• Showing at: Adelphi Theatre, West End.
• Season: September - October 2003
• Buy Tickets
• Entertainment Rating: 95%
• Drama Rating: 88%

Well as my girlfriend's a well respected jazz singer, I figured it'd be nice to take her to the West End production of "Chicago" (no really, that was the reason why. It wasn't the legs at all).

Arguably one of the best musicals of the world, "Chicago" has a reputation of being the sassiest, sexiest production on stage. This reputation was taken even further after the film release featuring the rather sassy double-act of Catherine Zeta Jones (who would think that her mother was Bonnie Tyler?) and Rene Zellweger. So it was not surprising that I had high expectations as I stood outside the Adelphi Theatre (it was also chucking it down with rain so I didn't want to travel all the way to London for nothing, especially with a production showing in Birmingham!).

The curtains opened and the blue lights fell over the jazz band. Yep, there was a jazz band on stage. Trumpets, drums, double-bass... everything! Pleasant surprise indeed, it was almost as if it was reminding you that you were in fact at a live performance. Just in case you hadn't notice. And there it was: the beautiful sound of "All that jazz" played by a solo trumpet. It was the perfect introduction to the perfect musical.

The story-line revolves around two women jailed for murder and their climb to fame through the use of hype, rivalry, hysteria, and the media. Unable to do it alone, Roxy Hart and Velma Kelly make use of the "Razzle-Dazzle" lawyer; Mister Billy Flyn. A series of sexy songs and dances takes the audience through their satirical journey through the American justice system.

Simple story-line, true. Nothing tragic in it. Nothing particularly heroic. But it's the satire and the humour that really comes through and makes this musical an unbelievable triumph. The director had obviously added his own little gags and satirical digs at the American justice system, but it worked so well. It took the original satire in the songs, script, and stage directions and forced it on the audience. Laughter all round. You could not help but recognise the satire and laugh at it! There were, of course, the more subtle satirical digs - probably the most famous of which is the puppet dance (which, indecently, was incredibly well done). If you have seen the movie, this stage production is not only more "WOW" on stage, it's also a hell of a lot more funnier. It was this that really added the final polish to an already fine musical - the sense of originality that was whispering to you: "you can only watch this musical at the West End."

But let's not forget why this musical is a triumph and a pleasure to watch. This is pure entertainment. Anybody can watch "Chicago" and enjoy it, and it's really this that makes it special. It includes some of the most famous songs of the theatre, which were accompanied by some of the fastest well-performed choreography I have ever seen. Eat your heart out Justin Timberlake - "Chicago" puts all the great dancers of the world to shame (especially when they're wearing fishnet stockings).

High-flying, sexy, entertaining. The songs, the dances, the satire. This is definitely one production you have to see, no matter who or where you are.

Review by Richard J Turner (22nd January 2004)

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