Ten very talented musicians, led by fun-loving maestro Neil MacDonald, opened Chicago the Musical at Hull New Theatre on Monday evening – or at least, one of the three trumpeters did.
But all ten played an enraptured audience out at the show’s end, with the aforementioned maestro encouraging us to wave our arms in the air to the music.
Such talents are often hidden away in a theatre’s orchestra pit, so for these musicians to be on stage for the duration was a joy.
All the action takes place in 1920s Chicago, Illinois, mostly in the women’s block of the Cook County Jail, after unfaithful housewife and nightclub dancer Roxie Hart (Janette Manrara, of Strictly Come Dancing fame) is held there pre-trial for murdering her lover.
The stage designers of this amazing production cleverly ensured the orchestra took up a large part of the setting, leaving no room for dull, metal prison bars, etc.
The block is ruled by warden Mama Morton (Linda John-Pierre), not with an iron fist, but with a “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” mentality.
Also awaiting trial for a murder is Mama’s current favourite felon, Velma Kelly (theatre and screen regular Djalenga Scott), and it’s the rivalry between the petite Roxie and the statuesque Velma that kept everyone in the packed theatre entertained throughout.
And when Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer, the besuited Billy Flynn (West End legend Darren Day), enters the fray, all gloves are off.
Other inmates get a look in when Velma and her cellmates each reveal why they murdered the men in their lives in a hilarious scene which saw them play musical chairs while singing along to Cell Block Tango, belting out its chorus: “He had it coming”.
Chicago the Musical is packed with singalong numbers such as All That Jazz, Razzle Dazzle and Roxie, to name just three – all accompanied by the most wonderful orchestral sounds.
One memorable song, Mister Cellophane, sung movingly by Roxie’s long-suffering husband Amos (the definitely visible Joshua Lloyd), was both poignant and amusing. The audience took him to their hearts, and he thoroughly deserved the loud, sympathetic “ah” as he exited the stage later on.
Prison garb in the Cook County Jail consisted of skimpy but tasteful costumes that wouldn’t have looked out of place on the stage of the Moulin Rouge cabaret in Paris.
And when worn by super-professional dancers with the most amazing figures – and legs to die for – well, what’s not to like?
All inmates’ clothes were mainly black, and that colour, in general, was carried through for the males, who were resplendent in leather trousers and see-through vests. Their roles as judge, doctor, clerk, bailiff, jury, murder victim, and so on, along with their superb dancing, added to the fun and games on the night.
A more colourful character – literally – is Mary Sunshine (Jordan Lee Davies), a reporter who takes a shine to Flynn. Luckily for us in the auditorium, our drinks were in plastic glasses – otherwise, I swear, Mary’s unbelievably high-pitched voice would have resulted in broken glass everywhere.
And Mary astounds us all with a very surprising – and revealing – theatrical flourish.
The sheer talent in this production left us in no doubt we were witnessing the utmost professionalism by all concerned, embodying superbly choreographed dancing, singing, acting, acrobatics, comedy and music.
Darren Day, as the unscrupulous lawyer Flynn, although the most well-known name in the production, graciously never hogged the limelight, playing his character with understated menace. His singing voice has matured over the years and is better than ever.
In one fabulous scene, he was surrounded by dancers holding huge ostrich feather fans, in an eye-popping routine reminiscent of a Busby Berkeley production of the 1920s.
Djalenga Scott brought Velma to life with unmatched ladylike grace, interspersed with an edge that revealed her true self at times. Her tuneful singing voice reverberated around the theatre, while vying for attention with her long, long legs that showed off her faultless dancing.
Linda John-Pierre’s jail warder Mama was a delight from start to finish. We knew she was naughty, but her prisoners loved her – and so did we. Her rendition of When You’re Good to Mama not only showcased her wonderful singing voice, but highlighted her cheeky persona.
And then we come to Roxie, played by Janette Manrara.
Utterly mesmerising, and hardly ever off the stage – singing (beautifully), dancing (amazingly), clowning around, lying, cheating and murdering – she was theatrical perfection.
In fact, everything about this award-winning musical is perfect. Theatregoers can’t ask for more, and on Monday evening, a standing ovation was a given.
Playing until 5th July, https://www.hulltheatres.co.uk/
Reviewer: Jackie Foottit
Reviewed: 30th June 2025
North West End UK Rating:
Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein has tickled the funny bone of many over the years. It's…
We all know that Manchester has a reputation for enjoying a drop of rain, so…
It's the most wonderful time of the year, and what a better way to get…
Alaa Shehada’s one man show about growing up in Jenin is a funny and powerful…
Tom Clarkson and Owen Visser have returned with their anarchic Christmas show, The Christmas Thing.…
It’s December and that can only mean one thing: it’s almost Christmas—well, two things, because…