31st October 2009
3 stars
Chicago, a musical by Kander and Ebb written in 1975, satirizes the criminal justice system in 1920s Chicago. It’s about murder, corruption, jazz and large egos. The egos of Velma Kelly, Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn are portrayed in numbers played out like that of a cabaret set, one after the other where each character attempts to define their status in the life of showbiz and reality.
The Cabaret style is emphasised through the set design with an on stage jazz band. Chairs litter the sides of the stage where members of the cast view each performance. The show starts with ‘All That Jazz’, performed by Velma (Twinnie-Lee Moore). Moore has a fantastic voice, complemented by Fosse’s choreography; each move is solitary and precise. The cast manage to not make the show stilted. They have a slickness that allows Fosse’s movements to flow.
We are introduced to Roxie Hart (Emma Barton) who shoots her ‘other man’ and then persuades her husband to take the blame in ‘Funny Honey’, just before she is found out and taken to jail. Barton’s performance is her own. She creates a giddy school-girl persona that suits the part very well. Vocally she is slightly weak, but her songs are performed very well.
Emma Barton as Roxie Hart
Other characters fail to live up to the high egos needed to make their characters edgy. Moore, although a strong singer and dancer, fails to excite as an actor. Mama Morton (Wendy Lee Purdy) lacks intensity. Amos (Adam Stafford) plays a pathetic husband with great empathy, yet his solo number ‘Mister Cellophane’ is weak. As for Billy Flynn (Ian Gareth Jones) his whole performance is horribly static.
The first act feels slow, apart from two very well choreographed performances of ‘Cell Block Tango’ and ‘We Both Reached for the Gun’. The second act picks up pace, however, and there are great performances by all. ‘Razzle Dazzle’ contains showy lighting, clever choreography and fantastic performances (look out for the guy playing all six characters of the witness stand.) The last number is pure showbiz; Barton and Moore bring out the best in each other.
All in all Chicago has a great cast and amazing musicians. Unfortunately, some performances from the main cast let down what could have been a show of West End quality, into a show that only slightly exceeds the amateur standard.
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