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Billy Elliot: West Bromwich star Lewis Smallman talks ahead of Birmingham show

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The bright lights of the West Midlands biggest theatre are a long way from the fluorescent glow of the classrooms at George Salter Academy.

But teen prodigy Lewis Smallman has made that quantum leap as he's allowed time off from the school, in Davey Road, West Bromwich, to star in the biggest show of the spring.

Lewis, 13, is one of four youngsters playing Billy Elliot at Birmingham's Hippodrome Theatre in a huge production that runs until April 29.

Set in a small mining town in the north east of England, against the background of the 1984/'85 miners' strike, Billy Elliot is the inspirational story of a young boy's struggle against the odds to make his dream come true. He stumbles out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class where he discovers a passion for dance that inspires his whole community and changes his life forever.

Featuring a timeless score by Elton John, sensational dance and a powerful story that has captivated millions around the world, Billy Elliot is a funny, uplifting and spectacular theatrical experience.

Lewis is chuffed to bits to have landed the lead role.

"This is what I've always wanted to do. It started when I did gymnastics. Then I stopped doing that and went to dance and enjoyed that even more than gymnastics. So I carried on doing dancing and then one day my dance teacher told me to audition for something."

He didn't even know what it was for.

The audition, however, went well and, to cut a long story short, the results are there for all to see at Birmingham's Hippodrome.

He'd earned valuable experience in formative productions of other shows, featuring in Swan Lake with the English Youth Ballet and performing in The Sound of Music with the locally-based Trinity Players.

"I've been doing this a while," he adds. "Swan Lake came along when I was only seven, so that was very hard. I was young and had only just got into dancing. They were teaching me moves that I didn't know about.

"The road to Billy Elliot really started three years ago, when I auditioned. We did a summer school and trained and then did that again for another two years, off and on. Eventually, I got the email and they asked me to go on tour."

You've have imagined he'd have turned cartwheels – just like Billy. But not a bit of it. A tender 13-years-young he may be, but Lewis has his feet planted firmly on the ground.

"I was a bit scared when they said yes though I was happy at the same time. I was scared because I didn't know what would happen and who the other people in the show would be. But I was excited about meeting new people and it's turned out well.

"We've been to loads of different places and it's been great fun."

He misses home when he's performing in Newcastle, Cambridge and other parts of the UK. "It's sometimes hard being away from home. But then at other times I just forget about home because I'm always busy so there's no time to think.

"There's four of us playing Billy and we're all good friends. We never really have arguments. Well, there's one or two. But they're not very often."

Playing the Birmingham Hippodrome is the highlight of the tour. He sees mates from George Salter school, his parents and other relatives when he's on stage.

"I feel like I've got a home crowd every day because loads of my family are coming to see me. I haven't done a show where there hasn't been anyone there. And I always get more energetic when my family are there."

As he should. He owes them a lot. Mum Lynn, dad John and sisters Maicie and Ellie have been nothing but supportive. "My mum and dad were taking me to dance classes and to auditions all the time before I got this. They're the ones who got me here and who've driven me up and down the country."

It's then he has to thank when he's in the middle of show, feeling as though he's flying because the audience are going wild.

"It feels amazing when we're in the show. We get people standing up and clapping and that's the best feeling every. Sometimes the crowd put banners up. There's always something crazy going on. It's brilliant. I want to continue to do this after this tour finishes. I love it."

His ambitions are wider, however, and he hopes to one day move into film. Stage has given him the perfect start and he hopes to build on that.

"I want to be in films. I still want to be in musicals, of course, but I really want to try for TV and film. I watched the Billy Elliot film when I was a kid, before I auditioned. I thought this should would be like the film but it's totally different. It's way different to the film."

His time on the road means he's little time to catch up with his mates at George Salter. But social media allows him to keep up to date – and allows them the chance to see what Lewis is up to.

"The other kids are just really proud that I'm doing this. So it's great. My friends come to shows and search me on the internet. I still do my schooling when I'm on the road. We have two teachers on the tour and there are lessons every morning for three hours."

In fact, the biggest challenge isn't dazzling crowds each night. That comes easily to performers like Lewis. The biggest difficult comes when the show stops and he has to go back to school.

"Getting back to normal is the hard bit. You get used to being on the road then all of a sudden everything is different. It's difficult adapting to being in a big class with uniforms where you have to sit down and stay in your seat."

It is. But it's never for long. Before he knows it, Lewis is back on the road.

Andy Richardson

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