The infamous 1996 revival of “Chicago” made its way back to Bloomington Jan. 23 for the sixth time, bringing razzle-dazzle to the IU Auditorium stage.
The musical is an adaptation of the 1926 play of the same name following Roxie Hart (Ellie Roddy) after she is accused of murder. She hires the slick lawyer Billy Flynn (Max Cervantes) to help her get acquitted, relying on sympathy garnered from the press. But, alongside the faded vaudevillian star Velma Kelly (Claire Marshall), Roxie learns that nothing lasts forever, especially in show business.
This was my first time seeing “Chicago” and it definitely managed to surpass my expectations.
The musical immediately breaks the fourth wall with a direct introduction to the show from Velma, and this continues throughout the performance as each song is introduced to the audience. While this was quite jarring at first, I think it’s what makes this show really stick with people; it’s not like any other musical.
What was interesting to me when watching this performance was seeing just how much the 29-year-old production has influenced so much of pop culture today. I recognized similarities in the style of the show to some of my other favorite Broadway musicals like “Six,” “Come From Away” and “Hadestown.” After watching, it seems clear that “Chicago” is a big part of what paved the way for these concert-style musicals to be successful.
I was also surprised by just how many of the songs I knew.
Of course, there are the more infamous numbers like “All That Jazz” and “Cell Block Tango,” which both came to life on stage during the performance. But when “We Both Reached for the Gun” began, I was filled with excitement. I had forgotten that the song, which went viral on TikTok a couple years ago, was from “Chicago.” Getting to experience the iconic segment at the end of the song that has become the backdrop of so many of my favorite edits was a surreal experience and I loved every second of it.
Additionally, something that immediately stands out about this musical is how stripped back it is. The only real set piece in the musical is a podium where the band performs from, and the rest of the narrative is purely brought to life through a couple of chairs and the incredible performances from the actors.
Somehow, a mostly plain stage became a night club, a jail cell and a courtroom before my eyes. While there were limited accessories accompanying the performers on stage, the setting felt vivid and I found my brain easily filling in the blanks of the environment the story was set in, which is a testament to how evocative and entertaining the music and acting was.
One thing that I think this musical really excels at is harnessing the quiet and noisiness in the show; creating both a simple and extravagant performance.
The movements in the choreography are at times subtle and controlled, but by the climax of the number, legs are flying and hands are shimmying. The set design is simple and yet the show feels grandiose. The story is told in fragments through song and yet it comes to life in a grand tale of murder and deception.
And this idea of a physically plain look for an elaborate, over-the-top performance perfectly exemplifies what this musical is all about: the entire world is a stage, and we are constantly performing. This is heightened in telling the story through complex dance numbers, which reveal just how much of the world is an intricate performance.
Through this satirical examination of the world, the show also does a great job of exposing the faults in the justice system and politics while making the audience laugh. It manages to add a whole handful of “razzle-dazzle” to the realities of the world, and suddenly it’s a show where people can sing and dance along, despite watching a story of murder and exploitation.
This musical is one that should be seen at least once in your lifetime, especially if you’re a fan of theater, as it has both set a precedent for so much musical theater that came after it and is a perfect example of how sometimes less can bring more to a performance.
