Theatre review: Chicago, Edinburgh Playhouse

FROM Corrie’s Kelly Crabtree to Chicago’s Velma Kelly, Tupele Dorgu has come a long way. While Velma is a “merry murderess”, Dorgu steals the show.

From the moment she belts out opening number All That Jazz, Dorgu gives us a Velma to believe in. And more than any of the other marquee names, she holds her own with the brilliant, sexy ensemble whose dancing, singing and acting is vital to the musical’s success.

Which isn’t to say the rest of the leads are chopped liver in this Vaudeville-meets-Fosse satire on celebrity trials in 1920s America. Ali Bastian is a treat as rival prisoner Roxie Hart, showing off the dancing talent developed by Strictly. Her singing’s not always the strongest, but she brings a sly vulnerability and comic timing to fame-seeking Roxie.

As shyster lawyer Billy Flynn, Stefan Booth is suitably unctuous and surprises with a rather lovely singing voice in Razzle Dazzle, All I Care About and We Both Reached For the Gun.

Someone with nothing to prove in the vocal department is Bernie Nolan (like Bastian and Booth, a former Bill star), but she’s miscast as Mama Morton, being too slick and nice to convince as the corrupt prison boss.

Mama’s opposite, Roxie’s naive husband Amos, is played by Jamie Baughan and his sweet Mr Cellophane had the audience offering a collective cuddle.

With song after memorable song, a rousing house band led by Adrian Kirk and sharp staging, if you like musicals at all, you really should visit Chicago.