A Journey on Stage: Chicago (Chicago)

Name: rauolzhou

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Product:	Chicago
Date:	03/02/06 (458 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: objective

Disadvantages: long

In 1996, it’s a fantastic journey for audience on Broadway to enjoy Chicago revival. In winter of 2004 and 2006 again, it is me that is so fortunate. If you are expecting joy of a romantic comedy or heartquake from a touching tragedy, don’t try Chicago. But you are welcome to experience amusement and thinking from it on condition that you are willing to know some aspects of the world we are in.
Based on a distinguished front page in 1920s, Composer John Kender and lyricist Fred Ebb, a golden partnership in 60s and 70s, adapted the story into an American dream filled with murder, greed, corruption, violence, adultery and treachery, “all the things we hold near and dear to our hearts”. The original version directed by Master of the dark, genius director and choreographer Bob fosse, in 1975 is so ahead of its time that it failed in Tony and received a comparatively limited box office. After 2 hours in the theater, I see how Walter Bobbie’s creative staging and Ann Reiking’s choreography in Fosse’s style give the show a rebirth, and why the revival opened in 1996 enjoys both applause and critical acclaim.
There is fun and organic pleasure. Let puritan complain the joy of slouching song and dance with passion, humor and seduction inside. The intellectual performance also presents insight of the society in 20s and also a reflection of what it is nowadays. Besides, Chicago seems to be a pure show. Among the numerous mega-musical theaters on Broadway that emphasis luxurious scenery and stunt a bit thick, Chicago is no doubt very retrenching. As a result, we can focus on players and enjoy the real pleasure of performance without the crashing chandelier or howling helicopter.
Ridiculously and ironically, the script adapted by David Thompson constructs a substantial plot about two murderesses, Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, who killed their lovers and fought their way out on the shoulder of a “genius” attorney Billy Flynn. And how the media and court is driven to achieve “innocence”, fame for the girls and treasure for the attorney. It somehow indicates the disorder of the world with betrayal, crime, corrupted court, manipulated media and so on. And to a certain degree, those dramatic turning points are so convincing that we couldn’t just neglect them as what is on stage only. In this aspect, which is probably fundamental, it surpasses a variety of soap operas. What’s more, it doesn’t challenge the audience so much as those with anti-traditional style. There are no completely breaking down or cynical hurly-burly in the style of avant-grade drama. Humor, temper and hope remain even if the dialogue is exposing ultimately.
Although the score and lyrics are already there, rearrangement is necessary for revival version. I reckoned that jazz in old style couldn’t achieve its popularity nowadays easily for its tardy pace. But my anxiety was blown away by the first few notes of “All That Jazz”. It is wise to make it appeal to audience today without changing the inherence. It is still "slow” as Chicago jazz used to be but with ample tension in the voice, throughout numbers as “Cellblock Tango”, “We Both Reach For The Gun”, “Roxie”, “Rezzle Dazzle”, “Nowadays”. Solo, duet, chorus are all well operated. The closely reactive cooperation among the players makes the numbers more than songs. In the last number of act 1 “My Own Best Friend”, the two leading ladies show their determination in fighting against the setback. The remixed new version even sounds magnificent (according to jazz standard) with chorus. Brilliant orchestration with 13 pieces of instruments only by Ralph Burns really burns the theater all over the show. Rick Clarke’s sound design makes all the idea shown.
And it’s a surprisingly good job to hold more than 20 sections of song and dance without slowing down the plot too much. Actually, most audience would still find it difficult to absorb most parts of the show except for “When You Are Good To Mama”, “A Little Bit Of Good”, “Mr. Cellophane” and “Class”. That’s due to Ann Reiking, a faithful adherent of Fosse. Following the style of Fosse, perhaps a perfect pair for the show, her sexy rechoreography avoids Fosse’s sensuality to a fault that agonize both critics and audience. Her suitable connotation on choreographic vocabulary fulfills the performance effectively, goes well with the music arranged by Peter Howard and is of great pleasure without decentralizing the theme too much. Of course recreator Gary Chryst adds more to it as well. People, especially females, who used to the Broadway version dating back to 1996 always feel wet after 2-minute parade of male swings at the end of “Roxie”. Altogether it almost reminds me of Jerome Robins’s masterpiece in West Side Story, which enriches the stage in a wild range. Comparatively, those without dance seem a little flavorless.
For a revival version, the direction is what it counts on most. Walter Bobbie’s dedication is satisfying. He rebuilt a Fosse’s big black world, and kept a balance between performing art and stunt. But what he presented was more than just imitation of the precedent. The performance is in the form of nightclub show. The players are in the role and doing narration at the same time. So Mr. Bobbie could weaken the causality of most events instead of exaggerating certain factors that may contribute to deliver the so-called main idea. It enables the audience to understand it in various ways. Almost everyone in the show can be translated in several approaches, from leading like Roxie, Velma to utility like even Go-to-Hell Kitty and Hunyak. The dialogue-scene is well managed too. Take “the court” as an example, all approaches feasible on stage are used to make it highlight of act 2, in which “stage” art is well defined. For this troupe itself, Scott Faris has what he takes as the overall operator. And so does musical supervision Rob Fisher.
The swings are amazing according to common level of a tour troupe. It is the dancing ensemble that relives the ideas of choreography. Their chorus is stunning when it is mixed with performance of the leading ones. What’s more, their lines, since most of them playing more than one role, are not in the shade at all even according to formal drama standard. The only “bug” is in “Cellblock Tango”, a scene in which 6 murderesses tell their stories. The harmonic is not well balanced and covered by Velma sometimes. It is almost the swings that steal the show. Featuring parts: Mama Morton, Mary Sunshine, and Amos Hart (husband of the heroine Roxie) can catch one’s eyes with their characteristic voices which are designed for the roles, even though they share no dance. It’s their emotion and glorifying representation that enriches the slightly distractive songs. Comparatively, the rest of the cast doesn’t worth so much acclaim. Mills Sonberg, as the sex symbol Fred shot by the heroine and swing as well, is trying hard to transform his tenderness into aggressive attraction, which is effective to some degree. But he could be more convincing if he doesn’t pretend to be with too much male hormone since softness can also be sexy and deathful. Talented actress and playwright from South Africa, Amra-Faye Wright enjoys a successful musical debut as deperated Velma. Her mezzo-soprano is incredibly bright, clear and fascinating. And she can adjust the voice as needed at ease. Only her movement in both acting and dancing seems more for posing rather than expression with a little overdone, which does something adverse to idea in choreography. It’s a pity that I just enjoy Roxie with the understudy Lelya Pellecrim instead of the commended Jane Fowler. Honestly speaking, with nice looking and sweet voice Ms Pellecrim has done her best and expressed what ought to be done. However, her attention on covering up her sweetheart naturalness takes up so much that she couldn’t prevent the same problem of Ms Wright--overdoing in movement. I happened to see some video clips of Ms Fowler for publicity reel. Comparatively, she provides more tension and better control over both voice and body language than Ms Pellecrim, at least in the clips. Of course the nearly “Titan-figured” Ms Fowler might put pressure on the attorney Billy, husband Amos and lover Fred sometimes. Among the cast, John Altman seems to deserve the least praise. After an intense expectation raised by indirect description of him both in and out of the show, his song got me down from the very beginning. His rough tongue couldn’t explain why he is reported as the biggest star in the troupe. Yet this could be overcome if he had inserted more up and down or worked out the lines in a more tensive way rather than just remained flat all through. Though the dialogue part is slightly better, he is a bit disappointing as the attractive attorney Billy.
Set and costume design in the show are probably most distinct for their unique and abstract style. There is nothing similar to prevalent mega production like Phantom, Les Mis, the 42nd Street or the Producer. What designer John Lee Beatty has put on stage is a staircase only to hold the orchestra, a jazz band technically, with three entrances for the players. And it is immobile all over performance, for which the orchestra or jazz band as we usually call it is also involved in acting. Players have to imply space-time through performance instead of falling back on specific scenes. They are more liberated to express the multivocal story, which makes it a pure performance away from visual effect. Unlike the set directly copied from Broadway or West End, William Iavey Long has made some improvement in sexy and seductive costume. The black leotard from the 1996 and 1997 version i bikini s retained, which is not realistic at all and has nothing to do with the status for the characters. He adds fringe to bikini and stocks the only things that cover the bikini for the girls and simple stripe to the T-shirt and waistcoats for the boys. When the curtain rises, boys with waistcoats open in front of their chest and girls with bikini covered by stocks are on stage, the whole theater is on fire. It pleases the eyes though with little more than that except that it’s easier for multi-role players to remain unchanged for its abstract.
Ken Billington’s lighting design, which is not so unique or abstract, is another issue. It is only black, white, yellow and red, but helps imply the scene quite a lot since the set is unrealistic. You can see shadow barrier for the cellblock, fictitious partition, projected the Stars and the Stripes for the court and so on. The light is even used to present scattering blood after murder, absolutely a peculiar form that deserves a Tony. Besides, there is one thing new for the lighting in this production—the color blue. It is frequently used, quite different from others. When it is smoothly mixed with other colors, it’s no doubt catching.
As a musical, Chicago has what is necessary: the plot, music score, choreography and performance. Separately, each factor might not be so outstanding, but they inflame as a whole. It deserves the acclaim, and its glory will probably last a long time for its intelligence. In a world, it’s a journey worth trying.

Summary: a wonderful trip on stage