‘Chicago’
June 14, Robinson Center Music Hall
The star-studded movie, of course, did a lot to raise the profile of John Kander and Fred Ebb’s “Chicago,” but it’s always been a stellar American musical. The story of murderous, fame-hungry Roxy Hart and her cohort in crime, Velma Kelly, continues to, as one song goes, “razzle dazzle ’em.” The touring production that’s pulled into Little Rock for a two-day stay thanks to Celebrity Attractions confirms all of the musical’s great qualities: a wicked, black sense of humor, a brassy score and tremendous, Brechtenian showmanship.
It also wouldn’t be fair to go too far without mentioning the choreography, which this production says is done by Ann Reinkin in the style of Bob Fosse. You don’t have to know much about Fosse to see his slinky, sexed-up style present in the chorus of dancers, all who are wearing next to nothing covered by enough fishnet to drape a football field.