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★★★
Over the past few days I have been fortunate enough to watch two bucket list musicals on stage: ‘Oliver!’ at the Gielgud Theatre in the West End and ‘Chicago’ at the Marlowe Theatre here in Canterbury. The latter is one of the most well-known musicals worldwide, debuting on Broadway just shy of 50 years ago and making it to the silver screen in the 2000s. For 2024/2025 the production is touring the UK again and I had the opportunity to review the show on opening night here in Kent. There is no doubt ‘Chicago’ is an explosive and satirical musical exploration of society’s perception of criminals and the role the media plays in shaping these images. However, this interpretation lacked some of the refinement I’d expect of such a renowned musical and artistically, I wasn’t convinced by a couple of the creative choices.
About the musical
For those unfamiliar, ‘Chicago’ is based on the media coverage of two murder cases in 1920s USA, which saw the suspects Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner acquitted. The musical centres on the complex characters of Roxie Hart (Faye Brookes) and Velma Kelly (Djalenga Scott), who are based on the real-life criminals and fixated on making their stories headline news. With the help of mastermind lawyer Billy Flynn (Kevin Clifton) and ambitious prison warden Mama Morton (Sinitta Malone), the pair set out to win their cases and the public’s adoration at the same time.
Music and sound quality
For a production with such notable musical numbers, including ‘All That Jazz’, ‘Cell Block Tango’ and ‘When You’re Good to Mama’ to name but a few, unfortunately there were some sound balancing issues in the first act. Even with prior knowledge of the writing, I struggled to make out what some of the characters were singing, which lessened the impact of Ebb’s lyrics on the narrative. Moreover, in the second half I noticed a marked improvement, with ‘Mister Cellophane’ and ‘Razzle Dazzle’ being standout moments. For a show focusing on “murderesses”, it was Kevin Clifton and Joshua Lloyd (Amos) who stole the show for me vocally, with the strength of their solo numbers.
Exquisite choreography
It goes without saying that the choreography is exceptional. ‘Chicago’ is known for its iconic “Fosse” (jazz) style and I couldn’t take my eyes off the company as they visualised Ann Reinking’s precise and stylised movements, which are created in the style of the legendary Bob Fosse. That being said, it is a bold choice to have so much of the stage reserved for the orchestra and even though the musicians are the heartbeat of this production, at times I found the choreography to be constrained by the set design. I’d love to have seen the dance steps staged across a larger space, making better use of the Marlowe stage.
A classic that doesn’t quite meet expectations
There is lots to like about this revival of ‘Chicago’, but for me the sound balancing makes it difficult to appreciate Kander and Ebb’s iconic score. I had such high expectations for this show, having listened to the songs for years, and whilst I believe it to be a good production, it lacks that extra ‘razzle dazzle’ that you come to expect from a musical of this calibre. However, if you like the film and are familiar with the score, this is an enjoyable interpretation of the popular musical. You can purchase last minute tickets to the Canterbury performances via the Marlowe Theatre’s website, with the production based at the venue until Saturday 17th May.
Thanks for reading my blog today.
Love Kat xxxx
*My ticket for ‘Chicago’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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