1920s pursuit of celebrity

This year Comberton Village College’s theatre company, Audacious Productions, tackled the musical theatre staple, Chicago

Brimming with themes of violence, murder, greed, fame and jazz, it perfectly encapsulates the milieu of 1920s Prohibition-era Chicago

At the same time the central idea, that in the pursuit of celebrity notoriety often takes precedence over talent, still feels very relevant today

The staging for the production matched the simplicity of the musical itself, with a raised stage and sweeping stairs arcing over the aptly named ‘West Street Jazz

Band’

The exposed position of the band lent it a prominence which transformed it into an idiosyncratic character, one that played a significant part within the shifting dynamics of the production All the musicians attacked the score with pizzazz and were ably marshalled to produce a scintillating wall of sound under the baton of Mr Parker, who was clearly having the time of his life Chicago is a show that relies on the ability of its ensemble to razzle dazzle the audience and dazzle they did

From the incredibly intense ‘Cell Block Tango’ in the first act, to the stunning courtroom segment of the second, the ensemble cast were excellent The movement was clean, crisp, and sassy, with the choreography performed in perfect unison

The show follows the story of Roxie Hart (engagingly played by Grace,, 13SC), a wannabe jazz singer and cold-blooded murderer

Grace skilfully endeared her character to the audience with her beautifully light and comedic performance, which achieved the feat of exposing the character’s rampant egotism whilst playfully allowing the audience to see the humour in it