A Chorus Line is a classic musical that feels like it should be on a list of required watching for all musical theatre fans. The show itself is based on taped workshops with Broadway dancers and we follow 17 dancers auditioning to form part of an ensemble. We spend the show getting to know the auditionees as individuals, only for them to all become an indistinguishable chorus by the final number.
A Chorus Line is a difficult production for an amateur group to pull off as you need a complete cast of triple threats and, in particular, those who can dance to a sufficient standard to convince the audience that they are all Broadway dancers. Equally, it demands a diverse cast, with Black, Asian and Latino identities being integral to some of the individual characters’ storylines. It is important to commend Cygnet Players on the fact that this production was cast authentically and they embraced the diversity needed to do this show justice. In addition to this, it was also a joy to see representation on stage in the form of visible disability, with one of the dancers, Ema-Mae West, performing with a cane. West and director/choreographer James-Lee Campbell incorporated it into the choreography, using it as a natural part of the movement rather than allowing it to define or limit the choreography.
Campbell’s production was also staged in ways that felt true to the original intention but with added layers that ensured the production felt fresh. As we arrived into the theatre, there were auditionees roaming the building, approaching a registration table to get their number, warming up and generally creating the kind of nervous energy that you might expect to find at an audition. Once you wandered into the auditorium, director Zach (Stuart James) had begun the singing auditions, giving each auditionee notes on their interpretation, while a dance combination was being taught in another part of the stage. This also allowed you to get glimpses into each character before the performance formally began and helped the theatre feel alive. The set and the stage itself were also cleverly designed, with dance bags lined along the sides, no wings present and the lighting rig exposed, all giving it a realistic feel of an audition room.
With a cast of 17 dancers and two production team members appearing on stage, it is difficult to cover everyone on stage, but there were some exceptional performances that I would be remiss not to mention. Florence Henderson played Val Clarke and has the iconic number Dance: Ten, Looks: Three. Not only did this number have brilliant comic timing, but throughout the show Henderson was utterly watchable and believable in the role and I often found myself drawn to her. Kate Landy as Sheila was equally charismatic throughout and, along with Camille Du Buisson as Bebe and Hannah Hillyard as Maggie, performed a beautiful rendition of At The Ballet. The staging for this number was also particularly well considered, with the mirrors used to great effect around the three performers.
Andres Camarillo played Paul San Marco and during his soliloquy about his performance history you could hear a pin drop. The pacing throughout this segment was beautifully considered and sensitively acted, ensuring that his injury later was even more keenly felt. Director Zach was played by Stuart James and he prowled around the audience, occasionally returning to his director’s table within the auditorium. His presence amongst the audience helped immerse them further. He had a commanding presence and it was easy to understand how the auditionees submitted to his requests to divulge details about their backgrounds, insecurities and ambitions. His interactions with Cassie, played by Frances Nicholson, also provided some of the most interesting moments of the show and allowed the audience to see Zach’s own personal driver.
The choreography demanded a lot from the cast, with jazz, ballet and tap all featuring within the show. There were moments when some members of the cast appeared to struggle with the dance demands, in addition to the moments where this was part of the plot, which meant that your eye was inadvertently drawn to some of the weaker dancers on stage. Despite this, there were clearly some very talented dancers on stage and I must in particular commend Frances Nicholson as Cassie Ferguson for her The Music and The Mirror dance solo, as well as Cameron Fields as Mike Costa for his impressive tap skills demonstrated during I Can Do That.
Ultimately, this production demonstrates why A Chorus Line remains such an enduring musical, with a cast who brought plenty of individuality to a show where they eventually have to become one chorus. The authentic casting and immersive staging added further layers to the production, whilst Campbell’s direction ensured that, despite being a show I have seen before, this production had enough of its own identity to keep me engaged throughout.
You can find out more about Cygent Players on their website here.
If you like this review you might also like my review of The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-time by Sedos, Catch Me If You Can by Geoids and We Will Rock You by Cygnet Players.