 

Scene 3

Billy watches Fred Astaire dancing on TV, and his grandma tells him Billy’s mother used to love watching Astaire dance. On the way to school, Debbie, Mrs. Wilkinson’s daughter, tells Billy that lots of boys do ballet, but Billy insists that only the gay ones do. However, instead of joining his boxing class that day, Billy goes to ballet. At home, he hides his ballet slippers under the bed and when his dad asks him what he is doing, he says he is looking for his boxing gloves. Jackie tells him the gloves were his father’s, and Billy better take good care of them.

Michael asks Billy if he now goes to ballet class every week and if he gets to wear a tutu. Annoyed, Billy replies that they’re only for girls but Michael tells him he thinks he would look good in one. After school, Billy stops by the library and tries to check out a book about ballet and when he finds out he cannot check it out, he steals it. 

Act 2

Scene 4

Billy practices ballet poses from his book in the bathroom. He c...