I hadn't seen the Broadway tour of
Chicago since 2018 (and
Theater Latte Da's brilliant production in 2019), and I have to admit, I forgot just how good it is. There's a reason this revival is the longest currently running Broadway musical, marking its 30th anniversary this year. The clever and jazzy score by the genius team of John Kander and Fred Ebb, Bob Fosse's iconic and positively thrilling choreography (reinterpreted by Ann Reinking for the 1996 revival, in which she also played Roxie), the ever more timely book (by Ebb and Fosse) that shines a harsh light on our culture's obsession with violence and celebrity, the incorporation of the onstage band into the story, and the seemingly endless supply of gorgeous and talented actor/dancer/singers who don't just inhabit these now familiar characters, they make them their own. If it's been a while since you, too, have seen
Chicago, or you have (gasp!) never seen it, now (
meaning this week only) is the time.
Chicago never gets old.*
Our two anti-heroines in 1920s crime-riddled booze-filled Chicago are Velma and Roxie, two murderers awaiting trial. Their story is told through a series of vaudeville-style vignettes, performed by the sexiest and best dressed prisoners you've ever seen. Velma and Roxie are at odds for most of the show, competing for the attention of slick lawyer Billy Flynn, the public's love, and a trial date. But after they literally get away with murder, they find that their 15 minutes of fame has disappeared, and they finally join forces in the fiercest act yet.*
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Claire Marshall's Velma with the ensemble
(photo by Jeremy Daniel) |
This gorgeous and talented cast is so fantastic, and so impossibly fit, performing this iconic choreography with endless athleticism, personality, and precision. And somehow even the ensemble dancers bring something new to each of these characters that we've seen countless times in the last 30 years. Claire Marshall is so confident and strong as Velma, Ellie Roddy is charmingly mischievous as Roxie, both inhabiting their roles so fully you forget about anyone you have seen in the past. Other highlights include Marc Christopher as the sad and sweet Amos, Max Cervantes as the smooth-talking lawyer Billy Flynn, and Illeana Kirvin bringing the house down as Mama Morton. In the hands of this ensemble, this is no tired rerun of a show, it feels fresh and modern and vibrant.
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Velma (Claire Marshall) and Roxie (Ellie Roddy)
(photo by Jeremy Daniel) |
The set is relatively simple and is dominated by the bandstand, housing ten musicians (reduced from 14 the last time I saw the tour, but still larger than most touring musicals). I love it when the band is highlighted and celebrated, and when I'm able to see them (when I can tear my eyes away from the dancing, that is). The show is performed in the space in front of the bandstand and on both sides, where the ensemble often sits when not performing, like they're waiting for their cue just offstage. Well not like, they are. This production is just so clever, it's no wonder it's such a huge success.* And it's so crisp and efficient, with minimal sets and barely-there costumes, there's nothing to clutter up the story, the music, and the dancing.
Seeing Chicago in the midst of the most violent time in Minnesota in my lifetime was a bit... odd. All of the talk of guns and murder is a bit painful to watch in light of the gun violence we've seen here recently, something that's long been part of the culture but has hit way too close to home in the last year, with political assassinations, school shootings, and the continuing violent assault of people on our streets by federal agents. But it's a testament to the brilliance of this show that 50 years after it was written, the themes of celebrity culture, our flawed justice system, the "razzle-dazzling" of people by corrupt officials, and our obsession with crime and violence have never been more relevant. Like all Kander and Ebb musicals (see also Cabaret), Chicago is smart, biting, spot-on social commentary wrapped up in a sexy shiny package.
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| give 'em the old razzle dazzle (photo by Jeremy Daniel) |
*Some text borrowed from my review of the 2018 tour.
