Showing posts sorted by date for query Chicago. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query Chicago. Sort by relevance Show all posts

Thursday 13 October 2016

Chicago (UK Tour), Churchill Theatre | Review

Chicago (UK Tour)
Churchill Theatre
Reviewed on Monday 10th October 2016 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★

Chicago is one of those classic musicals that everyone knows. It was one of the first ones I ever saw and it certainly holds a special place in my heart so I was thrilled when I heard about its UK tour. The overall production is fantastic and its one of the few shows I've given a five star rating!

The Churchill Theatre, Bromley provided a wonderful setting for this over the top, fabulous show. The music is of course fantastic and having the band on stage and involved in the action was wonderful and engaging. The staging is classic, elegant and sexy just like the show; with a simple tiered setting, a few extra chairs and two ladders coming in and out from the wings of the stage. Along with the faded mood lighting, the overall effect is simple but perfectly fitting for the show.

The whole cast is fantastic. Sophie Carmen-Jones embodies Velma Kelly to a T, giving a sultry, dramatic and slick portrayal and really shining in the production. Hayley Tamaddon gives Miss Roxie Hart a cheeky edge and truly manages to capture Roxie's development to a scheming seductress desperate for fame. I felt she really settled into the character as the show progressed and was extremely confident in her singing, dancing and acting- an all round great performance! John Partridge plays the sleazy Billy Flynn extremely well and you could tell from the audience reaction how engaged they were with his performance. Jessie Wallace also demonstrates her vocal abilities which I certainly didn't know she had and Mama Morton was wonderfully suited to her.

The 1920s setting of Chicago gives it a vintage feel which you can't help but feel attracted to. The swinging jazz numbers have you tapping your feet and make you feel as though you've been pulled into to a secretive speak-easy like environment. Chicago must be one of the sexiest shows around so if you're looking for inspiration to go to the gym just look at this cast! Everything about them is enviable, including the killer leg kicks and ridiculous figures!

I adore this show and if the full house was anything to go by then I think a lot of people do. If you can manage to snap up a ticket for the tour then you are guaranteed a sublime, sexy, sultry and sparkling night out!

Tuesday 14 June 2016

Samantha Barks Tour, Churchill Theatre | Review

Source: https://twitter.com/TheAlexEllison/status/742769269935616001
If you read this blog regularly or follow me on social media, you'll know that I am a huge Samantha Barks fan. Samantha is a singer and actress most well known for her role as Eponine in Les Miserables' West End cast, 25th anniversary concert cast and film cast. 

She has also starred in a number of shows such as City of Angels, Chicago, Cabaret and Oliver and has been working on a number of  films recently which are set to be released soon and has just released her self titled album under United Music.