Having
recently attended my very first closing performance, this was another first for
me. The first night of previews; a new production, never before seen. It was
also my first trip to the Palladium.
Lots
of firsts going on there.
After
a little trouble finding the theatre, I finally got there 10 mins before the
start. No problem, though – it was so packed with people the show went up late
anyway by the time everyone had been herded in.
A
Chorus Line has the slightly later start time at 7.45pm and I must say this 15
minutes makes all the difference – I much prefer it to a 7.30pm start. It just
feels more manageable.
The
audience had a much higher percentage of ‘young’ people (20s & 30s) than
older people which is quite unusual. I’m not sure if this was because the show
appeals to a younger demographic or if it was because there were certainly a
lot of performers in the audience supporting their friends (I didn’t recognise any, incidentally, except for a girl who used to be
in Hollyoaks).
The
best thing about so many performers in the audience? - the atmosphere. I don’t
think I’ve ever been part of such a lively audience.
The
really unique thing about this musical is the lack of set. It felt quite odd to
see such a huge stage so empty and yet this is what the reality of the audition
process would be. There is nothing but a wall of mirrors upstage and a white
line along the front – the chorus line.
In
a musical so lacking the spectacle of effects and technicality, it must go right
back to basics – back to what every show should really be about – the story.
Each character has their own story to tell; why they’re here, how they got
there etc. Such focus on the characters to deliver that story means the actors
must have every nuance down to perfection. I don’t think I’ve been to a musical
where I’ve listened quite so intently and watched individuals quite so closely.
And
I’m happy to say that they all deliver. The performance is incredibly polished
and shines under the stage lights. I can’t pick out any one performer in
particular because that really isn’t the point of ‘A Chorus Line’. They are all
equal – there’s no star because the process isn’t looking for a star. Even at
the end of the production there is no build up to any one performer. They all
come onto the stage in random order in a line singing the iconic ‘One’.
I
will, however, pick my show highlight and that has to be the whole of the ‘Montage’
right in the middle of the show – the pace is good and we learn a little about
a lot about all the characters in that 20 minutes or so. I particularly enjoyed
Part 4 ‘Gimme the Ball’ where the
chorus join Richie’s story in a high energy dance sequence and Part 2 – Diana’s
song ‘Nothing’ (mostly because that’s a long time favourite of mine).
In
contrast, my other show highlight is the much more subdued contemplation
sequence, after the director, Zach, asks them ‘If today were the day you had to stop dancing, how would you feel?’ a
question that prompts the chorus line to analyse why they put themselves
through it all, leading into the song ‘What
I Did for Love’.
Something
I didn’t realise before writing this was ‘A Chorus Line’ was inspired by tapes
of true stories straight from the actual audition rooms of frustrated dancers.
Not taken verbatim, of course but used as a jumping board in the lengthy
workshop period that followed. Perhaps that’s why there’s such a ‘real’, sometimes
quite dark, sense to it.
This
is a musical that strips away all the modern additions to musicals as we know
them nowadays, down to the bare bones, until we’re left with ‘the music & the mirror’ almost
literally. If you want to see a show that’s genuinely funny with strong
character development and some frantic, high energy dance numbers then this is
the one for you.
A
Chorus Line officially opens on 19th February with previews up until
that date. To find out more, or book tickets, please visit the official site http://www.achoruslinelondon.com/
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