The original play was intended to be a cynical satire on the corrupt criminal justice system and concept of a celebrity criminal at the time. Set in 1920s Chicago, every version of the story follows a Roxie Hart that murders a man and has her husband pay exorbitant amounts of money for legal defense that turns her into a criminal celebrity and results in her attaining a not-guilty verdict. The Musical film was based on stage musical from 1975, which was based on a film from 1927, which was based on a play from 1926… confusing I know. Book tickets here.20 years ago Chicago won six Academy Awards including best picture. It showcases a huge amount of South African talent in a well-loved musical. If you are in the Joburg area 26 April to 26 May, I would really recommend giving this production support. Perhaps a well-deserved break might boost energy for the Joburg performances. I think it just lacked a bit of life, which is perhaps understandable, when the cast has been pushing through performances across the world. With such dark stories, it can become hard to find the “lightness” or spark, without detracting from the serious topics that the show aims to highlight.Īs I said though, the cast and the band were fantastic in every technical sense, and the show ticked all the right boxes. I think also, the difficulty with Chicago, is that the story is very serious, but coated with a sheen of “Showbiz” razzle-dazzle, similar to another famous Kander and Ebb classic, Cabaret. It did pick up a bit in the second act (which was unusual for me, because the first act contains most of the famous Chicago hits), but I think perhaps fatigue of a long run may have hit the cast. The cast were almost faultless in every technical sense, but it felt mechanical, like they were just going through the motions. After a bit of contemplation, I think that what the show didn’t quite pull off, was heart. But Chicago doesn’t allow for that, and I thought Carmen Pretorius and Samantha Peo really did well with the choreography style and execution.Īlthough it’s hard to fault such a well-polished, slick and strong production, I felt that there was something lacking. In many musicals, leads aren’t expected to be talented dancers the chorus often dance around them as they sing, or “park and bark”, as the industry likes to say. The female leads were really excellent, and their dancing was also very impressive. I found some of the speaking-role ensemble accents jarringly bad however, so I think more effort could have been put into that. The ensemble were very well rehearsed they moved as one and their dancing really captured that famous Fosse style.
#Richard gere chicago razzle dazzle movie#
However, for me at least, the Chicago movie was truly outstanding, and for those of us not fortunate enough to travel to New York or London, watching one of the most famous musicals of all time on the screen in your living room was very exciting.īecause of my love of the movie, the stage version had a lot to live up to. In many cases, film adaptations of musicals leave true live performance fans feeling a bit robbed of the whole experience of the show, as often numbers or characters are cut for the sake of time. In 2002, the celebrated film adaptation of Chicago, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, Richard Gere and Queen Latifa, was released, and won six Academy Awards. Despite its original lack of recognition, Chicago has built itself up over the years as being one of the most famous and loved musicals, having spawned successful revivals on Broadway and the West End, and productions all over the world. The original production was nominated for 11 Tony Awards (which is quite a feat), but won none, as the much more popular (at the time), Chorus Line, premiered the same year. The Kander and Ebb classic, with original choreography by the legendary Bob Fosse, first hit Broadway in 1975. Today marks the last performance in Cape Town before a month-long stint at Montecasino Teatro in Joburg. The South African production of Chicago has been enjoying a celebrated season at the Artscape Opera House for the past month.
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