Taking the audience behind the scenes of show business is an established trope. And, of course, musical theatre nearly always combines song and dance. Both facts reach a new level in this 1975 masterpiece, in which nearly all the action is supposed to be an audition, while singing and choreography are balanced with studious care. This superb revival from Curve, directed by Nikolai Foster, appreciates how the show is rooted in tradition yet is distinctive enough to be called revolutionary.
The scenario could not be simpler. We see 17 performers being interviewed, hear stories about their lives and see them dance. But James Kirkwood Jr and Nicholas Dante’s book does a lot with the idea. There’s humour and tragedy, a mix of bliss and depression, while tension mounts towards that finale number. Foster’s decision to stage the show without an interval isn’t easy on the audience but it breathtakingly highlights every up and down.
Even the varying detail given to the roles proves interesting. While famous tunes like ‘I Can Do That’ or ‘Sing!’ make excellent showcases for Redmand Rance, then Katie Lee and Joshua Lay, we get to know all the characters. Many numbers are shared, like ‘At the Ballet’ (Lydia Bannister, Kate Parr and Amy Thornton) and have dancing as an integral part. It’s impossible to give enough credit to everyone. Meanwhile the show-within-the show’s director and his former protégée, who wants a job, are held back. These could be the ‘stars’, and the performances from Adam Cooper and Carly Mercedes Dyer are terrific. But, in a show of discipline, they are never allowed to become the focus. The clue is in the title – this show really is about everyone!
As you might expect after nearly 50 years, there are dated moments. The director’s god-like status becomes uncomfortable. An originally comic number about plastic surgery (performed brilliantly by Chloe Saunders) doesn’t get a lot of laughs. But Paul’s long monologue (notably not a song) about his sexuality is still powerful and delivered wonderfully by Manuel Pacific. Concerns about prejudice are, regrettably, still valid. A Chorus Line is revealed as oddly prescient.
The production does the show proud. Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban’s songs are fantastic and, under the musical direction of Matthew Spalding, they sound grand. Remember how important the dancing is (Sadler’s Wells seems a suitable London venue)? The choreography from Ellen Kane is appropriately ambitious. Each character reveals themselves in the way they move, even while the final goal is to become part of a group.
The dancing covers the wild swings in mood the different stories create. And it reflects the variety of what we hear – from rock numbers and strong brass through to the more traditional sound of the number being rehearsed. And, if it isn’t too fanciful, Howard Hudson’s spot-on lighting design feels inspired by dance – with an exciting amount of movement from the conspicuously visible rig. When it comes to that finale, and its tremendous synchronisation, the show is theatre heaven. If fan kicks and jazz hands are what you want, A Chorus Line delivers. It even adds fireworks as a final treat.
Until 25 August 2024
www.sadlerswells.com
Photos by Marc Brenner
