Now I know where Leigh Sales and Annabelle Crabb got their name for their popular podcast, Chat 10 Looks 3. It comes from none other than the classic Broadway musical A CHORUS LINE, specifically the song, ‘Dance 10 Looks 3’.
I have to admit it is a little difficult to write a review about A CHORUS LINE. It is a classic of the Broadway music theatre genre, similar to say ‘Hamlet’ is a classic of the world drama genre. In a sense one has to really screw things up to make it not worth seeing.
The scenario…Director Zac and his assistant choreographer Larry are auditioning a group of dancers for the Chorus Line of a new show that they are going to be putting on.
The show starts with all the dancers excitedly gathered together in the room and the first song is ‘I hope I get it’. The show ends with the audition process having ended and Zac has culled the line-up down to eight dancers, four men and four women.
Zac’s audition process is different from anything that the dancers have experienced before. The dancers had been used to being treated like objects with little care. Zac asks them personal questions, wants to get to know them as people. The dancers aren’t used to this kind of sensitive treatment, and arent’ sure how to respond. Some of them don’t want to reveal themselves but their need to win the job overrides the anxiety.
Musically the show is strong with plenty of melodic, great sons such as ‘I Can Do That’, ‘At The Ballet’ and ‘What I Did For Love’
For this show Amy Campbell not only directs but also choreographs. Campbell has chosen to implement a fresh choreographic design. I am by no means an expert in choreography, hardly. I can say that the dance sequences worked especially well.
There were plenty of good scenes. There were a few that really stood out. The scene with the song ‘The Music and the Mirror’ took one’s breath away with Angelique Cassimatis completing a stunning dance solo. This article’s featured photo, taken by production photographer Robert Catto, captures her in full flight.
Another stand-out scene is the final scene. Through the show the dancers have been in their workout garb. For the final scene the dancers pour out onto the stage in full show attire and pound out the song ‘One’. It was magical.
If you have never seen A CHORUS LINE and you don’t mind a good musical, get yourselves a couple of tickets. You won’t be disappointed. And if you have seen A CHORUS LINE before, you are probably thinking I’d love to see it one more time. You, too, won’t be disappointed. Amy Campbell’s production stands up well.
Darlinghurst Theatre Company’s production of A CHORUS LINE, conceived and originally directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett, book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, music by Marvin Hamlish, lyrics by Edward Kleban, is playing the Drama Theatre of the Sydney Opera House until the 11th March 2022.
Cast: Max Bimbi, Molly Bugeja, Angelique Cassimatis, Ross Chisari, Nadia Coote, Lachlan Dearing, Mackenzie Dunn, Maikolo Fekitoa, Adam Jon Fiorentino, Natalie Foti, Ashley Goh, Mariah Gonzalez, BradyKitchingham, Madeline Mackenzie, Rechelle Mansour, Ryan Ophel, Tony Oxybel, Ethan Ritchie, Suzanne Steele, Harry Target, Angelina Thomson,
Creative Team : Amy Campbell- Director and Choreographer, Musical Director- Damon Wade, Musical Supervisor- Sally Dashwood, Associate Director/Associate Choreographer- Simon Greer, Set Designer- Peter Rubie, Lighting Designer-Dylan Robinson, Sound Designer- Christine Mutton, Costume Designer- Zara Stanton, Associate Musical Director – Jonathan Ware, Voice and Dialect Coach- Linda Nicolls-Gidley
Featured image : Angelique Cassimatis as Cassie in ‘The Music and the Mirror’ from ‘A Chorus Line’. Pic Robert Catto