Chicago The Musical paints the town on the opening night in Sydney last Tuesday … razzle dazzles and all that jazz! Chicago The Musical which opened in Sydney on Tuesday 27 August 2019 is a thoroughly enjoyable theatrical musical with dance choreography that stays true to Bob Fosse’s signature bump-and-grind routines. Chicago is a cold cynical criminal story of two murderesses, Roxy Hart and Velma Kelly, who parlay the lurid press coverage of their crimes into vaudeville careers.
The heroine of ‘Chicago is Roxie Hart (Natalie Bassingthwaighte) a peroxide blonde version of Betty Boop who never hesitates to do whatever she has to in order to win an acquittal in her murder trial, and is married to the only honest man in the show, Amos. Amos is portrayed as a fool at best, as an insensitive clod at worst, and a wimp the rest of the time.
Roxie shoots her lover, Fred Casely, who made the fatal error of attempting to walk out on her. First she tries to convince Amos, to take the blame. When that doesn’t work out, she learns to play the corrupt judicial system.
In prison, awaiting trial, she meets Velma Kelly (Alinta Chidzey) another murderess, who has learned to use the system to beat the system. They share a lawyer, Billy Flynn (Tom Burlinson and with former Neighbours star, Jason Donavan playing that role in Melbourne only), who got the crowd swooning on his entrance. Billy Flynn is as corrupt as they are except that he operates on the officially sanctioned side of the law.
Casey Donovan as Matron Mama Morton with her ‘don’t mess with me’ attitude and voice to shred got one of the biggest applauses in the opening night with ‘When You’re Good to Mama’
The orchestra (here directed by Daniel Edmonds) constitutes the set by filling the upstage half of the playing area on a steep rake, physically places John Kander’s unforgettable music – a pastiche of jazz and vaudeville – centre-stage.
One of my favourite numbers in Chicago is Cell Block Tango, especially in the 2002 film, of such a strong, deceitful, but sassy, high kicking entertainment. I loved the way it was done with the orchestra in the background in the Australian musical production.
The first time I watched Chicago was around the time of the film with Catherine Zeta Jones and Renee Zellweger 2002. You go into the musical already knowing what to expect of the characters and how it should be performed. Whilst Bassingthwaighte and Chidzey are not Zeta Jones and Zellweger, their performances and that of the whole cast of the Australian production make it a thrilling, blood pumping, enjoyable entertainment.
Chicago The Musical Australia is presented by John Frost and Suzanne Jones.
Chicago The Musical plays Capitol Theatre Sydney until 20 October. For tickets go to: https://chicagothemusical.com.au/
See.Taste.Do was invited to the opening night as a guest of IP Publicity
