A CHORUS LINE

Tomorrow's Talent in Little Waltham

21.02.10

A Chorus Line was the affectionately cynical backstage musical for the Seventies. But as Gavin Wilkinson's company showed, it has lost none of its power to move and amuse.

It's a challenge for these kids to regress to a problem childhood, but the audition and the disappointment will already be familiar territory for some.

There were too many outstanding performances to mention here.

Assistant Director Joe Toland was the mostly disembodied Zach, with a sassy Laura Baylis as Jerry, the choreographer. Among the hopefuls, George Horscraft's Mike, with an impressive dance routine, Dom Sayer-Jones as a kooky Judy, Matthew Bonner, affecting as the depressive Paul, Deanna Byron powerful as the surgically enhanced Val, and Tara Divina as Diana Morales, who has two of the best numbers and excelled in both.

I liked the At The Ballet trio, and the vaudeville shtick of Sing !

But as someone says in the show, they are all special. And, incredibly, achieved a remarkably professional standard in just five and a half days. No mics, no lights, just good old-fashioned hard work. And only rehearsal gear for costume, except of course for the gloriously ironic “One”, which ends the show. For that they had the sparkly hats and tails, teamed proudly with the company tee-shirt: “I Stood on the Line 2010”.

This condensed Chorus Line was directed by Gavin Wilkinson, with Liz Pilgrim [an excellent Cassie] as Dance Captain and Kris Rawlinson as Musical Director.

photos: Erika Patterson