Chicago

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Musical
Genre: Comedy
Date: September 12 2016
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre

What price would you pay to achieve fame? We've all heard of the Z-listers who were willing to do anything to get a bit of press coverage, regardless of how they were viewed and no matter how immoral their actions may have seemed. Then there's those who achieve fame by association, or rather they make their name by attaching themselves to a big name. Some showcase unseen talents; others are clearly just wanting to get their name in the papers, sometimes by making allegations that on occasion may not even have a sliver of truth (cough cough, Rebecca Loos, cough cough). In a nutshell, some people have no problem behaving in a certain manner if it means their name gets covered in the tabloids.

But even so, how far would you be willing to go to become famous, or infamous as it may be? Would you be willing to take somebody else's life just to be talked about by the general public? True, there are some loons who have committed vile acts because they "wanted to be famous", but generally speaking even the most fame-hungry person who has a semblance of logic and normality to their consciousness would not go that far to be recognised. That is the background for the plot in Chicago, but don't worry: the opening to this review may make you feel like this show is doom and gloom, with the worst people that you could possibly encounter being highlighted. No, Chicago handles this desire for fame in a darkly comical fashion, and the roundabout method of becoming a "star" is an interesting twist that, along with some good comedy material and plenty of strong acting performances, vocal renditions and dance routines all combine to deliver a memorable and engaging show.

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