A Chorus Line at the London Palladium

A round-up of reviews of A Chorus Line at the London Palladium. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="240"] A Chorus Line at the London Palladium[/caption] Reviews are in for the major new revival of Tony award-winning Broadway musical A Chorus Line at the London Palladium, featuring the late Marvin Hamlisch’s score and a brand new production by Bob Avian. Starring Scarlett Strallen as Cassie, Victoria Hamilton-Barritt as Diana, John Partridge as Zach and Leigh Zimmerman as Sheila, critics have been kind to the show, with most reviews raving about both the show and production. In A Chorus Line, auditions are underway for a new Broadway musical. For everyone present, it’s the chance of a lifetime. It’s the one opportunity to do what they’ve always dreamed of – to have the chance to dance. Told through captivating song, riveting drama and stunning choreography, the auditionees describe the events that have shaped their lives and their decisions to become dancers. Read reviews from The Guardian, Telegraph, Daily Mail and more. Viewing this on a mobile or tablet? Click here to see the reviews BOOK Book tickets to A Chorus Line at the London Palladium

Production photos of A Chorus Line at the London Palladium [caption id="" align="alignright" width="240"] A Chorus Line at the London Palladium. Photo: Roy Tan[/caption] A new revival of legendary Broadway musical A Chorus Line has started previews at the London Palladium, the first time the show has been in the West End since 1976. Featuring classic songs including One Singular Sensation and Hope I Get It, the original 1975 Broadway production won 9 Tony Awards and the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The cast of this new London production includes Scarlett Strallen as Cassie, Victoria Hamilton-Barritt as Diana, John Partridge as Zach and Leigh Zimmerman as Sheila. The West End revival of A Chorus Line is directed and choreographed by Bob Avian, who co-choreographed the original production alongside Michael Bennett. Avian also directed the 2006 New York revival of the show. The show’s music is by Marvin Hamlisch with lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante. Photos by Roy Tan. Viewing this on a tablet or mobile? Click here to see photos Book tickets to A Chorus Line at the London Palladium

On top of everything else at the Westendtheatre.com bunker, we have to try and keep track of those flighty (but über talented) Strallen girls! A theatrical dynasty in the making (note: all forthcoming children of the Strallen's MUST be made to keep their mother's maiden names in case they show any theatrical leanings), Scarlett is busy changing roles this month, whilst Summer, Zizi and Sasi are in varying states of performance . [caption id="" align="alignright" width="240"] Scarlett Strallen in A Chorus Line[/caption] Scarlett Strallen has just completed a nice run in Singin' in the Rain in Chichester and at the Palace Theatre in London. It's been a busy few months for Scarlett as she has been getting wet 8 shows a week and at the same time rehearsing to star as Cassie in Bob Avian's production of a A Chorus Line at the Palladium theatre (previews start tomorrow, Tuesday 5 February 2013). Summer Strallen left the cast of Top Hat in November after wowing audiences alongside Tom Chambers at the Aldwych Theatre in the Ginger Rogers role. We await her next move with some anticipation. Whilst over at the Menier Chocolate Factory, Zizi Strallen is currently appearing in Maria Friedman's smash-hit Sondheim revival Merrily We Roll Along (transfer news anyone?). Plus their dear aunt Bonita Melody Lysette Langford (Bonnie Langford to you lot), is still giving some seriously stern secretary slash sex siren as Roz in the glorious UK tour of Dolly Parton's 9 to 5 (ATG, what's going on loves, you surely own enough West End theatres to find a little London home for it?) And wait for it, there's more! Joining auntie Bonnie in 9 to 5 is youngest sister Sasi Strallen, putting in her hours slogging it out in the ensemble fresh out of ArtsEd. We expect great things to come. LINKS Book tickets to A Chorus Line at the London Palladium Book tickets to Singin' in the Rain at the Palace Theatre in London Book tickets to Top Hat at the Aldwych Theatre in London Book tickets to Merrily We Roll Along at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London 9 to 5 The Musical - UK tour website [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="130"] Summer Strallen in Top Hat[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="130"] Zizi Strallen[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="130"] Bonnie Langford as Roz in 9 to 5[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="130"] Sasi Strallen[/caption]

Victoria Hamilton-Barritt (Diana),  John Partridge (Zach), Scarlett Strallen (Cassie) and Leigh Zimmerman (Sheila)  will be joined by Lucy Adcock (Judy), Georgie Ashford (Trisha), Ed Currie (Bobby), Frances Dee (Kristine), Segun Fawole (Butch), Harry Francis (Mark),  Simon Hardwick (Al), Rebecca Herszenhon (Val), James  T Lane (Richie), Marc Leslie (Roy), Vicki Lee Taylor (Maggie), Daisy Maywood (Bebe), Alice Jane Murray (Lois), Alastair Postlethwaite (Larry), Andy Rees (Greg), Adam Salter (Mike), Alexzandra Sarmiento (Connie), Michael Steedon (Tom), Gary Watson (Don) and Gary Wood (Paul). Further casting includes  Rebecca Giocopazzi, Genevieve Nicole and Ashley Nottingham. Alice Jane Murray and Marc Leslie were selected to join the cast of A Chorus Line from the open auditions that were held at the London Palladium back in September 2012. Selected from 2000 hopefuls, 19 year old Alice will be making her west end debut. For the first time since its first London season, which opened in 1976 and won the Olivier Award for Best Musical, a full London revival of the Broadway Production will be staged at the London Palladium from February 5th 2013, with a press night  on Tuesday February 19th. Following the announcement of a limited season through to July 2013, booking has now been extended to January 2014. The role of imperious director Zach will be played by West End leading man and TV star John Partridge, best known for his role as Christian Clarke in EastEnders. John has appeared in numerous musical theatre productions including Cats, Starlight Express, Tommy, Grease,  The Drowsy Chaperone,  Rent  and Miss Saigon. John is currently one of the presenters of the National Lottery programme and  he was selected by the BBC to join Andrew Lloyd Webber, Charlotte Church and Sheila Hancock as a judge on BBC1’s Over The Rainbow. Scarlett Strallen is currently starring as Kathy in the West End production of Singin’in the Rain,  for which she received an Olivier Award nomination. Her previous theatre work includes Clara in Passion at the Donmar Warehouse, the title role in Mary Poppins in the West End and on Broadway and  Truly Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium. Leigh  Zimmerman has appeared twice in the West End production of  Chicago playing Velma Kelly and in 2005 she was Olivier nominated for her role as Ulla in The Producers at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Her Broadway credits include The Will Rogers Follies, Crazy For You and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Victoria Hamilton-Barritt was most recently seen playing Gypsy Rose Lee in Leicester Curve’s production of  Gypsy. She also  played the lead role of Alex in Flashdance in the West End and the role of Anita in the international tour of West Side Story. Michael Bennett’s production of  A Chorus Line won nine Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama when it opened on Broadway in 1975 and went on to become the then longest running musical on Broadway achieving an astonishing 6137 performances. It features some of musical theatre’s best loved songs:  One (Singular Sensation),  What I Did For Love,  I Can Do That,  Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love and Hope I Get It. The production will be directed by Broadway and West End veteran director and choreographer Bob Avian. Avian was Michael Bennett’s long term collaborator and his co-choreographer on the original production. Avian was also responsible for directing the 2006 Broadway revival of A Chorus Line. Andrew Lloyd Webber said:  “I am delighted to welcome  A Chorus Line into The London Palladium. This classic Broadway production has not been seen in the West End for almost 35 years. Marvin Hamlisch was a great friend and supporter in my early career  and I can think of no more fitting tribute to him than this major revival.” This long anticipated revival will become a tribute to the show’s composer Marvin Hamlisch who tragically died in early August last year. Hamlisch’s contribution to the stage and screen is widely recognised as being seminal. Perhaps his best known songs include  The Way We Were and  Nobody Does It Better and along with his musical theatre work his scores for films include  Ordinary People and  Sophie’s Choice. Release issued by: The Corner Shop PR LINKS Book tickets to A Chorus Line at the London Palladium

Broadway classic A Chorus Line to be revived in the West End A new revival of classic Broadway musical A Chorus Line is to be given a multi-million pound production at the London Palladium. It will be the first time since 1976 that the show has been revived in the West End. A Chorus Line will start previews at the London Palladium on 2 February and open on 19 February 2013. The musical is about dancers auditioning for a Broadway show, throwing a spotlight on the cutthroat world of showbusiness by delving into how it has shaped their lives and the sacrifices they’ve had to make. Classic songs from the show include One (Singular Sensation and Hope I Get It. The original 1975 Broadway production won 9 Tony Awards and the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The West End revival will be directed and choreographed by Bob Avian, who co-choreographed the original production alongside Michael Bennett. Avian also directed the 2006 New York revival of the show. The show’s music is by Marvin Hamlisch, who died last month, and the production is being seen as a tribute to his work. Lyrics are by Edward Kleban, with a book by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante. Casting is underway for the show. BOOK NOW Book tickets to A Chorus Line at the London Palladium