Chicago

A musical as iconic as Chicago demands precision - from choreography to comic timing, to the band and the lighting - and the latest South African production delivers it in spades.  

Now in its fourth production on local shores, it blends vaudevillian sass, jazz-soaked satire, and biting commentary on celebrity culture that feels as relevant today as it did when it first hit Broadway in 1975.

Currently on at Cape Town’s Artscape Theatre, this all-local staging of Broadway’s longest-running American musical lets you know you are in for a ride from the moment the first brass notes ring out from the 11-piece live band.

Every shimmy, shake, and jazz hand lands, matched by the snappy interplay of Roxie Hart (Kiruna-Lind Devar), Velma Kelly (Samantha Peo), and the ever-watchful Mama Morton (Tankiso Mamabolo). From the solos to the duets, they bring all the spicy rivalry and reluctant camaraderie the show is well-loved for.  

Numbers like Cell Block Tango, All That Jazz, and Class had the audience tapping along, reminding us why this musical remains a long-standing favourite.  

Jonathan Roxmouth oozes charisma as smooth-talking lawyer Billy Flynn, particularly in All I Care About and Razzle Dazzle, scenes that had the opening night audience roaring with delight.  

The American accents are razor-sharp, the choreography (by resident director and choreographer Darren Greeff) retaining all the timeless sass and bite, while the band's comedic punctuation cannot be overlooked.

Visually, the production resists spectacle in favour of mood. Skimpy, sequined costumes flash under moody lighting, as the stripped-back set throws the focus squarely on the performers.

If Chicago is about exposing the greed and corruption at the heart of celebrity culture, this production doesn’t just mirror it - it revels in it.

Showtime Management has assembled a stellar, all-South African company, and the result is synchronicity between the cast, band, and staging that simply works.

There’s an undeniable electricity when a production this tight comes together and it reminds you why live theatre brings such invaluable creativity to bear. In this case, it would be criminal to miss it.