The original and the best, Chicago is back in Adelaide. It would be a crime to miss it.
Grab your sequinned attire and a Liza Minnelli-style wig … Chicago has rolled into town!
Review by Carla Caruso
The longest-running musical on Broadway, Chicago has come to Adelaide’s Festival Theatre for four weeks only (4–31 August 2024) after getting rave reviews and capacity audiences across the nation.
Think themes of murder, greed, corruption and adultery, plus razzle dazzle, with the decadent 1920s as a backdrop.
I went in to watch the Aussie production, having never seen Chicago onstage or the Catherine Zeta-Jones film version before. But even I knew such iconic scenes as the women performing on bentwood chairs and climbing ladders like cats, red spotlights flashing. And let’s not forget the (lack of?) clothing – lace, mesh, velour, and lashings of black.
The musical follows 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 slick lawyer Billy Flynn to transform her crime into a barrage of sensational headlines – the likes of which could’ve been ripped from today’s tabloids!
Show-stopping numbers include All That Jazz, Cell Block Tango, and Razzle Dazzle. (Try to get All That Jazz out of your head after the show – I dare you!)
Did I mention how star-studded the cast is? There’s theatre great, Anthony Warlow, who plays legal eagle Billy Flynn. Anthony appears in a memorable scene, reminiscent of Lady Gaga at the Olympics, surrounded by dancers with burlesque feather fans – and his American persona is on point.
Then there’s Zoë Ventoura, who plays the powerful, chic murderess, Velma. You’d know Zoë from starring in TV shows like Packed to the Rafters and Doctor Doctor. Who knew she also had a set of pipes on her and could shimmy and do the splits like nobody’s business?
Props, as well, to comedian Peter Rowsthorn, who steps into the shoes of Roxie’s gullible and hapless husband, Amos. Peter’s rendition of the song, Mister Cellophane, will have you rooting for him as the ultimate underdog – “’Cause you can look right through me, walk right by me, and never know I’m there.”
Then there’s all the classic lines uttered throughout, like this one from Billy on Velma: “She wears nothing but Black Narcissus Perfume and never makes her own bed.”
One thing I found a little disconcerting about the musical is that its locations include a prison and courtroom, yet the costuming and set décor never reflect this. The vaudeville vibe and attire remain, which gives the production somewhat of a surreal feel. You’re not always sure where you’re meant to be.
As well, Chicago offers girl power with a grisly edge, celebrating women avenging their cheating partners and the like through violent means. But, in today’s times, some of the dark humour sits a little uncomfortably as you can’t help thinking that it wouldn’t land so well if it came from a man’s lips.
When Roxie’s found not guilty of her crime and the press loses interest in her, she famously exclaims: “They didn’t even want my picture!” All the talk of ‘phoney celebrities’ during the show reminds you of today’s influencers and reality stars, who will sometimes do anything to hang onto their fame. It seems nothing changes!
Chicago is recommended for those aged 13 and older as it contains adult themes. (All patrons, aged 16 and under, must be accompanied and sit next to the accompanying adult.) The show’s running time is two-and-a-half hours, with an interval.
With flawless performances, a glittering score, and oodles of glamour, it would be a crime to miss Chicago while it’s in town!
Side-note: The original 1926 play, behind Chicago, was inspired by two unrelated court cases, involving two women, Beulah Annan (the inspiration for Roxie) and Belva Gaertner (Velma). Both women were suspected and later acquitted of murder. Playwright Maurine Dallas Watkins covered their cases for the Chicago Tribune as a reporter. Their real-life stories are worth looking up!
For ticket details and more information please visit the Chicago musical website.
All photos supplied by the Adelaide Festival Centre.
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
As per all our Play & Go reviews, this is not a sponsored post and our review is done completely independently. All photos are by Play & Go (unless specified).
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