Hotty Totty! (Chicago)

Name: Critchyboy

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Product:	Chicago
Date:	09/03/02 (739 review reads)
Rating:

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Chicago, Illinois: The Late 1920’s.

Location: A whoopee spot where the piano’s hot. And all that jazz.

It seems strange seeing Chicago and reflecting on the show in light of having seen Miss Saigon. The latter, from myself anyhow, received five stars for it’s sheer size and spectacle of set, score and story. To give Chicago the same five red stars for a show where minimalism is the in-thing is quite an alarming thing to do. Chicago is simplicity itself. You see where other musicals try to out do each other in terms of the grand spectacle – Miss Saigon has the helicopter, Phantom the Chandelier and Les Miserables the Barricades – Chicago simply doesn’t go there and neither does it need to.

***THE STORY***

I guess you know you’re going to be in for a treat when the first character is wearing little more than her underwear and a body stocking, but when you’re invited into a story that involves a little murder, corruption and greed you can bet it will out perform even the House of Commons in terms of sleaziness, deceit and backstabbing.

Velma Kelly introduces us to the world of the Chicago jazz scene and through her we are shown the story of a cold blooded murder committed by a nightclub chorus girl, called Roxie Hart. Roxy, married to Amos, is sleeping around (similar, in her own words, to playing around but without dinner) and her latest lover, a regular to the nightclub, called Fred Casely is about to walk out on her. She does what any proud girl would do and shoots him dead. She manages to convince Amos that Fred was a burglar and because Amos loves his wife so much he agrees to take the blame for her actions.

In the course of the police investigations into the murder they tell Amos that his wife actually knew the killer pretty intimately. She admits all. Amos lets her take the full blame for her actions.

Roxie is sent to the women’s block at Cook C
ounty Jail, a place full of murderesses headed up by Velma. The women share their stories of what brought them to prison, ranging from killing a husband because he ‘popped his gum one more time’ to committing murder because of ‘artistic differences’.

In charge of the women is Matron ‘Mama’ Morton who offers help, at a price, to her clients. It is through her help that Velma has become such a well known newspaper celebrity and is managing her rise to ‘stardom’.

Velma is less than happy to see Roxie, even more so when she learns that Roxie has stolen her media attention and her lawyer, Billy Flynn who only ‘cares about love’. The lawyer takes Roxie’s case and with, not much attention to detail and an awful lot of lying, changes the story to make Roxie the victim for a tabloid journalist who always tries to find good in everyone – even including murderers.

The press interview is conducted with Billy putting words into Roxie’s mouth to present a new version of events covering the fateful night of the murder. Through this Roxie becomes the new girl in town and Velma loses her top spot, her publicity and her post-prison career. Velma, sensing that her popularity is on the wane, valiantly tries to woo Roxie into going into show business as a double act. Roxie refuses but finds out that her popularity has even less length to it than Velma’s. Both girl’s decide that they can only count on themselves. Roxie declares she is pregnant (liar!) and once again becomes the media darling.

Despite lie’s (they were promised after all) Roxie’s rise to fame continues despite Velma’s astonishment. Amos, thinking that he is a Father and not terribly good at maths, claims that the baby is his.

In the meantime, Velma shows Billy her routine for the court hearing which he duly passes onto Roxie, down to the very last detail. Velma and Mama g
rieve over the loss of class and decency in the world – which coming from two of the underworld’s biggest figures is really quite amusing.

And I'll stop there - you'll just have to see it to find out what happens next! So there!


***THE SET***

There is a huge black and gold bandstand mid-stage with full jazz band, a number of chairs and two ladders. That’s about it. See what I mean by minimalism?! But the thing that get you going about this show is the astounding Bob Fosse choreography. Sexy and sassy is how one national newspaper described it and I’m inclined to agree. Female dancers dressed in little more than black Basques and body stockings accompanied by male dancers in tight fitting trousers and waistcoats dance in the smallest of spaces at the front of the stage using some of the most imaginative and inventive choreography, re-created by several people since the remarkable Fosse. Simple, yet breathtakingly sexy and sensual and, in places, incredibly funny. Has to be seen to be understood…

***THE TOURING CAST***

John Altman (Billy Flynn) – “It’s ‘im. Nick Cotton from EastEnders!” I heard someone pass comment. I must admit I was a bit dubious about this casting but he was great as the smarmy lawyer out to make money out of other peoples misfortune. His singing voice wasn’t fantastic most noticeably so in ‘Razzle Dazzle’ but he was entertaining enough.

Jane Fowler (Roxie Hart) – excellent as the scheming anti-heroine of the show. At times, sweet and innocent and at others, manipulating and cold. Great singing voice and great actor. Somehow I can’t imagine Claire Sweeney in this role at all…

Amra-Faye Wright (Velma Kelly) – another excellent performance from a top-notch actress. Simply stunning.

***THE SONGS***

Great songs played by a fantastic band that are as much a par
t of the show as the actors. Don’t be tempted to jump out of your seat at the end of the curtain call, the band plays on and I could have listened to them all night. But here is my round-up of the best songs:

All that Jazz – sung by Velma. Great song, one I knew and goes hand in hand with some great dances moves. Get that deep shoulder action going..!

Cell Block Tango – introduces us to some of the inmates at Crook County Jail. Innovative use of sprawling over chairs and a great song to boot about how and why they committed their individual murders.

We both reached for the gun – The highlight of the show in my book. This is sung mostly by Billy using Roxie as a ventriloquists dummy to tell the ‘story’ of her involvement in the murder in answer to the reporter’s questions. Excellent. Simply Excellent.

Mister Cellophane – sung by Amos. No-one pays him any attention so he may as well be called Mister Cellophane. Cute song, gets the audience on side as he apologises for taking up too much of our time! Good one!

When Velma takes the Stand – sung by Velma as she shows Billy her tricks for her court hearing before he tells Roxie all about them.

***THE CONCLUSION***

I never thought that I would like Chicago. A friend of mine had bugged me for ages to go and see it. I went with him in Manchester last year and decided to go again tonight as it was in Sheffield and only a 30 minute drive away. But I do. It is just such a pleasing show to look at, because you haven’t got 101 visual things begging for your attention. The story is good and it races along at a heady pace, but the songs and choreography are more than worth the price of the ticket.



The ending feels a little too sudden, there seems to be a part of the story missing - It just feels a little clumsy to me.

However, despite this it is a highly entertaining evening and I a
m seeing it again – worth five stars, but the story could have been tied up a little neater.

***CHICAGO ON TOUR***

Want to see it but nowhere near London then check this out!
Until 16th March: The Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield. 0114 249 6000.
19th – 30th March: The Liverpool Empire, Liverpool. 0870 606 3536.
2nd – 20th April: The Alhambra, Bradford. 01274 752 000.
22nd April – 4th May: The Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton. 01902 429 212.
20th May – 1st June: Her Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen. 01224 641 122.
4th – 15th June: The King’s Theatre, Glasgow. 0141 287 7000.
17th – 29th June: The Grand Opera House, Belfast. 028 9024 1919.

More details are promised on the tour website:
www.chicagotour.co.uk

***CHICAGO IN THE WEST END***

Tickets priced: £15.00 - £37.50.
Mon-Thurs/Sat 20:00, Sat Mats 15:00, Fri 17:00 and 20:30.

Currently showing at the Adelphi Theatre.
Box Office: 020 7413 1777
www.chicagothemusical.com
www.ticketmaster.co.uk

***OTHER INFORMATION***

I saw this show on the 8th March at Sheffield’s Lyceum Theatre. I sat in the rear circle, but be sure you take you surgical socks with you as there is more legroom in the economy class section of an airline than there is here!! Would like to see this in London too!

The Souvenir Brochure cost £5.00 had some great photos, musical numbers list and all the actors details so there was no need to buy a smaller programme as well!

Parking at the Lyceum, Sheffield is easy and the theatre is signposted on all routes into the city. There is a handy NCP carpark just across the road. Buses stop outside the theatre frequently and the tram is but a short walk away!

Thanks for reading.
C. :o)

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