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"Chicago"
May 25, 26, 31 June 1, 2
Childs Auditorium, Deep River
book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse music by John Kander
directed/choreographed by Jeremy Whitlock
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"CHICAGO" DAZZLES 'EM
(Review by "Argus" in the North Renfrew Times, May 30th edition)
Sequins, feathers, fishnets, and fun!
The Deep River Players surpassed themselves with a dazzling, creative rendition of “Chicago” on Saturday, May 26 at Childs Auditorium.
Created by Bob Fosse in 1975 with lyrics by Fred Ebb and music by John Kander, “Chicago” tells the story of Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart, two 1920s murderesses who employ their feminine wiles to manipulate the justice system, ably abetted by their slick lawyer Billy Flynn, Roxie’s naive husband Amos, and a gullible press corps, headed by Mary Sunshine.
Jeremy Whitlock directed this ambitious Deep River Players’ production, and not-surprisingly managed to find the comedy and warmth in the script.
With great timing by Roxie (Natasha Lubimiv) and Billy Flynn (Gordon Burton), the dialogue sizzled, and the audience clearly enjoyed the risqué innuendos.
Jeremy was also responsible for choreographing the show with assistance from chorus member Mac Jones.
As Bob Fosse’s original “Chicago” was predominantly a dance production, the challenge for an amateur production is finding appropriate choreography for non-professionals.
Jeremy and Mac managed to create routines which were suited to the abilities of the dancers, and everyone stepped up to the challenge, gyrating, grooving, and shimmying with confidence.
Hats off to the scantily-clad chorus girls who didn’t hold back, oozing sex appeal, and connecting with their inner diva!
The choreography was simple but effective, and the dancers used the space well, creating the illusion of a much larger chorus line.
Some of the highlights in choreography included “Cell Block Tango”, “We Both Reached for the Gun”, “Razzle Dazzle” and the delightfully understated tap dance by the gorgeous Sullivan sisters, Erin and Joanna.
The opening number of the show needed a little more commitment from those on-stage, and the facial expressions of the cameos didn’t always fit the story.
“All That Jazz” started with a beautifully smouldering piece of choreography, but it needed more of a build and higher energy for the climax.
The choreography actually seemed to interfere with the duet “My Own Best Friend,” almost upstaging the stars.
The most challenging routine to choreograph must be “I Can’t Do It Alone” – but Velma (Kassandra Moss) made a valiant attempt to keep the routine rocking with a variety of dance-styles and a sense of bravado which covered any imperfections.
Well done to Jeremy and Mac for their ingenuity with the routines, enabling both dancers and non-dancers to shine, and attaining the ideal balance between sexy and sleazy. Not an easy task!
Excellent is the only word suitable for the incredible jazz band, expertly directed by Gordon Tapp.
The balance between the musicians and singers was proficiently achieved, and the band didn’t seem to put a foot – or finger – wrong!
It was an inspired decision to place the musicians on the stage so they became a vital part of the action.
What a thrill to have such a talented group of musicians play in Deep River, and I would definitely recommend jazz fans to keep an eye out for more local performances by this group.
Vocal director, Laurie Jarbo, must also be commended for her skills in enabling the soloists to sparkle.
What gorgeous harmonies from Velma and Mama Morton (Emma Stack) and Velma and Roxie in the finale.
The chorus numbers were sometimes strong, and other times a little hesitant, but they were always tuneful. As they grow in confidence, I’m sure they will be belting out their numbers by the end of the run.
Jeremy Whitlock designed an ingenious set for the show, constructed by Curtis Fogal, Phyllis Heeney et al, and painted by Debbie Sullivan and team.
With a colourful pastel Chicago backdrop and clever surprise entrances, the set was attractive and flexible.
The staging for the “Cell-Block Tango” was particularly effective, and all the scenes made good use of space.
The simple set pieces enabled the show to trip along at a decent pace. Congratulations to stage manager, Amanda Petch-Shaw, assisted by Alex Whitlock, Meghan Burton, and crew, who managed to create seamless transitions between scenes.
I was particularly “dazzled” by the magical set change for the court scene, as well as the insane costume changes achieved at breakneck speed.
What an amazing team backstage who managed to send everyone onto stage fully-dressed and in the right outfits!
And talking of costumes, these were definitely the highlight of the show.
Jane Barkley created gorgeous costumes, filling the stage with more razzle dazzle than seemed possible. Definitely no hint of amateur theatre costuming here!
Every piece was designed to suit the various characters and body types perfectly, and the innovation in design meant that each scene brought new and delightful surprises.
Jane and her team of costumers must have bought up every sequin in Renfrew County!
Kudos also to the chorus ladies (and men!) who were game enough to expose that much skin without flinching. You looked fabulous!
Make-up (Candice Mirander) and hair (Jane Barkley, Nick Gregory), worked well with the costumes to create the “roaring Twenties” style.
Roxie’s wig seemed a little ill-fitting, and she needed a swipe of lipstick for her final big number, but Velma’s slick bob worked perfectly and she managed to look immaculate throughout.
Props, designed by Michelle Mantha and team, were fitting and fun. Kitty’s gun was particularly entertaining, and the Announcer’s microphone stand was stunning.
The sound effects for the guns were timed to perfection. Occasionally the microphones suffered from a delay, but didn’t detract too much from the action.
The lighting – designed by Jim Bourgeois, assisted by Stephanie Wilkin and Laura Moore – was remarkable.
The use of the cyclorama and lighting projections enhanced the set design and gave the show real polish.
The “Cell-Block Tango” was a triumph by the lighting team who nailed every one of their cues to perfection. Congratulations Jim and team for taking lighting to a whole new level.
It seems astonishing that only five men made up the chorus, as they were so versatile and created a huge range of memorable characters.
Ike Dimayuga kept the show moving as the slick announcer, dazzling the audience in his splendid outfits.
Zack Fogal, who shifted effortlessly from one sleazy character to another, was a big hit as Billy Flynn’s tailor and Go to Hell Kitty’s two-timing husband.
Mac Jones was hilarious (and gutsy!) as the judge, while Troy Wilson nailed his part as Sergeant Fogarty.
Ian Graham’s portrayal of Fred Casely was magnificent. His match-chewing, slimy performance was timed to perfection.
The female chorus was also extremely versatile. They all had moments of greatness, and it is difficult to start singling anyone out.
Bravo, ladies, on your courage, talent, and commitment. Hopefully Deep River will see more of you in the future!
The Cell Block girls nailed their choreography and characters, each one adding her own flare.
Kristen Glowa couldn’t have been more sizzling as Liz. Nataliya Korolevych was delightfully touching as the innocent Hunyak,
Suzanne Davenport was sassy, Joanna Sullivan tough, and Daniella Bouchard fierce.
Newcomer Lili Bainbridge, was hilarious as Go to Hell Kitty, and brought tremendous energy and enthusiasm to her role.
The teamwork between the chorus members was commendable, and even in the background, they maintained their characters.
Daria Turner continues to hone her skills as a character actor, playing the part of Mary Sunshine with intelligence and guts.
Despite parts of Daria’s song challenging her range, she tackled it with confidence and never once broke character.
Big Mama Morton, who presides over the cell block, needs to fill the stage with her intimidating presence. Although Emma Stack sang sublimely, her acting sometimes lacked conviction, and she needed to employ more of her powerful voice and terrific body language to dominate the stage.
Billy Flynn, the corrupt sleazy lawyer, was competently played by Gordon Burton.
His larger-than-life personality worked well in the role, and he successfully mined the comedy in the character.
His singing was delightful and he looked like he was having fun. However, Richard Gere is a hard act to follow, and Billy Flynn needs a little more sexual energy and sleaze than Gordon seemed to offer.
Sam Sullivan was impressive in his mature portrayal of Roxie’s shmuck of a husband, Amos.
His rendition of “Mister Cellophane” was one of the jaw-dropping moments of the evening, and definitely worth the ticket price alone.
His dancing was somewhat awkward and needed a little more polish, but he was a real stand-out in every other area of his performance.
The two leads of the show, Natasha Lubimiv (Roxie Hart) and Kassandra Moss (Velma) were terrific.
Their acting was believable, and both girls sang and danced with conviction. At times, they each managed to reveal the more vulnerable sides to their characters, but it was their gutsy and audacious behaviour that made them so appealing.
Sometimes the chemistry between the two girls was lacking, but their gorgeous voices harmonized beautifully.
Natasha’s comedic timing and Kassandra’s hilarious asides won the audience over, and I hope both girls grace our stage again soon.
Congratulations to producer, Debbie Sullivan, director Jeremy Whitlock, and all the cast and crew of “Chicago” for a sensational show.
The show runs for three more nights this weekend, and is definitely worth going to see, with tickets available from Pinecrest Florist.
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