Billy Elliot: genre
Billy Elliot: Genre
Drama Genre
- "Billy Elliot" is a coming-of-age drama, a genre that explores the growth of a protagonist from youth to adulthood.
- The coming-of-age theme is illustrated through Billy's journey of self-discovery and personal transformation.
- Drama as a genre uses conflict and emotion to pull in the audience, aspects prevalent in the play.
- The themes explored in this genre consistently include conflict between individual desires and societal expectations, which is clearly shown in Billy's struggle to become a ballet dancer in the face of his family and community's traditional values.
Musical Genre
- Additionally, "Billy Elliot" is also categorised as a musical due to the use of songs and choreographed dance sequences to progress the narrative and develop characters.
- The musical format allows the play to expand on emotional expressivity, such as Billy's passion for dance that's displayed through powerful dance numbers.
- Contrary to many musicals, the story in "Billy Elliot" is not light-hearted but takes on serious issues such as striking miners, community struggles, and gender norms.
Social Realism
- Lastly, "Billy Elliot" is also noted for its leanings towards social realism as it strives to depict the authentic portrayal of working-class life in North East England during the 1980s miners' strike.
- This genre was chosen to emphasise the harsh realities faced by people in such communities. This context plays a significant role in shaping the characters and their actions in the play.
- The strike, poverty, and other societal issues form a contrast to Billy's dream, enhancing the tensions and conflicts in the narrative.
Remember, understanding the genre of "Billy Elliot" will help you comprehend the play's underlying themes and characters' motivations better. Think about how the genres work together to shape the narrative and dramatic effect of the play while revising "Billy Elliot".