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Making crime pay handsomely
Bearing witness: Tupele Dorgu as Velma, Stefan Booth as Billy Flynn, Ali Bastian as Roxie and Bernie Nolan as Mama Morton. Pictures: Hugo Glendinning Chicago – The Musical New Alexandra Theatre **** DYING has always been a fairly good career move to boost your profile but it does have its downside, namely the rather obvious fact you are not around to bask in the adoration or spend the profits. So next best thing? How about let someone else do
the dying and you just do the killing? Nothing like a bit of notoriety
to boost earning power, particularly for a pregnant showgirl defending
her honour and a vaudeville singer who took out two sides of a love
triangle with a revolver. That was the way of doing things in
pre-prohibition Chicago, the Roaring Twenties when this Fred Ebb and Bob
Fosse satire with music by John Kander was set, highlighting corruption
in the justice system and, rather like today, a media that flitted from
sensation to sensation like a swarm of flies. Former Coronation Street star Tupele
Dorgu is, to be honest, a bit scary as the leggy Velma Kelly as she puts
in a classy performance as the brash double - alleged -
murderess. Velma is in the women's block at Cook County Jail
awaiting trial for killing her husband and sister who were . . . being
somewhat friendly when Velma burst in on them. She is being groomed as a future vaudeville star
by the queen of corruption Matron “Mama” Morton, modelled on the
wonderful Sophie Tucker and played by the ever reliable Bernie Nolan.
Mama helps get her girls off and sets them up with new careers, for a
fee of course, helped by celebrity lawyer Billy Flynn, who can get
anyone off anything for $5,000.
Played by Stefan Booth of Hollyoaks and
The Bill fame, Flynn invents scenarios to explain the most
damning evidence that not only find his clients not guilty but almost
have courts apologising for trying them in the first place. With Velma ready for a national tour once she had
had her big Press launch, or trial as it was also known all was hunky
dory until Strictly Come Dancing semi-finalist Ali Bastian, who
was in The Bill with Booth, incidentally, appears as Roxie Hart
who has killed her lover Fred Caseley (Ian Oswald) because he was
dumping her. Or in-Flynn speak, had broken into her home,
plied her with drink and was trying to have his wicked way with her – Oh
and she was pregnant as well, for extra bonus points. With a new sensation in tow, the Press, led by
columnist Mary Sunshine, a sort of Tootsie figure in the hands, or
rather frock and wig, of Alex Weatherhill, leave Velma in her cell and
swarm around Roxie but even her ticket to stardom is cancelled when, as
her not guilty verdict is announced, another even more sensational,
multiple homicide in the street outside clears the court with the Press,
fame and fortune vanishing through the door. In the background, hardly noticed, is Amos Hart,
played beautifully by Jamie Baughan, who loves Roxie enough to confess
to her murder and even loves her when it is obvious the baby she is
carrying cannot be is, convincing himself he is the father. He really makes his mark with the sad song of the
show, Mr Cellophane about how nobody notices him, or at least I
think that is what it was about, probably no one was listening – a
lovely performance. Indeed all the songs were given the treatment
with some style and a slick ensemble of dancers including four scantily
clad young ladies who helped warm up a somewhat chilly theatre (where
seating is gradually being refurbished patrons will be pleased to hear). It opened with the show signature number, All
That Jazz, led by Velma then Roxie sings the bittersweet Funny
Honey about the husband she takes advantage of every day. We had the Cell Block Tango, with six
murderesses pleading mitigating circumstances for cold-blooded killings
– apart from Hunyak, (Chloe Ames) a Hungarian who spoke no English apart
from “Not Guilty” and relied on the US justice system rather than Billy
Flynn to establish her undoubted and genuine innocence . . . she hanged
of course. Tupele Dorgu as Velma the vaudeville killer who under her hard exterior hides a . . . hard centre We had Billy explain it was not evidence but spin
that won trials in Razzle Dazzle and finally Roxie and Velma,
finding their dream at last, or at least a low fat, low calorie, cut
down version of it, as a down the bill, Vaudeville double act in
Nowadays. This is a musical which is older than most of the
cast but there was nothing stale or faded in this production, helped in
no small part by an excellent 10 piece orchestra under Adrian Kirk. It is also helped that all the songs are written
in vaudeville style and based on actual performers which sets the whole
thing in the era of the 1920s with the story told in song rather than
dialogue. The musical, incidentally, is based on a 1926
play by Maurine Dallas Watkins who was a reporter on the Chicago
Tribune. The play in turn was based on two particular
trials she had covered, Beulah Annan, who was the model for Roxie, and
like her was married to a devoted car mechanic, and shot her lover. Then there was Belva Gaertner , a cabaret singer,
who was accused of shooting her lover but claimed he could have shot
himself. The evidence said otherwise rather loudly but both were
acquitted helped by celebrity lawyers who were to be the inspiration for
silver tongued Flynn. This is a quality production and is another sign
that ATG are bringing the dear old Alex back from the Midlands
theatrical doldrums which is great news for the region.. To 10-03-12. Roger Clarke Meanwhile from the table near the band . . . **** THIS is a musical that seems to prove
crime does pay, particularly if you are a slick lawyer or glamorous
female killer with a sob story to tell the press. Well, that was how it looked in Chicago during
the late 1920s when, in this tale of murder, corruption and adultery set
to music, sharp-as-a-needle Billy Flynn could win over a jury with his
high power brand of razzle dazzle.
I've seen this musical many times, and while the
current cast isn't the best, they still turn on the style with the
brilliant Bob Fosse inspired choreography and great songs like All That
Jazz, Cell Block Tango, All I Care About is Love, and Mister Cellophane. Stefan Booth, of The Bill and a finalist in
TV's Dancing on Ice, proves he can hold a long note when singing as well
as grasping a bundle of notes in the role of crafty lawyer Flynn, while
Ali Bastian displays the nimble footwork that saw her reach the
semi-final of Strictly Come Dancing in her role of Roxie Hart, the dizzy
blonde who guns down her lover and expects her simple husband to carry
the can. Jamie Baughan plays the amiable Amos Hart,
delivering the touching song, Mister Cellophane, perfectly, and Tupele
Dorgu, the former Coronation Street star, is a bundle of energy with a
strong voice as the glamorous double murderer Velma Kelly, a role she
has always wanted to play. It was rather chilly in the front stalls on
opening night, but being so close to the sexy six female killers singing
and dancing the Cell Block Tango certainly raised the temperature, and
in charge of the dangerous ladies, Bernie Nolan impresses as prison
matron Mama Morton And as a final sentence...the ten-piece
orchestra, directed by Adrian Kirk, are terrific, deserving the ovation
which matched the one for the cast at the final curtain. to 10.03.12 Paul Marston
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Her
lovers probably woke up wearing flak jackets.
