Chicago Cliffs Pavilion Review

June 29, 2016 by Claire

Chicago Review

I love musicals. The hum of the orchestra warming up, the rich vibrato voices and mesmerising dance routines. Having been an Actors Agent in a past life, musical theatre is my passion and I have seen a fair few over the years!

Jazz hands at the ready, I was chomping at the bit to see Chicago at The Cliffs Pavilion. Based on events in the roaring 1920s, nightclub singer Roxie Hart shoots her lover and, along with Cell Block rival double-murderess Velma Kelly, they fight to keep from death row with the help of smooth talking lawyer, Billy Flynn.

The show is jam-packed with show stopping tunes, ‘All That Jazz’, ‘Razzle Dazzle’, ‘Cell Block Tango’ and I defy you not to feel a prickle of pleasure at the sheer brilliance of these big numbers. The stage is stripped almost bare, along with the majority of actors. With minimal props and full view of the band, it really is the dancing and music that carries you into the story and makes the show shizzle.

An eclectic mix of actors take on the coveted roles. With Hayley Tamaddon off for the night, we were rewarded with the impressive talents of Lindsay Tierney as Roxie Hart, the fame hungry Femme Fatale. It’s never easy to step on to stage as the understudy, with usual murmurs of disappointment from the audience, but Lindsay was firing on all cylinders and offered a real sparkle to the role.

X-Factor winner, Sam Bailey kept Matron ‘Mama Morton’ cool with a hint of menace but boy, when that woman sings, she lifts off the roof, all with effortless aplomb. John Partridge plays the super-suave and rather slippery lawyer, Billy Flynn and is given free rein to be as theatrical as he desires. A fabulous set where Billy controls Roxie like a ventriloquist's dummy is particularly brilliant and Partridge shines.

Despite the starry names, Sophie Carmen-Jones is tremendous as Velma and the dancing ensemble take on the Bob Fosse choreography with breathtaking brilliance.

Who needs the West End when you have a piece of brilliant theatre on your own door step! If you want a jazzy, spectacular and sexy night out, then go see Chicago!

Chicago is running through to the 2nd July at The Cliffs Pavilion. To book tickets please click the link https://southendtheatres.org.uk/online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=917FAC7A-5FD6-4042-9982-DCE11B9CC7D4

Photo by Photo by Catherine Ashmore