A Chorus Line

There is no real standout performer, as this show is the epitome of an ensemble piece.  Every character has their moment in the spotlight and are able to enthral us over a 1 hour 50 minute straight through show.  ‘Triple threat’ are perhaps the best words I can use to describe each and every one on stage.  From the opening number ‘I Hope I Get It’, right through to the closing number ‘One’, the pace is non-stop, and the quality of performance is first class, hence an easy 5-star rating!

I was suitably impressed by Sheila (Amy Thornton), Bebe (Lydia Bannister) and Maggie’s (Kate Parr) rendition of ‘At The Ballet’, along with Cassie’s (Carly Mercedes Dyer) ‘The Music and the Mirror’ and also Diana’s (Jocasta Gill) version of ‘What I Did For Love’.  Each of these vocal performances were sublime, and they all captured the very essence of each song perfectly.

The staging for this show (Grace Smart) is very minimal, showing us a glimpse of a completely empty stage with equipment boxes collected at the back and five very large mirrors facing the audience.  These mirrors were cleverly used by the performers as they turned their backs on us to perform to their own reflection, losing themselves in the music and the dancing.  Live video recording on stage was also present, a style that would be familiar to theatregoers who may have seen the recent production of Sunset Boulevard, or perhaps the Leicester Curve’s production of Evita.  I find that the use of video can sometimes help or hinder a show, but in this case, it again added an extra dimension.