Chicago the Musical

Renowned as the second longest-running show on Broadway, it is clear why Chicago the Musical draws in the crowds whenever it is performed: iconic songs, the seductive and aesthetically pleasing choreography of Bob Fosse, and a narrative featuring memorable characters who are not necessarily “likeable”, but are engaging and immerse viewers in its tale of seduction, crime, murder, manipulation, and a little bit of all that jazz. Furthermore, especially with the recent Australian election cycles just behind us and the US election imminent this year, it continues to be a timely reminder about the role media plays in shrouding and influencing public perception, and how the narratives they run can run in the face of truth to push an ‘alternative fact’ or ‘false narrative’.

Chicago the Musical had its last Australian tour in 2019 and 2020, complemented by a stellar cast of A-listers, incredible photography and strong production values all around. This season is helmed by production companies Crossroads Live Australia and Jones Theatrical Group, which despite being under a different name at the time, involves the same lead producers behind the original 2019-2020 tour. Therefore, this feels more like an encore tour with an alternate cast, instead of a completely refreshed and new production. Is this a bad thing? Not really*. I believe that CHICAGO deserves a revamp at some point – maybe a slightly rejigged narrative, the same songs and choreography, but it is overdue for a refresh of its set design, which some might consider “boring” or overly minimalistic. But one can appreciate what they are presenting, providing as much space for the performers to shine as triple-threats, and giving the live band a prominent position on-stage.

The narrative of Chicago the Musical doesn’t stray far from expectations should you be familiar with the original musical or the early 2000s musical adapted from it. The story follows prisoners Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, imprisoned in the 1920s Jazz Age of Chicago for their individual reasons, each involving murder. The former: for murdering someone she was having an affair with. The latter: murdering her husband and sister over an affair. Their paths converge when they both enlist the charismatic yet manipulative lawyer, Billy Flynn, who masterfully orchestrates a media circus, diverting public perceptions from the truth and twisting them in their favour. However, each of them finds they have to fight for attention since, as it turns out, the key to a speedy, successful trial isn’t always the truth or a warped version of such, but one’s perception and newsworthiness.

As I mentioned in my 2019 review, Chicago the Musical is more of a “thinking” musical. It is not a show you can simply enjoy with half your brain switched off, at least not during your first viewing. If you are like me and work hard during the day, I would recommend considering a matinee to have that brain power to appreciate the story. Against the backdrop of talented choreography and catchy music, is a clever, complex tale woven between characters who are at best, naive, and at worst, exploitative. Of course, this is not to say this is a serious show. From the black comedy of Cell Block Tango, the puppeteer-like mannerisms of We Both Reached For the Gun and the moral questions raised in any conversation or song with Billy Flynn – not to mention the dialogue between characters, it may be a dark tale, but it is not all seriousness.

In terms of casting, Chicago the Musical has gone with stars of stage and screen to fill many of the leading roles – not necessarily names you will hear about every day or week in the Australian celebrity landscape, but those who have honed their talents and are experts in their respective performing arts fields. The show is headlined by Australian stage icon Anthony Warlow as Billy Flynn. The last time I saw him perform was in GFO’s 2017 season of The Wizard of Oz, and I felt he was really shoehorned into a role that didn’t let his capabilities shine, unlike his work around the same time in Fiddler on the Roof, which was bang-on impressive. I think he was a fantastic fit for the role of Billy Flynn, full of charm but presenting the characters’ clear ulterior motives. 

The leading lady roles were performed by television star Zoë Ventoura and musical theatre star Lucy Maunder as Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart. I will admit having listened to their 2019 counterparts perform their iconic songs so many times over the years, it took me a bit of time to warm to them, but they more than met the brief in their roles, and shone as the triple threats they needed to be. Furthermore, Peter Rowsthorn was impeccable as Amos, yet with such a lovable character (or pitiful depending on your perception of the scene), it would be hard to make the character unlikable. 

Now, this is no complaint about Asabi Goodman, as she was terrific in the role of Maton “Mama” Morton, but I left the show wanting more of her. I continue to believe that if the creative team behind Chicago the Musical as a whole decided to expand upon some plot points or characters in the future, Mama is one role that should be reviewed. Shout-out to Todd Dewberry who stood out to me in the 2019 Australian tour, and who I was delighted to see still grace the ensemble a second time!

Originally released to the stage over half a century ago, Chicago the Musical provides insightful commentary into the modern media landscape and the fluid perceptions of truth that we see every day around law and order, politics and even matters around a certain pandemic that the original creators likely didn’t envision when creating the musical all that time ago. This dual relevance testifies to the musical’s timeless nature, bridging the gap between its historical context and the ongoing societal dialogues of today. There are several to explain why Chicago the Musical has one of the longest runs on Broadway and tours globally frequently – and this in my opinion is the big one.

As for whether this 2023-2024 Australian tour of Chicago the Musical is worth seeing, it is a well-cast, well-presented production that complements the source materials well, and is definitely one that is worth seeing if you have the capacity to. However, with short runtimes in some states such as the Brisbane QPAC season, and potential cost-of-living pressures which may make it more of a challenge to attend such a show this year, I stand by my comment that one could perceive this as an encore season with an alternate cast, and if you saw the 2019 production, you won’t be missing out on too much new. Plus, the movie is always a classic, and remains a strong alternative.

Chicago the Musical remains a timeless, sizzling mirror of both its era and our current age – a spectacle where truth and fiction dance in a tantalising tango. Reflecting on the experiences of Roxie, Velma, and Billy, it leaves us pondering whether life, much like the musical, is merely a razzle-dazzle away from an alternative reality, or more accurately, one shaped by public perception and media distortion.

Final Score – Chicago the Musical’s 2023-2024 Australian Tour

As of writing, Chicago the Musical is being performed at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) Lyric Theatre, where it will be performed until 4 February 2024. A full list of venues (confirmed as of writing) can be found below:

The Otaku’s Study / The Theatre Sphere did not receive any financial benefit or tickets in return for undertaking this review.