When the film Billy Elliot was trailed in 2000, it looked like it might be a British version of 1985's Flashdance, with Jennifer Beals' dancing welder replaced by the aspirant 11-year-old son of a striking miner from County Durham. It looked a bit bleak.

But the backdrop of the miners' strike in England's North East proved much more convincing than Flashdance's glossy sequences of Beals clumsily fillet-welding a flange, sporting frankly inadequate protective equipment and a playful smudge of grime across her flawless cheekbones.

No, Billy Elliot was kind of ugly. Like Britain in the eighties, it was noisy and bruised, struggling to find its place and to answer the questions of a disillusioned generation. Whilst his family wrestled with The Strike, Billy dreamed of pirouettes and prima ballerinas and, juxtaposed with the brutality of the picket line, followed his dream.

The resulting film was a commercial and critical triumph and, in 2005, Billy Elliot: The Musical premiered in London's West End in 2005. It was nominated for nine Olivier Awards, winning four including Best New Musical. Success followed in Australia where it won seven Helpmann Awards, and on Broadway where it earned ten Tony Awards and ten Drama Desk Awards, including best musical for both.

Tickets for the West End show are now available until December 2012, as Billy Elliot continues its residency at London's Victoria Palace Theatre. Prices start at around £20 but, for performances until 24th June, we have a special offer on some tickets.

Allgigs can offer Upper Circle seats normally priced at £37.50 for £30.99 and Dress Circle/Stalls seats usually costing £62.50 are available at just £38.75. Both are limited and seat types vary on some nights due to availability - click the Book this Offer button to check availability.

Please note that due to bad language and violence in the show, children younger than 7 will not be admitted and any child under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.