A Chorus Line
10 August 2024
Sadler’s Wells
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
A Chorus Line was one of my favourite musical films growing up, I played the VHS tape until the sound and image no longer lined up with each other, and then kept right on watching! I’ve never seen the show live though, so having a chance to finally see it on stage was very exciting.
This 1975 musical was constructed from real-life testimonies of dancers on Broadway, looking at what it takes to follow your dream in the theatre, their hopes and dreams, fears and passions. A revolutionary look inward while still creating emotionally touching and deeply inspiring theatre.
The stage of the Sadler’s Wells is of course left bare for A Chorus line, with a row of mirrors, a moving riser, and a revolving box with the live band that is mostly turned away from the audience. Which is all this musical needs for the most part, being a story about personal experiences during an unconventional casting for the chorus line of another show. While this production does utilize a camera at times to provide close-ups of some of the actors, I’m not sure if this was really necessary, but I might just be a bit cynical after the most recent Lloyd disaster. Other than that, the creative lighting and full use of the space were refreshing and entrancing all at once.
With songs tugging at heartstrings, conversations about very personal and deeply sentimental life experience, hilarious moments, and touching revelations, this show really does have a bit of everything, including a stunning finale that blows the roof off.
An absolute delight of song and dance!
