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‘Chicago’ at the Fox
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
THEATER REVIEW. Through Sunday. Grade: B -
For a Broadway musical built on windy jazz and illicit nooky, Kander and Ebb’s “Chicago� wallows in contradiction.
The score is rife with flapper motifs, but it’s more about setting a tone than delivering an authentic jazz reconstruction. And if the casting of Velma and Roxie is true to the spirit of the material, the slinky criminals exude all kinds of sexiness but aren’t conventional babes.
This is why the Theater of the Stars production at the Fox Theatre feels so faithful to the vulgar, lived-in contours of the original story. If you come expecting the glamor quotient of Rob Marshall’s 2003 Oscar winner starring Catherine Zeta-Jones (Velma) and Renée Zellweger (Roxie), you may be disappointed.
For Terra C. MacLeod’s Velma is used up and brash. Michelle DeJean’s Roxie is several spa-years short of petite. And the whole chorus looks dangerously pale, thin and out of gas. (That’s a compliment. Sort of.)
This appropriately haggard ensemble is what makes John O’Hurley’s turn as Billy Flynn so electric. Flynn may be a mercenary, headline-hogging criminal attorney, but the former “Seinfeld� star plays him as a elegant, silver-crested dandy with the crooning style of Fred Astaire. In this ensemble, he is unique in that his sound is of the period. On the comedic side, you’ll never see a smarmier Flynn, who exists to look down his nose. Completely surrounded by girls and swaddled in white feathers (“All I Care About�), he makes us wonder what’s going on under there. Brilliant.
With his oversize sweater and slouching posture, Kevin Carolan’s Amos Hart is a little heavy on the sadsack shtick. And though Carol Lee’s Matron “Mama� Morton can be a commanding presence, her movement, such as it is, seems oddly off-kilter. The clawlike gesture she makes with her hands doesn’t match her dynamic singing voice.
The word on Peachtree after Tuesday night’s opening was that DeJean’s Roxie takes a little getting used to. Fair enough. DeJean may not be a petite blonde, and scaling a ladder is not her strong suit. But she’s a superb drunk and a marvelous actress who, in the wink of an eyelash, can go from touching to funny, which is exactly what she does in Roxie’s monologue. Too bad that MacLeod’s Velma doesn’t live up to the promise of fireworks that we glimpse at the top of the night. MacLeod is good at conveying the raw, ragged edges in her character’s personality, but she is less successful at finding the nuance.
This revival production— directed by Walter Bobbie with sets by John Lee Beatty and costumes by William Ivey Long — is now 10 years old. That its actresses can’t get laughs from confessional “Cellblock Tango� is probably a sign that it could use a little freshening up.
But if the show looked in danger of bombing in the first 15 minutes, it quickly snapped to life as soon as O’Hurley took the stage. In the way Flynn manipulates Roxie like a puppet (“We Both Reached for the Gun�), O’Hurley seems to control the indelicate rhythms of this “Chicago.�
When all is said and done, he’s the one with killer instinct.
THE 411: 8 p.m. tonight-Friday; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Theater of the Stars, Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St., Atlanta. $20-$62. 404-817-8700, www.foxtheatre.org.
THE VERDICT: Murder never felt so fun.
Comments
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By Don Smith
June 22, 2006 11:57 AM | Link to this
It continues to amaze me that a newspaper as prestigious as the AJC continues to use such a sub-par reviewer as Wendell Brock. Time after time he proves his lack of knowledge with regards to theatre and the shows that grace the stage of the Fox. What’s almost as disappointing is that the staff at the AJC seems oblivious to the elementary knowledge and writing that this individual continues to share about the shows he reviews. Please, for the sake of all those who read, and love the AJC, do us a favor by allowing someone else to share their opinion of theatre here in Atlanta. One would almost think that he fights for the right to review these shows simply because of his free tickets to them. That’s pretty sad.
By season_tix_holder
June 22, 2006 12:15 PM | Link to this
Brock is dead on accurate in his reviews!
I’ve lived in KC, Chicago, and other cities that get the broadway tour, and I love that Brock calls them the way he sees them. Some touring shows are better than others — and some actors are better than others. I hate critics who, just becuase a broadway show is in town, moon all over it regardless of its flaws. Brock does a great job pointing out the highlights and lowlights of a production. And I appreciate his honesty and insight. I also appreciate the AJC for keeping an honest critic on board, who does what he’s paid to do — analyse the show.
Keep up the great work Wendell!
By Donna Lynn
June 22, 2006 12:50 PM | Link to this
Last night’s performance was fun, but could you please pick up the tempo! I almost fell asleep during All that jazz, I kept expecting it to pick up and it never did.
By teak
June 22, 2006 3:15 PM | Link to this
This review is disturbing to me. It favors the one “star name” of the production and basically tears down the ” unknowns’ who contrary to what was written displayed an immense amount of talent, and stamina on opening night. This production in in excellent shape and other reviews across the country seem to agree that Chicago is a hit. Every person up on that stage deserved the standing ovation they received on opening night. almost every lead in the company at one point played the broadway company. I almost feel like we saw two completely different shows.
By Catherine
June 29, 2006 9:20 PM | Link to this
I saw this tour in Charlotte, and apparently Wendell Brock and I saw different productions. Nowhere in the script does it say that Roxie is supposed to be a petite blonde. DeJean’s Roxie is energetic and top-notch, and looks amazing. MacLeod isn’t Catherine Zeta-Jones either, but if you want to watch Zeta-Jones do the role, rent the movie. The stage production is a different beast entirely, and you can’t expect one to be just like the other. Brock needs to tighten some loose screws. The charm of CHICAGO lies in the fact that it’s NOT the movie, and he needs to recognize it as such. The talent in this production is some of the best in the world, and if it’s not good enough for Mr Brock, maybe he’s in the wrong profession. Review cinema, Wendell, if that’s what you were looking for at the Fox Theatre last week. Thanks.
By Pam
July 3, 2006 5:09 PM | Link to this
I think we must have been in different venues, Brock. Or maybe your taste in musicals is not the same as all of the people who were seated around us. The show was incredible. Each time we see it, it gets even better though we cannot imagine topping opening night. Michelle DeJean is flawless. She has so much energy and presents an awesome show every time. Her dance moves-perfect. Her singing and acting-perfect. Each time we see her she just gets better and better and how does one get better than best? It is hard to imagine her as Mona now that she is Roxie. I hope to see her around for a long time. She is truly an inspiration. John O’Hurley was hilarious as Billy Flynn. He put his own comedic touches on the character. Of course I have not seen a Billy I dont like, but John was terrific. We knew he could dance and act but the man can sing as well! Carol Woods as Mama, WOW! Roz Ryan had always been my favorite until now. Carol can top her and that is saying alot! It was a full house and they seemed to all love the show. I hope to catch it again soon but will have to wait and see.
Contrary to Brock, though O’Hurley was fabulous, he did NOT steal the show. If you expected the movie version, you were in the wrong place. The movie was based on the stage production.
Everyone has different tastes in theatre but Brock’s review left a very sour taste in my mouth.