Review: Chicago at Crown Theatre

Chicago at Crown Theatre
Thursday, November 23, 2023

Crown Perth audiences were well and truly treated to generous servings of razzle dazzle with the opening of the latest musical production, Chicago.

With the Perth season kicking off the Australian tour (rather than the usual Sydney or Melbourne launch), local theatre fans were first in line to witness a production that can be described in a single word: Showstopper.

Catapulting its audience into the deliciously debaucherous criminal backdrop of 1920s Chicago, the amusingly witty and eloquently cynical Broadway classic follows sly murderess Roxy Hart as she navigates the ‘showbiz’ of criminal justice, or rather dazzling injustice. Clashing with media darling and fatale Velma Kelly, the two vie for fame and adoration in the eyes of the press, with the assistance of the expertly crooked lawyer Billy Flynn.

Leading the cast as Roxie Hart, Lucy Maunder’s astute balancing of Hart’s faux-innocence and strategic helplessness, with her ambitious and cunning attempts to garner fame and stardom, produced a well-rounded, villainous yet endearing character who was as entertaining to disdain as to secretly support. While Maunder’s vocals often felt a lot quieter than many of her fellow performers, her parts were delivered with palpable feeling.

Alongside Mauder, Zoe Ventoura was a commanding Velma Kelly, animating the killer’s glamour, ferocity, and determination without fault. Ventoura’s ability to perform, often in succession, several of the show’s most energetic songs, complete with choreography, was highly impressive, while her easy sarcasm and comedic timing contributed to several of the show’s most memorable scenes.

Anthony Warlow’s take on the dastardly, system-dodging Billy Flynn strongly complemented the performances of Maunder and Ventoura, balancing their ambitious visions of stardom and criminal self-interest with his own unabashedly personal motivations and dismissive nonchalance.

Beloved Australian star Peter Rowsthorn arguably gave one of the strongest performances of the show, as the chronically ignored and overlooked Amos, whose tragically unconditional love for Roxy and belief in love were captivatingly portrayed in Rowsthorn’s almost painfully sincere and unassuming characterisation.

Likewise, Asabi Goodman’s performance as Matron ‘Mama’ Morton was masterful, with her delivery of When You’re Good to Mama easily standing out as one of the show’s highlights, with Goodman’s enthralling vocals inspiring great applause.

The set design was a highly dynamic and innovative take on the classic Brechtian staging of the show. While rejecting the cluttered stages of similar Broadway productions, it still maintained a sense of spectacle. The placement of the orchestra in the centre of the stage on several levels, with performers emerging from and disappearing into the set and dancing around and through it, made for a visually engaging design at all times, particularly by exposing the orchestra (an often unseen entity), who were often the source of comedic moments, in addition to their impressive playing.

The result was a total dismissal of opulent set dressing to highlight the exceptional talent of the ensemble performers and the intelligent and immaculately delivered choreography. An ode to Bob Fosse, the show incorporated his signature highly-stylised, contemporary style of dance with several modern and contemporary elements.

Chicago was a pleasure to watch and easily one of the most captivating, well-presented musical productions to hit Perth stages this year. With a short run of only four weeks, it would be criminal to miss this spectacular show.

BEC WELDON