CHICAGO the musical
a stage review
© 2014 Jeanne Powell
Chicago in the 1920s was that toddlin’ town, the one that Billy Sunday couldn’t shut down. Its rough and tumble reputation was celebrated onstage in a 1996 musical, winning several Tony awards, and the play has been in demand ever since. The current production visiting San Francisco’s Orpheum Theatre is colorful and entertaining, with a surprise or two just for this City by the Bay.
The story? Roxie Hart (Bianca Marroquin)) is charged with killing her lover, who has been unfaithful. In jail awaiting trial, she has to compete with accused killer Velma Kelly ((Terra C. MacLeod) for jailhouse privileges, press coverage, vaudeville bookings to celebrate her notoriety, and for the best defense attorney, Billy Flynn, played by John O’Hurley. The chorus establishes the atmosphere nicely – “in this town murder is a form of entertainment.”
For those who want special attention, the person to know in the women’s jail is matron Mamma Morton (Roz Ryan), who lights up the stage with “when you’re good to mama, mama’s good to you.” And there is an ironic number where six or seven sweet prisoners sing and dance a “jailhouse tango” about why the men in their lives “had it coming all along!”
Based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, and originally choreographed and directed by Bob Fosse (1927-1987), “Chicago” has undergone revisions over the years. For example “All That Jazz” is a song from a 1979 Fosse musical of the same name, but its refrain was added quite successfully to this version of “Chicago.” And the mashup of 1920s moral defiance translates well into today’s ethics quagmire.
Bianca as Roxie blazes her way across stage as a wife who is besotted with her lover and when he doesn’t show her respect, she shoots him. Her long suffering husband Amos (Jacob Keith Watson) melts your heart with “Mr. cellophane should have been my name.” And Velma gracefully struts her frustration with satirical comebacks and multiple schemes to take attention off Roxie and refocus it on her own legal problems. Ms. Newcomer is Mary Sunshine, a sentimental “sob sister” journalist covering these bad girls, who has a few surprises in store for everyone.
John O’Hurley delights as defense attorney Billy Flynn, “silver-tongued prince of the courtroom.” He sings “all I care about is love” surrounded by dancing ostrich feathers, one of many funny moments as he consistently demands his legal fee up front before he will defend these women.
Roxie Hart’s trial is hilarious; the barbed and bantering humor even causes O’Hurley to break character for a moment as he appreciates the jury. “The jury” has to be seen to be fully appreciated, so I shall say no more here.
Great live orchestra, conducted by Robert Billig. An enjoyable evening of music and satire.
