Chicago - Cambridge Theatre

SYNOPSIS

Chicago

Chicago the musical is a rip-roaring, all-singing, all-dancing show of murder, passion, intrigue and deceit set in 1920s Chicago. In the spotlight is ambitious chorus girl Roxie Hart -- imprisoned for the murder of her lover. She meets Vaudevillian performer and murderess, Velma Kelly, who killed her sister after she discovered that she was having an affair with her husband. The two form an unlikely partnership in a bid to win their freedom and to get back into the public limelight as 'criminal celebrities' - no matter what the cost.

Starring some of the biggest names from stage and screen, Chicago has been described as a 'sexy musical extravaganza' that will set your head spinning and have you on the edge of your seat.

Chicago's Origins

Chicago the musical is based on the 1926 play of the same name written by Chicago Tribune columnist Maurine Dallas Watkins. In 1924, Watkins popularised the concept of 'celebrity criminal' when she covered the murder trials of Beulah May Annan and cabaret singer Belva Gaertner. Both were acquitted through the hard work of their defence lawyers, even though the circumstances and evidence surrounding the cases might have suggested a different verdict.

Watkins' column in the Chicago Tribune became so popular during the time of the trials that she decided to write a play documenting them. The play received many plaudits, and in 1926 it ran on Broadway for 172 performances.

Chicago hit Broadway again in 1975 -- but this time as a full-blown song and dance musical written, directed and produced by John Kander, Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse. The format ran for 936 performances before closing in August 1977. Bob Fosse, who co-wrote the story with lyricist Fred Ebb, choreographed the musical. It is Fosse who is credited with giving Chicago the musical its strong and sometimes controversial cutting edge. Many of Fosse's ideas have been incorporated into the Broadway revival of 1996 and can be seen in the current West End production.

Chicago in the West End

The current production of Chicago is a streamlined and updated version of the show that first ran on Broadway in 1975. It came to the West End in November 1997 - just a year after it was revived on Broadway. The show began life in London at the Adelphi Theatre where it ran for nine years until April 2006. It then transferred to the Cambridge Theatre on Earlham Street in Camden Borough where it plays today.

With Chicago, John Kander, Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse created some of theatre's most memorable characters. Over the years, the roles have attracted some big names to the stage. These include Brooke Shields and Melanie Griffiths, both of whom have played Roxie Hart. Velma Kelly's character has been taken on by, among others, Ruthie Henshall and Bebe Neuwirth, while John Barrowman, Harry Hamlin and David Hasselhoff have all stepped into the shoes of Billy Flynn, the sharp-talking lawyer.

No doubt, there'll be a few more famous names to add to this list in the future!