Chicago, Opera House, Manchester, until October 6 IT may have one of the most sparse sets in theatre with a cast wearing nothing more adventurous than black, but Chicago is one of those musicals which will surely run and run.
While the story, set in Chicago in the late 1920s, is, in itself, incredibly simple, it oozes humour and great characterisation, engrossing the audience with a tale or murder corruption, greed, adultery and treachery.
Just as important, it also has some of the sexiest jailbirds known to mankind -- which kind of makes you wonder where true justice lies in Illinois.
One such lady is Roxie Hart, played by Jane Fowler, a woman who betrays her looks and shoots her lover dead within minutes of the musical's opening.
She is helped to lie, cheat and court publicity by sleazy lawyer Billy Flynn, John Altman, aka Nick Cotton in EastEnders. But Altman's portrayal of a slick, money-grabbing slimeball is no carbon copy of his TV character.
And that's a shame because his role in Chicago was decidedly low-key and lacking a certain pizazz -- effectively killing some scenes dead.
The same cannot be said of Martin Callaghan, brilliant as Amos Hart, Roxie's put-upon husband. He had the audience in stitches when he sang Mister Cellophane, a song about being ignored.
The music makes the show. Each song is enhanced by the actors' vocal talents, matched with perfect choreography.
The real star is Amra-Faye Wright as the vitriolic Velma Kelly.
She manages to be bitchy and breathtakingly balletic from the moment she appears on stage and proves to be a real scene-stealer.
This musical is a blockbuster.
Its combination of slick dancing and songs with acid lyrics really make it stand out.
David Crookes IT may have one of the most sparse sets in theatre with a cast wearing nothing more adventurous than black, but Chicago is one of those musicals which will surely run and run.
While the story, set in Chicago in the late 1920s, is, in itself, incredibly simple, it oozes humour and great characterisation, engrossing the audience with a tale of murder corruption, greed, adultery and treachery.
Just as important, it also has some of the sexiest jailbirds known to mankind -- which kind of makes you wonder where true justice lies in Illinois.
One such lady is Roxie Hart, played by Jane Fowler, a woman who betrays her looks and shoots her lover dead within minutes of the musical's opening.
She is helped to lie, cheat and court publicity by sleazy lawyer Billy Flynn, John Altman, aka Nick Cotton in EastEnders. But Altman's portrayal of a slick, money-grabbing slimeball is no carbon copy of his TV character.
And that's a shame because his role in Chicago was decidedly low-key and lacking a certain pizazz -- effectively killing some scenes dead.
The same cannot be said of Martin Callaghan, brilliant as Amos Hart, Roxie's put-upon husband. He had the audience in stitches when he sang Mister Cellophane, a song about being ignored.
The music makes the show. Each song is enhanced by the actors' vocal talents, matched with perfect choreography.
The real star is Amra-Faye Wright as the vitriolic Velma Kelly.
She manages to be bitchy and breathtakingly balletic from the moment she appears on stage and proves to be a real scene-stealer.
Slick
This musical is a blockbuster.
Its combination of slick dancing and songs with acid lyrics really make it stand out.
David Crookes
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