Rating: ★★★★★
Venue: New Victoria Theatre, Woking
Cast: Janette Manrara, Djalenga Scott, Sinitta, Darren Day, Joshua Lloyd and Jordan Lee Davies
Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, CHICAGO is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media, and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today's tabloids.
It would be a crime to miss this one.
Chicago the Musical is currently on a UK tour, with its current stop at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking. This is a jazz-infused musical that explores fame, scandal and corruption in 1920s Chicago. Its dark, seductive and funny.
The plot of the show revolves around Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, two murderesses trying for fame and freedom with the help of their slick lawyer, Billy Flynn. Despite being a huge musical theatre fan, I hadn't seen Chicago on stage or screen, so I went in completely blind and was completely blown away.
What stole the show the most was the outstanding choreography from Bob Fosse and Ann Reinking. Throughout the entirety of the production, each dance number was just stunning, and the cast are clearly incredibly talented.
The staging is also worthy of a mention. I enjoyed how the band was integrated into the action, with some funny moments from the musical director Neil Macdonald, he seemed to be loving every moment and it was a joy to watch. I feel this cast really worked well together, particularly during the group songs and larger dance numbers where they worked as one with ease.
Roxie Hart, played by Janette Manrara, was truly outstanding; she was elegant, strikingly beautiful and incredibly funny - and what a powerhouse of a voice. Velma Kelly, played by Djalenga Scott, had the most outstanding performance, especially when she became "old news" because something "new" came along. It was easy to relate to and I understood, felt and believed her performance. Scott also has a powerhouse of a voice; her solo numbers were just pitch perfect. When Djalenga and Janette performed their duet paired with a dance number, their chemistry was incredible and their striking height difference made little difference. As well as this, their vocals complimented one another well.
I wasn’t expecting Matron “mama” Morton to be played by the legend that is Sinitta Malone; she can simply do nothing wrong and she gave a great performance; portraying a witty character that I loved.
Amos Hart, played by Joshua Lloyd, is also worthy of a mention. While he doesn’t have a particularly large role and doesn’t appear as much as the other characters, he certainly makes himself a very memorable character; especially with his solo number “Mister Cellophane”, which gave me goosebumps
What an incredibly sexy, seductive, witty show; this will be on my list of shows I must see again!
You can book tickets to the UK tour of Chicago, here.
Review by Sarah
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