Billy Elliot dances in to the Liverpool Empire

It’s the tale of a miner’s son whose talent for dancing take him all the way from County Durham to the Royal Ballet School.

But when the award-winning musical Billy Elliot makes its Liverpool debut at the Empire this week, one of the young stars will be from a lot closer to home than the North East coal fields.

Adam Abbou is one of several teenagers who play the titular Billy in the show, based on the hit British film which made a star of a young Jamie Bell.

The Notre Dame School pupil, from Anfield, is a member of Nazene Danielle’s Dance Dynamix, and has competed in, and won, a number of regional dance championships.

He is the second ‘Scouse’ Billy, after Elliott Hanna from Tuebrook played the role in the West End four years ago.

And it will be a return to the Empire stage for 14-year-old Adam, who previously played Jerome in South Pacific there in 2012, and Nibbs, one of the Lost Boys in Peter Pan at Christmas 2013.

Adam Abbou as Billy Elliot (photographs by Alastair Muir)

Billy Elliot is set against the backdrop of the 1984 Miners’ Strike, and is the inspirational tale of a motherless young lad’s struggle to make his dream come true, quitting the boxing club for ballet classes, to the incomprehension of his family.

His passion for dance eventually inspires both his relations and the whole community, and changes his life forever.

The musical is written by Lee Hall, who also penned the film, with music by Elton John including Solidarity and Electricity.

Anna-Jane Casey plays Mrs Wilkinson, Billy’s dance teacher, while Scott Garnham is brother Tony, and Martin Walsh is Billy’s dad.

Billy Elliot the Musical is at the Liverpool Empire from May 10-27. Tickets from the website HERE.