Getting to Curve
Our address is Curve, 60 Rutland Street, Leicester, LE1 1SB.
Here is a map of where Curve is in the Cultural Quarter, and the surrounding area.
Getting here by Car
There are a number of car parks close to Curve, with the multi-storey NCP Rutland Centre Car Park being the closest to our Theatre. Customers are advised that none of the car parks detailed on this page are owned or managed by Curve or Leicester Theatre Trust Ltd.
NCP Rutland Centre Car Park (Multi-storey)
56 Halford Street, Leicester, LE1 1TQ
Access Spaces: 7 | Max Height: 1.93m
Curve visitors can park in the NCP Rutland Centre adjacent to Curve for £7.95 when validated at Box Office, Green Room Café or Stage Door Bar during your visit.
If parking at NCP Rutland Centre between the hours of 5pm and 2am, you can access a cheaper rate of £6.95 if you pay via the NCP ParkPass App, or £7.95 if you pay your parking at the machines located in the NCP on the day.
Southampton Street
Leicester, LE1 1TG
Access Spaces: 4
Hourly charges from £1*
NCP Lee Circle Car Park
Leicester, LE1 3RE
Access Spaces: 4 | Max Height: 1.93m
Hourly charges from £1.95*
Dover Street
Leicester, LE1 6PW
Haymarket
Leicester, LE1 3HP
Access Spaces: 5
Hourly charges from £1*
Newarke Street
Leicester, LE1 5SN
Access Spaces: 1
Hourly charges from £1*
Highcross John Lewis Car Park
Leicester, LE1 4QJ
Access Spaces: 14 | Max Height 1.98m Access Spaces: 109 | Family Spaces:
Hourly charges from £1*
56 | Max Height, 1.98m
Hourly charges from £3.50*, plus flat evening rate of £2.50* between 5pm and 6am.
There is also a drop-off point outside our theatre. *Prices subject to change.
Getting here by Bus
All Leicestershire bus services have stops within a three to 10-minute walk of Curve, with services terminating on Humberstone Gate, Haymarket Bus Station or St Margaret’s Bus Station.
For more information about travelling by bus in the city, visit www.leicester.gov.uk/transport-and-streets/travelling-by-bus, or call
Traveline on 0871 200 2233.
NEW – Hop! Free City Centre Circular Bus Service
Launched in April 2023, the new Hop! shuttle buses are free to use and serve Leicester City Centre, looping in an anti-clockwise between Haymarket Bus Station, Highcross, Jubilee Square, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Railway Station and the Market.
Part of the greenlines electric network, the service also links with the Hospital Hopper service at Royal Infirmary and St Nicholas Circle, Meynell’s Gorse and Enderby Park & Ride at St Nicholas Circle, and Birstall Park & Ride at Savoy Street.
The nearest Hop! stop to Curve is Stand CK on Charles Street, circled in red on the map overleaf. The service operates every 10 minutes, Monday – Saturday between 8am and 6pm.
For more information about Hop!, including a service leaflet and larger route map, visit leicesterbuses.co.uk/hop
Visual Story: Your Visit to Curve
Curve is a large, round building with a glass front. The outside of Curve looks like this:
Halford Street Entrance
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There are two main entrances into the building: Halford Street, by our Green Room Café, and Rutland Street, by our Box Office;
All entrances have a set of glass double doors. The doors will open outwards automatically as you move towards them. There is level access into the building from both entrances.
When you enter the building, you will be in the Foyer. Our Foyer is one big circle which wraps around two of our performance spaces –the Theatre and the Studio Theatre.
As you make your way around the Foyer, you will notice lots of large pictures on the big red walls. This is our Production Gallery, and features pictures from our previous productions.
Halford Street Rutland Street
There are also large digital screens throughout the building displaying upcoming shows and events, and information about the theatre.
A number of automatic hand sanitiser points are available around the building. To use these points, simply hold your hand beneath the dispenser.
Push dispensers are also available around the building.
Before the show, you will hear some loud announcements in the Foyer telling you how long it is until the show begins, and other useful information about your visit. These will be at a quieter level at the Relaxed Performance.
It may also be noisy in the Foyer as other audience members will be arriving to see the show. You might like to cover your ears or wear a pair of ear defenders. There are ear defenders available at reception if you would like to borrow some.
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In Alcove 4, opposite Box Office, is our Ground Floor Quiet Space. You are welcome to relax in this space before, during or after the performance.
There is another Quiet Space on our Mezzanine. You will need to take the stairs next to Theatre Doors 3 or 4 to access the Mezzanine, or the lift next to Theatre Door 4. A member of our Visitor Experience Team can help you find this space.
Here is a map of the Ground Floor of Curve:
Opposite the Ground Floor
Quiet Space, you will find our Box Office.
Parking tickets for cars parked in the NCP Rutland Centre
Multistorey Car Park next door to Curve can be validated at the Box Office for £7.95. Ticket enquiries for this performance and future shows at Curve can also be made here.
Further round the Foyer you will find our Green Room Café.
Here you can buy a drink, snack or ice cream to enjoy before the performance.
There may be a small queue at the Café, so you might need to wait a few minutes.
If you need to use the toilet before you take your seats, there are male, female and accessible toilets near both the Green Room Café and Box Office. Further accessible toilets can be found outside the Theatre doors.
Gender-neutral toilets can be found on the Mezzanine floor.
The hand dryers in all toilets will be switched off, and paper towels will be provided.
The toilets look like this:
Our accessible toilet outside Theatre Door 4 is a Changing Places Facility. Please note you will need to bring your own hoist straps to use this facility.
You will be watching A CHORUS LINE in the Theatre. Here is a picture of the seats in the Theatre. This is where you will sit to watch the performance.
Your ticket will tell you if you are sitting in the Stalls (Ground Floor, enter through Theatre Doors 3 or 4) or in the Circle (Mezzanine floor, enter through Theatre Doors 8 or 9). Your ticket will also mention which door to enter through and where to sit.
If you are sat in the Circle, you will need to take the stairs next to Theatre Doors 3 or 4, or the public lift next to Theatre Door 3 to get to the Mezzanine floor (Level M). The staircase next to Theatre Door 3 has 31 steps over three flights (9, 11, 11) and the staircase next to Theatre Door 4 also has 31
Stalls
steps over three flights (13, 7, 11). There is a landing between each flight of stairs.
A member of our Visitor Experience Team can help you find the right door and your seat by looking at the letters and numbers on your ticket.
They will be wearing black shirts with a colourful Curve logo.
If you are sitting in the Circle, you may need to take further steps to get to your seat. There are 22 steps from where you enter through Theatre Doors 8 or 9 to Row H at the back of the Circle, with 2 steps between each row.
If you are sitting on the Row H balcony in the Circle, you will need to enter through Theatre Door 11. Please speak to a member of our Visitor Experience Team, who can help you access the Theatre via this door.
When you enter the Theatre, the lights will be on, and it will be noisy as the audience will be excited to see the show! You might like to cover your ears or wear a pair of ear defenders, and bring a comforter or toy to play with before the performance starts. Ear defenders are available from Stage Door Reception if you do not have a pair of your own. You will need to pull the bottom of your seat down to sit on it.
Booster seats are available if you can’t see the stage comfortably, and a member of our Visitor Experience Team can get one for you.
They will also be happy to help you with anything else you may need to enjoy the performance.
When the show is about to start, the lights in the Theatre will be dimmed but it will never go completely dark. They will remain on at a low-level throughout the performance.
Everyone will try to be as quiet as they can so they can listen to the story and music, but you are welcome to interact with the performance if you would like to.
Whilst the inner doors to the Theatre will close, the outer doors will remain open throughout so you can leave the space if you need to use the toilet or take a break from the show. You can re-enter when you’re ready.
When the show has finished, the cast will come back onto the stage and bow. The audience will clap to show the cast they enjoyed the performance. It can be quite loud during this moment.
At the end of the show, the lights will get brighter again. You can leave the Theatre when you are ready.
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The running time for A CHORUS LINE is 1 hour and 52 minutes with no interval. The performance will start at 2.15pm and finish at approximately 4.07pm.
Show Warnings
This performance contains haze, loud music, strobe, theatrical smoke, discussion of bereavement, mention of physical violence and abuse, discussion of mental ill health, discussion of homophobia, discussion of discrimination, strong language, and discussion of sexual abuse. This production contains some references and language that may be unsuitable for younger children.
At the Relaxed Performance, flashing light sequences, visual effects and louder moments will be altered to more comfortable levels but will still be present throughout the show.
The lights in the Theatre will also remain on at a low-level throughout the performance.
A CHORUS LINE contains moments of mild peril. This means there are times when the characters might appear to be hurt and upset during the story. These moments might make you feel scared or sad – it’s okay to feel that way.
A CHORUS LINE is a musical, so there will be lots of singing and dancing throughout the performance. You can sing and dance along during the show if you would like to!
The music in the show is performed live by a band, conducted by our Musical Director, Matthew Spalding and sung by the company.
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You won’t be able to see the orchestra at this performance, as they are playing from an area called the Pit. The Pit is between the stage and the front row of seats and is sunken into the basement below.
Although we will be adapting the volume of the show to a more comfortable level, some of the musical numbers will still be quite loud. You might like to cover your ears or wear your ear defenders during these moments.
Throughout the show, there are a few moving set pieces. These include several mirrors, a riser and large lighting fixtures.
At several moments during the performance, the Director – Zach, played by Adam Cooper - will walk off the stage, up the aisles and into the auditorium to put his questions to the company via a handheld microphone.
You will hear his voice, but you may not see him depending where you are sitting in the theatre. He will then return to the stage to re-join the company.
Key sensory moments to be aware of during the show are highlighted in The Story and Sensory Moments section, detailed on the next few pages. Some of these effects will be adapted to more comfortable levels at this performance, but if you have any concerns, please contact Box Office on 0116 242 3595.
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The Story and Sensory Moments
Spoiler Alert!
Over the next few pages is a summary of the story of A Chorus Line. You might find this helpful to read before you come to the theatre, but if you would like the story to be a surprise, skip to page 25.
If you do not want to read the full story but would like to see the key sensory moments during the show, please see the green boxes.
The show will begin with the iron down at the front of the stage reading ‘A CHORUS LINE’. Sounds of busy traffic will fade in before the title on the iron is lit. We hear Zach, the director calling out dance counts repeatedly whilst a piano lightly plays a tune. The stage remains dark at this point.
The iron begins to lift revealing the silhouettes of dancers auditioning for a new Broadway show. It is 1975 New York City and A Chorus Line is holding an open audition. The dancers repeat the choreography across the stage, it is still quite dark on stage but there a few bright lights towards the back of the stage with mirrors facing the audience. Zach continues to call the counts while the dancers follow.
Zach then tells the dancers to try the combination away from the mirrors and the piano begins to speed up its tune. Zach will then say, ‘From the top, 5,6, 7, 8!’ and the stage will become brighter to show all dancers facing us and dancing. The piano is accompanied by other instruments and the music becomes louder.
The stage is dressed as a dance studio with white markings on the floor, studio lights lighting the dancers and chairs and bags on the left. There are five mirrors at the back of the stage in a row and a ‘No Smoking’ sign at the very top of the stage.
Zach asks the dancers to dance a ballet combination, the piano plays a light balletic tune while they dance.
Zach then groups the dancers by their numbers and calls them out one by one to make a formation on stage. The lighting changes to a dim, cool colour and the dancers begin to sing ‘I Hope I Get It’.
Cassie takes centre stage singing to the mirrors about how badly she needs this job, the lights dim at this point, and Zach talks to his assistant, Larry at the front of the stage while Cassie sings.
Zach asks the dancers to dance the ballet combination once again. The lights become brighter as the dancers perform the steps across the stage, the piano plays a heavier balletic tune. Zach critiques the dancers as they dance, telling some they are doing well and others they are not doing so well. He will sometimes shout at them and sound quite aggressive.
Larry calls out the steps to the dancers while they dance.
The music will become louder again as the dancers sing about how they blew it, worried they will not get the part. Every time Zach asks the dancers to repeat the choreography, the music becomes louder.
Once Zach has seen enough, he will call out a group of dancers and eliminate the ones he did not think performed well enough.
The dancers called out are excited to have been picked, Zach asks to see their headshots. They form a line at the front of the stage, holding their headshots in front of their faces, the lights will become brighter repeatedly, and a horn will repeatedly blow. A line lights up on stage beneath them.
A screen will appear at the top of the stage showing Paul and the dancers, lit by a spotlight. Paul sings about how he really needs this job as Zach walks down the line collecting everyone’s headshots.
Larry walks down the line with a big movie camera, filming each dancer’s face which is projected on the screen at the top of the stage. Zach has left the stage, but we can hear his voice loudly from the stalls, as he asks the dancers to talk about themselves.
One by one, the dancers step forward and begin to introduce themselves finishing with Diana. Zach asks Diana to talk more about herself and to relax.
Zach re-enters the stage and tells the dancers his expectations of them during the audition process.
Mike is asked to talk about why he started dancing. He steps out of line to tell his story and sings ‘I Can Do That’.
During Mike’s song he dances and does some impressive tricks including a flip.
Bobby is then asked to tell his story, he goes on to sing ‘…And…’. During this song, some of the other dancers begin to sing about how nervous they are to tell their story.
Val and Bobby use humour to make light of a challenging past.
It’s now Sheila’s turn to talk, she tells the group how she always dreamed of being a ballerina. Sheila is a very flirty character and always makes innuendos when speaking, Zach tells her to bring her attitude down.
She continues to reflect on going to the ballet as a child to escape her difficult home life. She then sings ‘At The Ballet’, later accompanied by Bebe and Maggie.
During this song, the stage becomes darker, and the dancers and Zach sit around the stage allowing the three women to tell their stories before performing a ballet routine behind them. Haze and smoke fill the stage at this point.
The dancers then get back in line ready for Kristine to tell her story, she goes on to sing ‘Sing’ with the help of her husband Al.
Kristine sings about her inability to sing well and whenever she sings a high note, she screeches – this gets quite loud as the company join her.
Mark is then asked to tell his story which begins the ‘Montage’ sequence with ‘Hello Twelve’. The whole company sing along.
Larry follows the dancers around with the movie camera, capturing their dance moves on the screen behind them.
Mark shares a story about his first wet dream and experience of a potential STD whilst being lit by a spotlight.
The dancers get back in line and Connie sings about how she has always been shorter than other dancers and how it’s held her back in her career.
Val talks to the camera about how she would always wonder when she would develop a more mature body. Other members of the company talk to the camera about other hardships they experienced whilst growing up before dancing across the stage.
Diana then begins to sing ‘Nothing’ about her experience at drama school.
At this point the dancers clear the stage and watch Diana tell her story from the side of the stage. Diana sings to the mirrors and Larry films her as she is shown on the screen.
Don then goes on to tell his story of working at strip clubs in ‘Mother’, the rest of the company join him later as they recall things their parents told them growing up as they dreamed of making it on Broadway.
Judy talks about how she almost committed suicide at one point and how she practised her first kiss with her childhood friend. Other members of the company can relate and comfort her by telling her they did the same thing. Greg then goes on to tell the company his story about discovering his sexuality.
The company are lit in different, vibrant colours as a lighting fixture is lowered from the top of the stage, these begin to flash toward the end of the number and the band play louder.
Richie goes on to sing a solo section, the lights flash as the company come together as backing vocals.
The lighting fixture lowers once again, this time creating several lines in the air as Val begins to tell the group how she has struggled in her career by being judged on her appearance in ‘Dance: Ten; Looks: Three’.
Zach asks Paul to step out of the line and talk about his family. Paul doesn’t want to do this, so the company decide to take a break. Zach asks Cassie to stay behind, and we learn they used to work together and were in a relationship in ‘The Music And The Mirror’.
During this number, Cassie has a dance solo where the band become louder, and a spotlight follows Cassie around the stage.
Once Cassie has finished dancing, her and Zach argue about her career and their past.
Paul then joins Zach in the studio and Cassie leaves to join the other dancers. Paul opens up to Zach about his past and the two embrace centre stage. Paul discusses his discovery of his sexuality, experience of bullying and trouble with his family in this scene.
The dancers re-enter the studio and face the mirror to rehearse choreography and vocals for ‘One’ with Zach. The film camera follows the dancers as they run the number, this is again projected onto the screen. The lighting fixture lowers.
Zach and Cassie argue again while the company sing and dance behind them. When the argument gets more heated, the company will sing loudly and the lights behind them will become bright.
The company will form a line at the front of the stage holding hats in front of their faces, repeating the word ‘one’, lights will flash every time they repeat the word.
Once the number is finished, the company will move a riser on stage and dance upon it. A spotlight will light each dancer as they complain that they are tired.
Paul will fall and hurt himself and the company will rush to help him. Paul will act hurt, and the company will act panicked, but remember they are pretending. The company discuss how difficult it is to stay employed in the theatre industry. Diana and the company sing ‘What I Did For Love’.
The piano begins to play the tune for ‘One’ and the dancers rejoin the line. We hear Zach’s voice as he begins to eliminate some of them, leaving the successful dancers in line.
The stage turns dark and we see Zach begin to dance with a hat. Whispering sound effects, jingling and beat sounds play.
The band then begin to play and the lights fade up revealing the dancers now dressed in gold hats and coats dancing on the risers, singing ‘One’.
A lighting fixture is lowered surrounding the stage with twinkling lights. Towards the end of the number, the lights become brighter and flash at points. The band play louder and the company are all singing and dancing as an ensemble. Pyrotechnics will light at the top of the stage, creating large bright sparkles. The iron will fall, it will then rise again revealing the cast for their bows. The show is now over, you may want to join the rest of the audience and clap for the cast to show them you enjoyed the performance. The band will play
‘What I Did For
Love’ as the cast leave the stage.
The lights in the theatre will become brighter and the band will continue to play as everyone leaves their seats. The stage will remain lit with twinkling lights at the back of the stage. At the end of the song, the horns will repeat and the lights will flash along with it.
It is now time to go home.
We hope you enjoyed A CHORUS LINE!
