The most recent theatre trip, organised by Frieda Willis, was Chorus Line. Ten WI ladies watched as this West End and Broadway revival hit town again. I was slightly concerned as I was bringing my sister in law from Boston, as a 60th birthday present and had seen mixed reviews. We came up to town early, and strolled round Liberty’s, for half an hour before having an early supper at Le Pain de Quotidien, which I am sure you will all know, but I didn’t means – your daily bread – with a glass of wine. We sat near Warwick Davies and his family and they too were sitting near us at the Pallidium.
I thought the show was amazing, and certainly did not deserve the reviews of being dated and old fashioned. There was no interval and the performance shoe shuffled through, as you watched a line of hopeful auditionees sing, dance and tell their own story in the hopes of getting a role in a Broadway production. No scenery, just a white line drawn on the stage floor – no glitzy costumes until the final number when all the cast did a very traditional, high kicking routine that you had watched being rehearsed as the production went on.
Finally on the tube, we sat/stood beside a cast member, in full make-up with jeans and parka pulled on, making her way home, after hoofing through two performances that day. Wow.
Katie
