The orchestra were absolutely fantastic, perfectly placed in the
middle of John Lee Beatty's simple but beautiful and fitting set. But the
thing that impressed me the most about this production was the brilliant
lighting design by Ken Billington, absolutely incredible. I don't take notice of
things like lighting design usually but in this production it was stunning. The
production which re-opened on November 7that the Garrick Theatre is
staring Ugly Betty star, America Ferrera. America brought a new flavour to
Roxie Hart, the role has been played by so many people that it could be hard to
find new life in her but she done this fantastically. She played
the role with sweetness and a beauty that made you love her; I do wish she could
have played the role with a little more sass though. America has a good
voice (however may need to work on her movement) and although she did have a
strong cold, still sounded good.
Amra-Faye Wright is a perfect Velma Kelly,
no wonder she has been used in so many Chicago productions (Including Broadway,
South Africa and Japan). She brings a bitchy but sexy side to the role.
Darius Campbell was good as Billy Flynn, having previously played the role
it is obvious he has settled comfortably back into the character however I was a
little bored and I almost felt like he made no effort. Jasna Ivir was a
stunning Mama Morton, fabulous voice with a Diva but motherly portrayal of the
role, James Doherty and R. Whitehead as Amos Hart and Mary Sunshine were also
good additions to the show.
A powerful ensemble pulled the show together,
each person had their own identity but still worked together as a team to support the principle actors and carry the show along.
Cell Block Tango was the best part of the show for me, it will remain (in my
opinion) as one of the best musical numbers ever to be staged. The lighting
of the scene, the choreography, and the way the actresses played each character
was all brilliant. This classic production will carry on to be an audience
favourite and will impress people for years to come.
The show not only
appeals to the theatre loving audience, but also to the people who never go to
the theatre. It's a safe show to buy tickets for, you know what you're getting
but it's also a very clever show. Coming from an actor's point of view, I can
see the work and thought that has gone into the show; I really don't think this
show gets enough credit for that. This stunning show is a classic, if you
haven't seen it already; go catch it at its new home (The Garrick
Theatre).
Rating:
****
Chicago is
currently playing at the Garrick Theatre
