Wednesday, December 4

Tag: Gary Chryst

Chicago – Bradford Alhambra 
Yorkshire & Humber

Chicago – Bradford Alhambra 

There is no better opening in musical theatre than Chicago as a troupe of ripped and toned dancers shimmy, strut and shoulder roll their way round the stage in perfect unison as vaudeville performer turned murderess Velma belts out All That Jazz. Originally choreographed by the great Bob Fosse this is a show full of ‘jazz hands’, which is a concept that many people sneer at, but as Craig Revel Harwood constantly points out on Strictly strong hands make for great dancing.  There is something really elemental about a simple move like a hand roll, and the dancers in this cast nail some of the toughest and naughtiest routines in any show.  At heart Fosse’s wonderfully cynical book is both a tribute to the exuberance of vaudeville and to the nature of fame, aided by the med...
Chicago – The Regent, Stoke
North West

Chicago – The Regent, Stoke

Originally directed by Bob Fosse, based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins and with music by John Kander, ‘Chicago’ graced the stage of the Regent Theatre in Stoke on Monday night. Directed originally by Walter Bobbie and with a recreation of the original direction by Stacey Haynes, ‘Chicago’ was set in the decadent 1920s and tells the story of the flamboyant ‘Roxie Hart’ (Faye Brookes) whose lover is murdered when he threatens to leave her. The story unfolds as she is desperate to avoid conviction. With several well-known names in this particular cast, the surprise of the night was the role of classical tenor, Russell Watson. Whilst his vocals were never in doubt, his acting was unknown but from his performance with ‘the Girls’ to ‘All I care about’ it was evident he would not disap...