CATERPILLAR EYEBROW ARCH – ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Dramatic Premise
Hello, suckers!
It’s 1920’s prohibition-era Chicago. It’s a time of vaudeville, chorus girls, jazz, adultery and murder. A time when the line between criminal intent and celebrity is blurred.
Roxie Hart is married to hapless mechanic, Amos. But she’s having an affair with Fred Casely. When Fred calls an end to their shenanigans, Roxie declares that “nobody walks out on me” and shoots him in the back. Then she announces she’s “gotta pee…”.
Roxie convinces Amos to take the blame on the grounds that he has an arguable defence. He came home, saw Casely climbing through the window, and shot the intruder to defend both his property and his poor, innocent wife who is sleeping in an adjacent room. The penny only drops in Amos’ vacuous skull when the identity of the victim is revealed. Fred sold them their furniture. Why would he break into their home?
Now Amos is rattin’ on Roxie. And it’s off to Cook County Jail for her.
And that’s where Roxie meets Thelma Kelly. Thelma’s a vaudeville star and she’s moderately famous for a variety show with her sister, Veronica, which ends in twenty acrobatic acts in a row. But her real celebrity comes from killing her husband and sister when she caught them doing number seventeen: the spreadeagle!
So, now Roxie and Thelma are rivals. Both facing the gallows for murder. But both looking to parlay their celebrity into commercial success.
Will they be amongst the first women hung for murder in Illinois? Or will their lawyer, Billy Flynn, conceal the truth with his razzle dazzle and help them beat the rap; thus propelling them to the stardom they covet.
Star Power
This is not the first night my wife and I have spent with the merry murderesses of Cook County Jail.
The first time we saw Chicago was during the Capitol Theatre production in the late 1990’s. We saw it again at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre in the 2000’s. We’ve even experienced the famed production on Broadway, on our first visit to New York.
This rendition compares well with those productions from the past. It’s slick. It’s sexy. And it’s funny.
There is, however, just one thing missing. As good as Zoe Venoura was in the role of Thelma Kelly, my wife and I were spoiled by seeing Caroline O’Conner several times in this central role. Caroline set the standard. Nobody we’ve seen since has matched her comic timing, her physical comedy or her simple star power. Not even on Broadway.
Nothing I’ve said is intended to disrespect Ventoura. She delivered a fine performance. If you’re George Harrison, there’s no shame in being overshadowed by Lennon and McCartney.
An Act with Lots of Flash In It
The audience joining us for this Sunday evening show were certainly an educated bunch.
They welcomed each of the primary characters to the stage with raucous cheers. Thelma Kelly (Zoe Venoura) strutting down the steps between the percussion and brass sections. Roxie Hart (Lucy Maunder) leading Fred Casely to her bedroom. Gormless Amos (Peter Rowsthorn) in his shapeless cardigan. Matron Mama Morton (Asabi Goodman) belting out a song simply creaming with saucy double entendres. And Billy Flynn (Anthony Warlow) asking whether everybody’s here and whether everybody’s ready.
They each received generous applause – and some random hooting – when they entered the stage.
And the buoyant crowd was clapping and cheering even before the first chords of The Cellblock Tango rang out from the stage.
Perhaps, like us, they had seen this show before!
Which is a testament to the show, ain’t it!
We’re passionate because it’s a show with lots of flash in it.
The original creatives – musician John Kander, lyricist Fred Ebb and choreographer Bob Fosse – melded music and words and dance to create such an intoxicating story of, in their own words, “greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery and treachery…all those things we hold near and dear to our hearts“.
But it’s really a story about those who yearn for fame. And will do anything to achieve it.
And with the review done, “my exit music, please!“.
For more information about this production of Chicago:
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