With top previous shows like ASSASSINS, Parade, Hair, 9 to 5 and Pippin The Cast aren’t just a one off singular sensation and in this superb amateur production of A Chorus Line it is less about one and more about cast togetherness and love for what they are doing. And talent – bags and bags of talent.
“Love’s what we’ll remember. Kiss today goodbye and point me t’ward tomorrow…”
But then, returning to the ‘one’ argument, if we consider the number one and its other broader interpretation as a symbol of unity then this show embraces that notion of being joined together not only in the dancers’ stories unfolding on stage but that all important human and, very often emotional, warm mutual, invisible, but palpable, embrace of audience and theatre creatives backed up by everyone working backstage and FOH at The Duchess Theatre. Without that, where would we be? And this production demonstrates that love and unity in spades. And enough young local talent to fill a tour bus.
A Chorus Line was developed around 1975 from US show dancers’ own stories of difficult childhoods, their struggles to make it in show biz, obsessions with dance, coming to terms with their sexuality, alcoholic parents, the pleasures and humiliations that greeted them as they tried to realise their dreams of finding work in a tough and beleaguered mid-seventies’ Broadway and more. Also, A Chorus Line was the first Broadway musical to deal matter-of-factly with homosexuality. This is seen and heard in a few dancer revelations tonight but none so poignantly as delivered by Arden Casper-Jennison as Paul San Marco. You can’t hear a pin drop during Casper Jennison’s tremendously moving monologue.
The original 1975 game-changing production of A Chorus Line was conceived, choreographed and directed by Michael Bennett. The show book was by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban and co-choreographed by Bob Avian. The first workshop was on August 4th 1974 and A Chorus Line was unique in its development. There was no real script to start with and each role was created organically, individually crafted to suit the talents and personality of the person playing it. The cast members also contributed their own true stories that enhanced the characters.
A Chorus Line features the ‘Broadway gypsy dancers’ coming forward from their straight line up to tell and sing their anecdotal stories and then splinters and reconstitutes itself in all kinds of directions. Many of the recognisable numbers such as ‘I Hope I Get It’, ‘At The Ballet’ and ‘What I Did For Love’ get instant rounds of applause for their performances and stage presentation. The show as a whole gives us hints at the performers’ lives (the characters that is) and we see the blood, sweat and tears that go into the professional industry in order to be employed and paid to be in a Broadway show. The company finale blows the roof off The Duchess Theatre and our eyes well up with tears of appreciation for the genius piece of song and dance put across with such talented and technical chutzpah by The Cast.
The Cast’s members of A Chorus Line are Sian Scattergood Grantham (Shelia Bryant), Lu Anthony (Bobby Mills), Christopher Grantham (Zach), Rob Charles (Gregory Gardner), Shannon O Donnell (Cassie), Lilia Scattergood (Diana Morales), Lenny Antwi (Richie Walters), Sascha Cornelius (Bebe Benzenheimer), Owen Patten (Mark Anthony), Robert Stott Marshall (Don Kerr), Andrea Osborne (Connie), Anthony Beaumont Mills (Mike Costa), Arden Caspar Jennison (Paul San Marco), Lydia Thacker (Val Clarke), and Sara Evans Bolger (Maggie Winslow), Charli Twyford (Kristine), Emily Rebecca Owen (Judy), Molly Parkinson (Laurie), Emily May Corner (Vicki), Lottie Ludlow (Lois). The insightful director is Christopher Grantham and the musical director Ben Ward creates a great musical accompaniment. Choreographer for A Chorus Line is Sian Scattergood – Grantham. Christopher Grantham’s lighting design is electric and that’s no pun.
As well as seven part harmonies and laudable high levels of triple threat acting, singing and dancing the cast in this five star production are as close to faultless as one could dare imagine for an amateur group. A Chorus Line never felt and looked so brilliant as this show at The Duchess Theatre this week. Oh, and it is often very funny. We urge you to book asap.
