The penultimate razzle dazzle musical CHICAGO, (book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, based on the play by real life crime journalist Maurine Dallas Watkins), is back at the resplendent Capitol Theatre where it was previously performed in August 2019 prior to the pandemic striking
The show takes us in to prohibition era 1920’s Chicago and hones in on the worlds of larger than life characters, celebrities and the media, crime and the justice system, and all that and more jazz, jazz, jazz.
Dangerous, vitriolic Velma Kelly who looses her position in jail because of her rival, is given a great performance by Zoe Ventura.
Her big introductory number All That Jazz vibrantly sets the scene. She dances up a storm, in her as she strives to get Roxie on her side, with I Cannot Do It Alone.
Roxie Hart who comes across as sweet natured which of-course is a very thin veneer and is exhilaratingly played by
Lucy Maunder. She busily tries to manipulate the Chicago court system even from her prison cell. Roxie’s duet with Velma Nowadays is a big highlight.
Andrew Warlow is great, as always, as Roxie’s suave, sleek corrupt lawyer Billy Flynn. My favourite rendition of his, is his rousing delivery of All He Cares About Is Love which of-course is absolutely not the case!
Asabi Goodman was dazzling as Matron ‘Mama’ Marton who doesn’t even bother to feign that she isn’t corrupt.Her delivery of When You Go To Mama was stunning.
Peter Rowsthorn was wonderful as Roxie’s husband Amos, a gentle man who is mistreated by the brazen Roxie. His delivery of one of the show’s highlights, Mister Cellophane Man, wad delicately perfectly performed.
S. Valeri gave a fine performance as the naive and oomphy Mary Sunshine and delivers a great version of There’s A Little Bit Of Good In Everyone.
The supporting cast and the dance ensemble complemented the principals superbly.
Audiences expect great production values from their musicals when they good money. All these values are dazzlingly on show; the choreography, the set, the lighting, the costumes.
Musical Director Anthony Barnhill led a superb on stage band orchestra. Another show highlight was the rousing version of All That Jazz which put the show in to full throttle after Interval with all trumpets blazing,
A John Frost and Crossroads Live production, this super charged, brilliant production of one of Broadway’s greatest musicals, CHICAGO is playing the Capitol Theatre for a strictly limited season until the 28th July 2024.
Production photography Jeff Busby
