Music: Marvin Hamlisch
Lyrics: Edward Kleban
Book: James Kirkwood Jnr & Nicholas Dante
Director: Nikolai Foster
The Broadway musical A Chorus Line was written back in 1975 and went on to become, in 1983, the longest-running musical in the history of Broadway. The London production premiered soon after the Broadway opening and was an immediate success.
This brand-new production opened in London earlier this year and is now touring. This week it is in Cardiff and opened on Monday night before a packed audience. A few thought-provoking changes have been made in keeping with the mores of today but the overall joie de vivre of this foot-tapping musical is still up there with the best.
Despite the small cast who play out the story of four dancers – four male and four female – competing for a place in the chorus line, their highs and lows, ups and downs, this is a show that sizzles. This although the emphasis is on the nitty-gritty side of being in ‘The Business’, illustrates the hardships and the heartbreaks behind the tinsel and feathers of the dancers’ onstage world.
This bang-up-to-date production, with a mainly young cast, cuts the mustard, ticking boxes right, left and centre, helped by some wonderful musical numbers many of which had Monday’s audience tapping their feet from the opening number ‘I Hope I Get It,’ sung by Zach (Adam Cooper) the onstage musical director, backed by the full company.
The necessary romance is provided by Zach’s relationship with Cassie (Carly Mercedes Dyer) one of the dancers, conducted alongside the central story. The background stories, warts and all, of the dancers competing for the much-coveted places in the chorus line up are a major part of the show – the raison d’ȇtre, behind Michael Bennett and James Kirkwood’s original conception taken from the book by Nicholas Dante and faithfully adhered to by director Nikolai Foster and choreographer Ellen Kane, set designer Grace Smart’s clever and innovative use of mirrors plus economic use of a raised seating platform works a treat. Video used on the backdrop unfortunately were not completely visual from your reviewer’s seat.
Despite all this – it is the expertise of the dancers and the high stand throughout that brings the audience to their feet at the end of the show. Being one of the older critics fortunate enough to see, and be bowled over by, the original almost 50 years ago, and despite Dante’s attempt at bringing things up to date with a more liberal approach to the dancer’s individual stories allows me the opportunity to come to the conclusion that this is a show of its time. As the curtain rises for the Grande finale the writer was transported back to the days of Talk of the Town at the London Hippodrome. To say more might give the game away!
Runs until 21 September and Continues on Tour