With Sydney once again losing out in the MNDA World Tour there might just be a substitute, well not in the form of some wrinkled old sinew jumping about on stage, but some seasoned performers giving Sydney a Broadway style production that is just damn good.

A Chorus Line is about seventeen dancers, eight spots and one dream… as the tagline goes! But what really makes it stand out as an entertaining musical is that you get to see the determination of the dancers and how tough it can be to be a performer having to face rejection after rejection.

Everyone has a dream and it’s not so often that you get the chance to live it. But it seems that every performer holds on to their enthusiasm and is determined that they will make it – that’s the basic philosophy of A Chorus Line. Tagged with some very catchy numbers (some of which you will recognise) and what would have to be described as some clever choreography, you can see why this musical is often described as a Broadway classic.

Baayork Lee has directed the Sydney production and has kept true to the Broadway original including the 1970s fashion and hair styles. The development of each character is integral to the story and really makes the musical stand out from the rest. The story has been maintained by each actor on stage, who tells their character’s story in good old musical theatre fashion which does include a lot of singing and dancing.

The costumes were designed by Theoni V. Aldredge for the original Broadway production and the style has been maintained for the Sydney version, clearly establishing the era of the musical as the 1970s and believe it or not it actually works.

With such a large number of fantastic performers on stage there is not enough space to critique all of them but the stand-outs for me were Debora Krizak as Sheila and Euan Doidge as Paul. Who doesn’t like a sassy, incredibly sexual and amazingly tall dancer who can cut straight to the chase when it comes to an audition? Debora steals every scene with this very quick-witted character. Euan really has an amazing story which touched almost every one in the room and believe it or not this cynical reviewer may have just had a tear or two in his eyes (no I am not revealing his story!).

If you want to see tight buns, 1970s fashion and hair and some damn good musical numbers it is worth the effort to go see A Chorus Line. It is not often that Sydney gets a musical of this high standard and it is such a shame that it is only on until mid-August, so beg borrow or steal a ticket if you can!

A Chorus Line is on at the Capitol Theatre until August 11.

Follow Matt D’Silva on Twitter @MattDSilva