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Show: A Chorus Line – High School Edition
Society: Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Venue: Venue 152. Paradise in Augustines - The Sanctuary
Credits: Creative Stage
Type: Sardines
Author: Chris Abbott
Performance Date: 15/08/2019
A Chorus Line – High School Edition
Chris Abbott | 16 Aug 2019 10:04am
This was my first opportunity to see the High School Edition of A Chorus Line although I am familiar with the original. I was unsure how it would work but the production from Creative Stage totally convinced me of the potential of this show for a hard-working young cast, with its stories of troubled adolescence and growing up as a child who wants to make it in show business.
This also meant that the young people in this cast were only ten years or so younger than the characters they were portraying, and their considerable dance, acting and singing skills matched all the demands of the script.
With no information* at the venue apart from the company name, and no information sent to me despite requesting it from the venue press office, I only know that the group is based in the Scottish Borders after searching online. I can also see that this production has transferred from a much bigger stage.
The Sanctuary at Augustines is a converted church and the stage area includes three steps, futher reducing the space available for a very large cast. In the opening scene they just kept arriving on stage until the space was packed but they were able to dance without once getting in each other’s way – quite an achievement.
Once the auditions reduced the hopefuls to fifteen we were really able to see how well these young people have been trained. There were no compromises made on the demands of the choreography and this talented group deserve their full houses. It would be wrong to single out any one actor for comment since all were impressive, but it is unfortunate that I am unable to list the creative team that put this production together.
The Creative Stage production of A Chorus Line then is nothing short of a triumph; an excellent example of what well-trained young people can achieve. If only all young people were offered such performance opportunities in school, as is all too rarely the case today, rather than having to join out of school groups.
*Since writing this review we have received a Press Release which does not list credits for direction and choreography so we will assume these must be down to the two creators of Creative Stage, Marie McCullough and Katie Robinson.
- : admin
- : 15/08/2019