Musical Geek - Musical Theatre Reviews

It's almost as if the jazz-age setting of Kander & Ebb's Chicago was made for the unusual confines of the stage at the Old Joint Stock Theatre in Birmingham, they regularly manage to fit shows into an unusually structured acting space and this one works exquisitely as the audience almost become part of the action. Entering to Joash Musundi's announcer/narrator role, every audience member is left in no doubt that they must turn everything (literally) off and keep their drinks to their own side of the table, anything creeping to the acting side is likely to be consumed without question. Cassie Wooldridge is a defiant, sultry and totally engaging Roxie Hart, perhaps a little more intense than the character is regularly played but, that only makes her more engaging and leaves one wondering whether to love her, hate her or perhaps equal mixtures of both. Conversely Alanna Boden's powerful and intoxicating Velma Kelly leaves no doubt as to what she wants (or expects

I class myself as a bit of a Stephen Sondheim aficionado and it is therefore always exciting to see an interpretation of his works, couple that with a deep array of talent that I have seen before with previous productions from Quarry Bank Musical Theatre Society Youth Section and that heightens the thrill to much greater proportions. Todd is a complex character who could very easily be seen as just inherently evil, hell bent on revenge no matter what the cost but, in reality he wants his life back and to recreate his family relationships, had he realised that the half crazed beggar woman was his wife Lucy the story would have been completely different and probably considerably less engaging. Thus it is as much about the acting talent of the person portraying him as anything else and James Bastable takes the role and makes it completely his own with an epic stage performance only enriched by his powerful vocal. Darcie Edwards is another stage talent that has to be experienced to be