Review – A Chorus Line, London Palladium

“Is there anyone in it?” queried Andrew on the marathon trek from Palladium street entrance to stalls seat.

“Someone from Eastenders you won’t have heard of and a Strallen” replied Phil. “The one that was in Singin’ in the Rain“.

As long as there are tights to be worn, taps to be tapped and hooves to be hoofed there will be Strallens. Strallens are born to dance. No doubt they enter this world high-kicking in the default position of one leg at 85 degrees with a shapely calf pressed to the face.

The Whingers were, rather unusually, both quite looking forward to A Chorus Line (book James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante, lyrics Edward Kleban, music Marvin Hamlisch) although were a tad concerned that the show, so innovative in its day (not so far off 40 years ago) and receiving its first West End revival, might not have aged well, especially with its showbizzy American navel-gazing.

Review – They’re Playing Our Song, Menier Chocolate Factory

Phil got very excited about when They’re Playing Our Song at the Menier Chocolate Factory was announced but got extremely frustrated when no-one else was quite so enthused about the revival of a musical whose main claim to fame is that it has the most annoying title song in the history of musicals (“They’re playing our song oh yes they’re playing our song and when they’re playing our song…” etc).