Chicago is one of those musicals that people say you have to watch (then again, there are things that so many people say you need to watch, like Infernal Affairs, which I haven’t gotten to until recently) which I never really got the opportunity to. If it was available, there would be other things to watch; if I was free, it wasn’t available, and so on.

Now I know why people say you have to watch it.

It’s such a cultural touchstone of our era. I finally understand all the references to it. I finally understand what Bob Fosse’s style is, why Roxie Hart means so much to people, why this is such an important milestone in terms of celebrities doing shitty things (in this case, it’s the idea of celebrity criminals).

Most importantly, the choreography is also absolutely amazing.

Synopsis

Chicago is a musical based on the 1926 play of the same name. It revolves a murderer who ends up using her case to gain fame as a celebrity criminal – and stave off the consequences of her actions. However, she’s not the first person to think of doing this – and this might very well put her plan into jeopardy.

I lost my Playbill for Chicago so the credits are based on IBDB and what I could research. Some information needs verification – please reach out if I’m inaccurate!

Director: Walter Bobbie

Music: John Kander

Lyrics: Fred Ebb

Written By: Fred Ebb & Bob Fosse

Cast:

• Alyssa Milano (Roxie Hart)
• Kimberly Marable (Velma Kelly)
• Max von Essen (Billy Flynn)
• Raymond Bokhour (Amos Hart) [needs verification]
• R. Low (Mary Sunshine) [needs verification]
• Natasha Yvette Williams (Matron ‘Mama” Morton)
• Eddie Bennett (Aaron)
• Jeff Gorti (Doctor, Judge)
• Jaquez (Fred Casely)
• Arian Keddell (Mona)
• Mary Claire King (Go-To-Hell-Kitty)
• Barrett Martin (Sergeant Fogarty)
• Celina Nightengale (June)
• Kristen Faith Oei (Hunyak)
• Jermaine R. Rembert (Martin Marrison)
• Mikayla Renfrow (Lix)
• Rachel Schur (Annie)
• Colt Adam Weiss (Harry, Juror)
• Matthew Winnegge (Bailiff, Court Clerk)

Amazing dance choreography

I’m not an expert in dance choreography by any means, but even I could tell that the dance sequences were elaborate, coordinated, and incredibly sophisticated. Given that the musical numbers were originally choreographed by Bob Fosse, I completely see what people mean by his style. It’s been homaged in so many other shows that the style is recognisable, and I am finally able to credit it to the person who started it all.

Music and dance synchronisation

It’s one thing to have an amazing dance routine.

It’s another thing to have the musical beats synchronise so well to the dance moves that it almost seems like they’re one seamless whole. I know that’s the point of musicals – that the dance keeps time the beat of the music. But Chicago does it so brilliantly that it almost seems like magic – and it’s something that so few other musicals can replicate.

Velma Kelly – a sassy villainess that doesn’t irritate

The thing about sass is this – it’s difficult to be sassy without moving into the territory of being annoying. Just check out any social media profile that claims to be “sassy” and you’ll see it’s full of self-important words like “gosh” or self-absorbed phrases like “I’m so exhausted”. But Velma Kelly (Kimberly Marable) manages to be completely sassy without being some irritatingly self-centred antagonist. That is what endears her so much to the audience – and makes her a villain that we love (rather than love to hate).

Roxie’s relatable struggle

Roxie (Alyssa Milano) is, in a way, the prototype victim of social media fame. Towards the end, it’s not even the sentence that she’s truly afraid of – it’s the fact that she might lose her celebrity status altogether. It says so much about how the case and the resulting media coverage of it has changed her, such that it’s become a drug – or sustenance, even – that it means more that she retains her fame. In a way, isn’t that the struggle we all face as social media users these days? It delivers such a timeless message about the emptiness of fame, despite its allure.

More for performance than plot

Admittedly, the plot is nothing to write home about – it is a product of its time, and it can seem a little too on-the-nose in this day and age. What you’re really watching Chicago for is the stunning visual performances, the song and dance numbers, and how all this comes together to tell the vaudeville of Roxie Hart. In a way, the medium is more important than the message – and for Chicago, that’s the entire point.

Should you watch Chicago?

If you’ve never caught it before, then yes – you should watch Chicago. If you’re in the media, then yes – you should watch Chicago to understand all the references to it in the modern day. If you appreciate the arts, then yes – you should watch Chicago for the performances. Suffice it to say, Chicago is on the list of musicals that everyone should watch for good reason. Whether you’re a fan of it or not, there’s no doubting how much Chicago has shaped our culture today.

Score: 7/10

This review is for the 28th September, 2024 performance of Chicago.