Has anyone seen Chicago

I am going to see Chicago at Wanneroo next Fri,has anyone seen it,and if so can we have a review please.I will be going in any case but it would be nice for someone to post their opinion

Thankyou

Yep, I saw it Opening Night. I posted these thoughts earlier but you may not have seen them so I'll repeat them here for you:

Congratulations to all at the Limelight on Chicago, especially the sensational band and leader Shaun Fraser, the amazing Sonni Byrne, the delightful David Nelson, the hilarious Ryan Taafe, the fabulous choreography and gorgeous choreographer Fiona Scott and the stunning standout performance in the ensemble of Dixie Farinosi.

In my eyes these people made the show!

My long-considered thoughts on Chicago (no, actually I'm just slack!)

I've seen 3 productions of Chicago now & it is one of my favourite musicals, so I am always a bit wary of my own high expectations. I went to see the Wanneroo production with friends Sat Nov 24th & am pleased to say that it was great.

Above all else, what really made the show for me was the use of a live orchestra - not just keyboards or a backing CD. Live music just cannot be beat & (oh no! my program has been recycled!!) this band could play! It was obvious that they enjoyed themselves as much as we did, & the opportunity to hear them play at the close of the show was a wonderful inclusion. My only criticism there is that it would have been better to use their closing number as an entreacte. I felt that giving the stage to the band after all the applause was finished shortchanged them in terms of well-deserved audience appreciation.

Now - to the actors: director Bob Mainwaring's casting was very well chosen, & it was good to see more how shall I say mature performers playing various roles. The characters in Chicago have been around the block once or twice & the cynicism & irony in the script was well-served by actors who have a bit of life experience under their belts. The actors were able to let their characters' pasts add dimension to the present.

Although there is no denying the fact that I am a great fan of my very dear friend Sonni Byrne - she was an absolute standout. I'm sure any unbiased audience member would agree that her stage presence, comic timing & yes, her incredible voice made Roxy Hart unforgettable. David Nelson as Roxy's naive husband Amos was poignantly comical & his Mr Cellophane was beautifully done.

Had my dog not eaten my program, I could name the other cast members & give them their due, however character names will have to suffice:

The actor playing Velma Kelly used a combination of great timing, wacky facial expressions & strong body language to carry off her role quite handily. Unfortunately on the night I went it seemed that her voice let her down a little, or perhaps that the music sat a little too much in the passagio area of her vocal range. Nonetheless Velma's numbers were very well performed & the duet Class with Mamma Morton was beautiful.

I can't believe that out of the 3 productions I've seen, Wanneroo's was the only one to actually use the not-too-subtle lesbian innuendo of the matron to full effect. The actor's voice & physical presence were great for the part, but again a little difficulty as the vocal range changed from chest to head voice. Perhaps a bit of phony ingenoue breathiness would have helped in some bits?

Mary Sunshine is a bitch of a part to carry off & was brilliantly done. I have never heard Little Bit of Good sung so well in an amatuer production. The makeup & costuming were also spot-on, with not a bit of Tootsie or drag queen in it.

The actor playing Billy Flynn did a good job in another vocally challenging role, and the Press Conference Rag (I think it's called) ventriloquist number was particularly hilarious.

The rest of the cast was a tight ensemble and their staging provided great support in the way of background action. The variety of performers & the many different roles played by each of them (especially the Jury - well done!) added a lot to the show as a whole. The choreography & dancing were very tight & looked wonderful.

The set was quite spare, but rightly so given all the action. Nice touch with the rollaway bed. The lighting really made a big difference to the show & looked particularly good during the ventriloquist act. Costumes were fabulous, although (& there is no other way to say it) some of the female ensemble had the audience more than a little anxious during the big dance numbers. A bit more support in the supporting roles would have been less distracting. (OK I said it!) Amos looked great in the clown suit, but although his costume suited that number very well it didn't particularly relate to the rest of the show. I would have liked to have seen more vaudeville bits here & there along the lines of Me & My Baby & Mr Cellophane.

And now I must shut up. Congrats to all involved in this fabulous production & good luck to anyone yet to book tickets - better hurry up!

YES A wonderful production different to the last two in Perth.
As usual SONNI BYRNE was just outstanding, can this lady act and sing; brilliant!!!!!!
All the cast were great, but special mention must be made of the actors who played Amos and Billy Flynn.
If you can get to see it before it closes

YES A wonderful production different to the last two in Perth.
As usual SONNI BYRNE was just outstanding, can this lady act and sing; brilliant!!!!!!
All the cast were great, but special mention must be made of the actors who played Amos and Billy Flynn.
If you can get to see it before it closes

BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT

An inspirational production. The talent in WA must be extraordinary for this production to be classed as 'amateur'.

I can't remember watching a piece of theatre so intensely overwhelming.

Pure 'Australian Dream!'