A Chorus Line

Curve Leicester until 13th July

***** “This is the only one you need this summer.”

A Chorus Line is creative, collaborative, and crammed with stunning choreography, interspersed with truthful and insightful storytelling. This production was first seen on the mighty Curve stage during the festive season of 2021, and now it is back with a bang prior to a UK tour including a lengthy summer stop at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London. Musicals can be a serious business and A Chorus Line is one that doesn’t shy away from meaty matters, but in parallel manages to eek out a healthy portion of humour and heart. Nothing is left on the dance floor, or in this case the audition room.

The empty stage including the cavernous wings are there for all to see, the stripped back feeling is perfect for the audition line up. There is nowhere for the cast to hide in this beautifully straightforward production by Curve Artistic Director Nikolai Foster. The string of hopeful auditionees turn up at a New York theatre with hopes of making it into the next big Broadway show and at the same time doing enough to impress director Zach, a cool and polished portrayal courtesy of Adam Cooper. It is a story of ambition, of a need to succeed and for many of the hopefuls it is a tale of overcoming.

The Ellen Kane choreography is sparkling, understated when required and then full of showbiz for the hugely uplifting finale.

This is very much a company piece with each grabbing the spotlight for five minutes or so. But perhaps I could mention one or two worthy of note, Carly Mercedes Dyer as Cassie has history with director Zach and their tussle and tensions is keenly crafted. Redmand Rance pushes the opening energy brilliantly as Mike, and a mention to Jocasta Almgill as Diana, a lovely mix of nuance and power. Away from the razzmatazz Manuel Pacific is hugely believable and watchable as Paul, opening to Zach about his family tensions and his early breaks in showbusiness.

It is a show with truth at its heart, we needed to connect, and we did, big time. It was close to two hours without a break, but it flew by.

If you are looking for a musical this summer to watch live, this may well be the one.

David Robinson