A Chorus Line
Tue, 2 Dec 2008, 12:30 pmThomas Stanley13 posts in thread
A Chorus Line
Tue, 2 Dec 2008, 12:30 pmAs a lover of “A Chorus Line” I went and saw Melville Theatres version on Saturday evening the 29th November 2008.
Firstly I have seen several versions of this production and prior to watching this show I was keen to see how Melville was going to hold all of the actors in a "line" across the stage.
My question was answered as soon as the line was formed. There was an absence of 2 characters on stage, and it appeared that 3 male roles had been substituted with females. I guess we all know the struggle of finding male singer/dancer/actors willing to perform without payment. The change of male to female roles seemed to work.
The performances were very mixed. I saw some were outstanding while others were less then impressive. I know this is Amateur, but for a show like A Chorus Line, Dancing and Singing is important. The girl that played Mike (Can't remember her new stage name) was the first soloist performance, and although the acting was reasonable. The Singing and Dancing was disastrous. It was ironic that the song was titled “I Can do That”
“At the Ballet” was well harmonised by the 3 girls, although the taller of the three appeared very nervous throughout and lost focus on a number of occasions throughout the show.
The following solo songs throughout the Montage were well executed although I would have liked to see more fiery personality from Diana Morales.
I think it was a wise decision to add an intermission in this play and an equally good choice to have it at the end of the Montage “Shit Richie” which was well sung and full of energy from the cast.
The 2nd Act started with “Tits and Ass” which I found average. The performer didn’t look comfortable on stage and this number needs such confidence.
The part of Cassie in this show was portrayed more like the movie rather then the stage show which I was a little confused about (Although I did hear after the show that she was unwell so I don’t know if this is why it was different?).
I really enjoyed “One” and the “Bows” I take my hat off to the cast on that one (or should I say, Tip my hat) I know it isn’t easy to get a group of Amateur theatre performers who can dance and all did rather well with the classic “A Chorus Line” style Choreography.
Choreography - Throughout the show was of a high standard and the performers seemed very comfortable with it. Although 2 males (Al and Don – I think) seemed to be a beat behind the others and looked very unsure throughout the group numbers, and the Tap part looked a little unrehearsed.
Singing – A few Bum notes reached by some of the Soloists but group numbers seemed to be carried well.
Acting – I was pleasantly surprised at this. There were some extremely strong work here. Performers that stood out were Paul, Sheila, Bobby and Zak. Some of the other performers really need to watch their accents(I always notice accents).
Sets/Costumes – Basic yet effective
Lighting – I felt could have been better, I found moments where the stage was just not lit enough and therefore some interaction lost. Although I found other moments effective, eg The “Bows”.
I have always disagreed with the ending of this show. I understand that the show is written that the Bow is the chorus staying onstage high kicking however I feel that with Amateur Theatre, The performers don’t get paid. A Bow at the end of the play with audience acknowledgement is their payment. Also the audience always gets confused as they are waiting for the actors to come back out on stage.
I must also comment that a nice touch for this play was that they chose a solo Pianist rather then an Orchestra/band. I don’t know if this choice was made due to lack of room? But it gave a great “Audition” effect.
Over all, an enjoyable night and I am sure that the performances will get stronger before closing night. I wish the cast and crew all the best for the remainder of the run!
A Chorus Line - Melville Theatre Company
Tue, 2 Dec 2008, 02:52 pmWalter Plinge
I went to see this production at the matinee on Sunday, 30 November 2008. Like Thomas, I was looking forward to seeing this because I’ve enjoyed both the stage production and the subsequent movie.
First off, my apologies for not listing the names of the actors, but I don’t have a programme in front of me.
The opening of the show was great, with the audience entering the theatre to the sight of the dancers warming up on stage, the director Zack conversing with his choreographer Larry (played by a woman). The set was simplistic yet effective, done to blacks with a white line taped on the floor and mirrors on the back wall (which were hidden by a black curtain drawn across throughout the play).
Musical highlights for me were the “Sing” duet between Al and Kristine De Luca, the piano accompaniment of Tim How (the show’s Musical Director), the “Ballet” trio between Sheila, Bebe and Maggie, and the “Who Am I?” solo of Paul St Marco. The men in this show outsang the women by far (especially Paul, Al and Bobby). Acting highlights were Sheila, Diana, Kristine and Zack.
I have to agree with Thomas about the accents, they wavered throughout the show and some actors hardly had any American accent at all.
I also have to agree with Thomas about the “I Can Do That” routine. The key seemed too high for her voice and she didn’t seem at all comfortable with the choreography or dancing. This is the first solo number in the show and it’s meant to be upbeat, energetic and full of pizzazz. It was sadly lacking in all three.
I had a big problem with the projection of the female actors. I had difficulty hearing some of the female actors (in particular Bebe, Rikki and Judy) when saying their lines and when singing solos. This was especially apparent when they were speaking/singing at the same time as the piano was playing. While it was a fantastic idea to have the music played live, it might be an idea to move the piano so that the soundboard faces the stage or a wall, thereby absorbing some of the sound.
I also had a question regarding the casting of the actor who played Cassie. The character of Cassie is 32 years old and a decade earlier, she and Zack had been in a long-term relationship. Melville’s Cassie looked to be in her early-mid 20s and the actor playing Zack looked to be in his mid-late 30s. Therefore, the scene where they discuss their relationship felt a bit awkward and, to use the word I overheard in the foyer, “creepy”.
The original stage production commenced in 1975 on Broadway and the movie was made a decade later. Melville’s director, Lars Jensen, has used the original script. When the dancers were asked to say how old they were, the majority of them stated they were born in the late 1940’s/early 1950’s (making them in their mid-late 20s). However, the costumes that the Melville cast wore were more fitting with the 1980’s (legwarmers, headbands, fluorescent colours, off-the-shoulder sweatshirts) rather than the mid-70s when the play was set.
There were also references throughout the play to Hollywood figures that I doubt the majority of the cast would have known (such as Robbie Goulet and Troy Donahue), let alone the audience. Because the story of chorus dancers is a timeless one, it wouldn’t have been too difficult to adjust the years to bring the show into more modern times.
I felt that the whole production was lacking joy and passion. I wasn’t convinced by anyone in the scene in Act 2 where Zack asks the dancers what they’d be doing if they had to stop dancing, and everyone pretty much says dancing’s the only thing they want to do, how they love it despite all the insecurities and heartache. I didn’t feel any hunger or desire, just people saying the lines and going through the motions.
For most of the show, some of the characters had a scowl on their face and projected a “don’t really care” attitude, so it was hard to believe they really wanted to get the job. In the big “One” production number at the end, it appeared that one of the female actors forgot the choreography and just gave up, not really putting in any effort for the remainder of the routine.
To be honest, “A Chorus Line” felt more like “High School Musical”. However, I’m sure with a few more shows under their belts, the cast will get stronger and more confident. I sincerely wish them all the best.