BILLY Elliot is is getting ready to pirouette into Southampton next week.

The iconic musical, about a young miner's son who dreams of becoming a dancer, has left he West End after 11 years and is part way through an extensive UK tour, stopping at Mayflower Theatre for a four week run from Tuesday.

Set in a northern mining town in the mid '80s, against the background of the miners’ strike, Billy’s journey takes him out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class where he discovers a passion for dance that inspires his family and whole community and changes his life forever.

Acclaimed by audiences and critics alike, Billy Elliot the Musical has now been seen by nearly 11 million people across five continents and is the recipient of over 80 awards internationally, including ten Tony Awards and five Olivier Awards.

Billy Elliot the Musical is brought to life by the multiple award-winning creative team behind the film including writer Lee Hall (book and lyrics), director Stephen Daldry, and choreographer, Peter Darling, joined by Elton John who composed the show’s score.

Law & Order: UK actress Annette McLaughlin will play Mrs Wilkinson in the show. Her many West End musical theatre credits include Mrs Wormwood in Matilda and Velma Kelly in Chicago.

Ahead of curtain up in Southampton, she told the Daily Echo: "I just love it. I saw the stage show and saw the film and loved them. I saw the show early on back when it started and just thought it was one of the best pieces of British theatre ever, certainly in terms of musicals. Watching the show I was drawn to the character of Mrs Wilkinson and I thought I'd love to play that part. It's great, a well-written and well rounded part.

"It's a dream come true and I always wanted to be part of it. It's something really special. So many musicals are thrown together, but Billy Elliot is a beautifully crafted piece of theatre by a group of creative geniuses.

"It has such great heart, fantastic music from Elton John, the politics are fascinating and those extraordinary kids!

"We've not just taken the story and put it on stage, we've made it theatrical and done things they just couldn't do in the movie. I think it's quite rare to have a brilliant movie and brilliant stage show. The fact that they are very different is the key to it. The movie is very cinematic, things like Billy dancing down the alleys are fantastically shot. On stage, it's very theatrical and there are things you can only really do on stage. When Billy dances with the older version of himself in a dream sequence, you just wouldn't have been able to get away with that on film, but on stage it's a brilliant theatrical tool. Not forgetting the giant Margaret Thatcher puppet!

"I'm a massive fan of Julie Walters and I have been for as long as I can remember. She's a big inspiration to me. She was brilliant in the film and to play the role myself means a lot."

Four boys will alternate the title role. Adam Abbou, aged 12 from Liverpool, 11-year-old Haydn May from Bath, Lewis Smallman, aged 12 from West Bromwich and 11-year-old Matthew Lyons from Leeds were cast following nationwide auditions.

They are joined on stage by Martin Walsh, from Sky 1's Rovers, as Billy's Dad. His other TV credits include Game of Thrones and Downton Abbey.

Les Miserables and Made in Dagenham actor Scott Garnham plays Tony and Andrea Miller, who has appeared in Sweeney Todd and Sister Act, is Grandma.

Billy Elliot the Musical played its last of 4,600 performances at Victoria Palace Theatre last April before the theatre closed for refurbishment.

Productions have previously been staged on Broadway, in Sydney, Melbourne, Chicago, Toronto and Seoul, South Korea and in Brazil.

Billy Elliot runs from Tuesday to Saturday March 4.

Tickets: 023 8071 1811 or mayflower.org.uk