Chicago – Lichfield Musical Youth Theatre
Lichfield Garrick
Tuesday 17th September 2024 (Opening Night)
By : Nigel Gambles
Photographs : Lichfield Musical Youth Theatre
Disclaimer : Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
I’ve see Chicago once before way back in 2001 with Alison Moyet and Denise Van Outen starring, so I knew that we were hopefully in for a musical treat. I was not wrong Lichfield Musical Youth Theatre knocked it out of the park.
Although this was the “Teen Edition” it lost none of its “Raz Ama Taz” and was full of “All That Jazz”
The show is the story of corruption in the legal system and the fickle nature of fame. It follows the tale of two “celebrity criminals” – Velma Kelly (Kathryn Whetter), a vaudeville star who murdered her sister and husband after catching them in bed together, and Roxie Hart (Beth Winspear), who abandoned her vaudeville dreams for stability with her husband Amos (James Williams), but shot her lover Fred Casely (Harry Rayson) for trying to abandon her. James performed a beautiful rendition of Mister Cellophane and Harrys was a short but shining performance.
Kathryn as Velma brought a magnetic sensuality to the role. Every moment she spent on stage, be it high-kicking, shoulder-shimmying or cartwheeling, the eye was drawn to her. Beth as Roxy similarly commanded the stage, her voice ringing out over the audience.
Matron “Mama” Morton (Grace Taylor) keeper of the keys introduces herself and reminds us all that she will do favours for favours in return via the song “When you’re good to mama” song power and gusto.
Zach Andrews as Billy Flynn, Roxie and Velma’s cunning, charismatic defense lawyer and master puppeteer of the press, gave a masterful performance.
Emerson Clarke Selby, who played the stereotypical sob sister reporter Mary Sunshine, was brilliant as camped up the role and brought a refreshing ray of her character’s namesake to the otherwise decidedly dark and cynical show.
The mental image of the show “Chicago” conjures a very distinct picture. and Sue Broad of the costume department worked hard to maintain that recognizable silhouette.
From the moment the curtain was raised they shimmied onto the stage and powered into a wonderfully energetic dance routine to “All That Jazz”. The Choreography was amazing the routines were perfectly performed and could have come from any west end stage full credit to Jessica Bennett. You can see that she has tried to stay true to Bob Fosse vision by incorporating some of the signature “Fossee” moves but always letting the unique spirit of this amazing youth group shine through.
With orchestra on a raised platform at the back of the stage and the atmospheric lighting and energetic performances by everybody it felt like we were being transported back to a speakeasy in downtown Chicago.
Finally my review would not be complete without recognising director Richard Poynton’s creativity which fully complemented Jessica’s choreography and Olivers musical direction.
This is a production that really does Razzle Dazzle and deliver All That Jazz and fully deserved the standing ovation from the full house.
