Lesley Joseph, best known for playing Dorien Green in the hit sitcom Birds of a Feather, has been confirmed as joining the cast of Billy Elliot for its new UK tour, which opens at Sunderland Empire in November.
Lesley Joseph's role in Billy Elliot
The actress, who has appeared in pantomimes across the country, starred in Sister Act on stage and played Miss Hannigan in a UK tour of Annie, will now take on the role of Billy's grandma in the musical.
Billy Elliot, a West End and Broadway success, returns to theatres across the UK with its first stop at Sunderland Empire, where it received rave reviews during its 2016 run. The story, originally a BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated film in 2000, follows a young working-class lad named Billy who discovers a talent for ballet after stumbling upon a class while attending boxing lessons.
Cast and tour details
Other cast members announced include Annette McLaughlin as Mrs Wilkinson, a role made famous by Julie Walters in the film and previously played by McLaughlin in a UK tour. Deka Walmsley returns as Billy's dad, a role he played in the West End production, and Jack Bandeira, known for Smoggie Queens, Happy Valley, Disney+’s Andor and Netflix’s Black Mirror, plays Billy's brother Tony.
The role of Billy will be alternated between four young actors: Noah Mannion (12, from Stockport), Rafferty Smale (12, from Leigh-on-Sea), William Gurney (12, from Berkshire) and Spencer Collins (13, from California). Liam Mower, who originated the role of Billy in the West End, returns to play adult Billy in the musical's final scenes.
Billy Elliot will play Sunderland Empire from November 4-28, with tickets available online.
