Set the scene – New York City. 1975. On an empty Broadway stage, seventeen performers are put through their paces in the final, gruelling audition for a new Broadway musical.
Only eight will make the cut.
A Chorus Line is a musical masterpiece that revolutionised Broadway, but for the uninitiated, it’s not a musical in the sense we’re most accustomed to. With no interval (so ensure you grab your toilet break before curtain up!) no scene changes and only one costume change, this production relies on capturing and holding our attention for an entire scene.
It’s testament to director Nikolai Foster and his production team that it succeeds in doing so, such is the scrutiny with which each of writers James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante’s characters are explored. One by one they step into the spotlight to share their intimate life story with stern show director Zach, played ably by Adam Cooper.
This material comes from creator Michael Bennett’s real-life testimonies during late-night recording sessions with dancers. Stripped back staging and clever use of lighting make for a fitting backdrop to a show that delivers often raw and unapologetically emotional subject matters.
But the result is actually a celebration – a nod to the lives of theatre’s unsung heroes in the chorus line, as they tell searing stories of ambition, shattered hopes, and what it really costs to follow your dreams.
There were all-round stand-out performances from a powerhouse of an ensemble and the choreography is step perfect. It features iconic songs including One, I Hope I Get It, Nothing and the hit ballad What I Did For Love.
But it’s the finale this show is best known for and last night’s curtain-closer didn’t disappoint – the moment the scene switches from rehearsal to that of much-anticipated opening night – and what a night! Costumes, spectacular lighting and even pyrotechnics helped close (our show) with a bang!
As a huge fan of musical theatre but a first-timer to A Chorus Line, it took me a little while to settle into the format of fewer dance numbers and more narrative than I might usually have liked. But by the end I was fully invested – and it’s worth hanging around if only for the big dance finale alone!
A Chorus Line plays at The Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday, September 14th. Tickets can be booked HERE.
