by Ian Diddams
images by Chris Watkins media
“Chicago” is a stand out example of the musical theatre genre – great songs, great characters, great murders… It’s the story of Roxie Hart, slayer of her lover, her perennial doormat husband Amos Hart, her fellow murderess prison sidekick/enemy Velma Kelly, and those in authority Mama Morton the prison governess and defence attorney Billy Flynn.
Stage Coach’s “Further Stages” group of teens present this teen edition of this blockbuster musical at the Wharf Theatre this week, under the direction of Rhea Burke and production of Freddie and Chris Underwood.
It’s a fast-paced show incorporating the full triple threat of acting, singing and dance and the cast do not disappoint – to the extent that it’s difficult to split any of those three as “best”. Whether complex harmonies and split timings from ensemble singing, excellent characterisation from the principals or the outstanding ensemble choreography the troupe should be proud of what they have created… for many of them it is their first foray onto a full theatre stage with tech.
Isla Brett plays Roxie Hart to a tee … demure, frustrated but ultimately ambitious, and Darcey Scully contrasts wonderfully as Velma Kelly, sassy, forward and driven. Freya Osborne sleazes her way as Mama Morton, and Leon Marshall smooths slickly as the slickly smooth Billy Flynn. Olivier Baran contrasts believably as the underdog and love-struck Amos Hart.
Isla and Leon work sublimely together as ventriloquist and dummy in the press conference scene – it’s a standard scene of course but the two pull it off perfectly, Isla especially superb as the frozen, shiny faced doll at Billy Flynn’s control in “We both reached for the gun”.
The rest of the cast – Antonia Harvey, Evelyn Brewer, Keri-Ann Bridgeman, Antonia Harvey, Evelyn Morris, Mollie Wright, Aimee Self and Safiya Reda – move from multiple characters while singing and dancing … the press, death row murderesses, public and minor principals Mary Sunshine, Fred Casely, Fogarty and clerk.
The set is a simple and delightful black box, dressed with silvery drapes to rear, stage blocks and two chairs. The side walls display mock Chicago newspaper front pages declaring the various inmates’ alleged murders… Full credit must be given to the costume team of Wacky Wardrobe and the Wharf in-house team… flapper dresses to the fore, sharp suit for Flynn and suitably dweeby looks for Amos to mention a few.
“Chicago” is a BIG show to put on with its physical demands especially, and iconic numbers, and Stage Coach delivers with aplomb here. It’s a show that gives its audience everything … passion, pathos, and prison… and “All That Jazz”.
“Chicago” plays at the Wharf Theatre, Devizes Friday 20th February at 7.30pm, and on Saturday 21st February at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Tickets from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/the-wharf-theatre/chicago-teen-edition/e-qmrklx
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