Broadway’s Chicago enthralls with slinky, sardonic show on its opening

MANILA, Philippines – The longest running musical “Chicago” set the stage ablaze for a pulse-racing revival last December 2 at the luxurious theater of Solaire. In a nutshell, murder, treachery and razzle-dazzle jazz was all it took to keep the crowd wildly entertained.

Presenting a stellar set of casts coming directly from the United States, Chicago’s very first Manila show captured hearts with its sly and satirical production, vivacious repertoire and classic story of trickery and shrewdness.

The staging by Bob Fosse together with the vaudeville-pastiche songs by John Kander and Fred Ebb made the show as glamorous and as hypnotic as ever whilst telling the tales of sensational murders.

For starters, Chicago is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who maliciously murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today’s tabloids.

The utterly irresistible Velma Kelly played by Terra C. MacLeod  opened the show by performing the trademark song "All That Jazz.” The flawless and mesmerizing dancing of MacLeod served as a stimulating reminder about just how brilliant, sexy and catchy the choreography is.

Bianca Marroquin, who plays Roxie Hart, sustained her foxy and cunning character despite not having a lot of dancing on the stage while Roz Ryan, who plays Matron "Mama" Morton also was a show stealer with his vocal prowess. The Fosse-styled choreography of Anne Reinking was carried through the end of the show, giving the audience a kick of satisfaction at the right end.

All the casts were in for a great show, sporting slinky and rogue black ensembles that made them look undeniably erotic. There is not that much changes in the costume, but with this kind of production, who needs ostentatious costumes and sparkling chandeliers? “Silver shoes with rhinestone buckles” is aptly enough if you would ask Roxy and Velma.

The use of space and interaction with the audience was also smart enough not to be noticed. The orchestra was placed on-stage in a quite elevated structure to provide the audience with a look on how the music is being made.  The casts intermingle with the orchestra and the audience, reminding each that everyone is part of the show.

Chicago features set design by John Lee Beatty, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Ken Billington and sound design by Scott Lehrer. The production also features orchestrations by Ralph Burns and supervising music direction by Rob Fisher.

The show will continue to run until December 21 at Solaire Resort and Casino’s new luxuriously styled 1760-seat Lyric Theatre, The Theatre.

Book your tickets now through TicketWorld. Call 891-9999 or visitwww.ticketworld.com.ph. Ticket prices range from P7,500 to P 1,750. For details, check out www.chicagothemusical.com, www.facebook.com/ticketworldinc and www.facebook.com/ConcertusManila.