the set is minimal but you still get all that jazz
Written: May 02 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: some superb acting, catchy songs, no distracting set
Cons: the theater is small and you must sit in the back for a good view
The Bottom Line: If you liked Chicago the Movie, you won't be let down by the play on Broadway! The staging is very different but in a good way.
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| njchicaa's Full Review: Chicago |
I am a huge fan of the Chicago movie. I saw it when it came out in the theaters and dragged my sister with me to go see it the next day. Then I bought it on DVD and watched it about 20 times on my own. I even bought the CD soundtrack so I could enjoy the songs while cleaning, cooking, etc. I was very interested to see Chicago on Broadway and was thrilled when my boyfriend surprised me with theater tickets for Christmas. He bought 2nd row, center-stage, orchestra seats. I was beyond excited!
The Cast
When I saw Chicago in January, Huey Lewis was playing Billy Flynn. It was neat to see a real "star" up-close and personal but he wasn't anything special while on stage. His voice was not strong enough to project through the theater and his heart just didn't seem to be in either his acting or his singing. Maybe I caught him on a bad night but I was somewhat disappointed with his performance. I was really annoyed to see that John O'Hurley took over for Huey Lewis a week or so later. I would have LOVED to have seen O'Hurley as Billy Flynn!
Charlotte d'Amboise played Roxie Hart. She was superb. She had a gorgeous voice, excellent acting, and great comedic timing. d'Amboise gives Roxie a great balance of the sweet and spicy that the character requires. You can tell that she is a seasoned theater actress and her performance was incredible.
Velma Kelly was played by Brenda Braxton. Frankly, she was HOT! She is another experienced theater actress who lights up the stage with her fiesty portrayal of one of the villians in this story. She blew away Catherine Zeta-Jones' interpretation of the character and I wasn't expecting that to be a possibility. Personally, I think Brenda Braxton was the best actor/actress on the stage during the entire show.
John C. Reilly played Amos Hart when I saw the show. He was the consummate pathetic clueless husband. His part was somewhat small but he made a big impact on the show during every second he was on stage. His exit at the conclusion was absolutely perfect!
The Set
The set is VERY minimal. The orchestra fills a giant arena-like box that takes up most of the stage. All of the acting, singing, and dancing takes place in the small space in front of this box and, occasionally, inside of it. I was somewhat disappointed to see how much space on the stage they took up--but I eventually realized that the setup helped you to focus on the action and to also enjoy the efforts of the musicians.
The Costumes
Expect tight tops, extra-tight pants, and the women wear almost nothing too! The costumes are somewhat revealing and provocative but it is in keeping with the general theme of the production.
The Music
It is delightful! As I noted earlier, you can see the entire orchestra because they are seated smack-dab in the middle of the stage. You can see them working and it helps you to enjoy their music even more, if that's possible. My favorite songs in the show are "Cell Block Tango", "All That Jazz", and "Razzle Dazzle". They all are pretty amazing, though, and you might find other favorites of your own.
The Theater
The Ambassador Theater is VERY small. EXTREMELY small. I'm talking tiny! We had 2nd row center orchestra seats which my boyfriend bought because he, obviously, thought that they were the best seats available.
After being in the theater and seeing the show, I have to say that closer is not necessarily better for Chicago. The theater is so small that you need to sit in the back-half of the space in order to get a good view of the ENTIRE stage. The seats in the first few rows give you a very good view of the middle-stage but you always have to be turning your head and checking out all of the space to be sure you're not missing anything. At one point in the show, Charlotte d'Amboise was hanging off of a ladder on the right edge of the stage and was singing for a good minute or two before I realized she was, in fact, on stage.
We are going to see Chicago again in a few weeks and have purchased front-row seats in the upper-level. We believe that we will have a much better view of the show if we are seated farther back from the stage.
The Performance Overall
I was a bit skeptical when I walked into the Ambassador Theater. I didn't believe that a live-show could do justice to all of the flashbacks and flash-back-forwards that are a part of Chicago. The performance was extremely entertaining, engaging, and well-performed. I loved the movie-version but I am pleased to report that I love the Broadway show just as much!
Recommended:
Yes
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