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SCENE IT: A good dose of all that jazz with CHICAGO
- Barbara Loots
- Sep 15
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 18
Barbara Loots
The musical CHICAGO has steadily entertained audiences since its Broadway premiere in 1975, captivating with themes of murder, greed, corruption, violence, adultery, exploitation and a good helping of treachery on the side. All set to toe tapping music, so what’s not to love? It’s basically the musical predecessor of the “true” crime dramas that have us glued to our Netflix screens. It is then to be expected that audiences will flock to see CHICAGO at the Artscape.
Presented by Showtime Management for the fourth time in South Africa over a period of 20 years, it is no surprise that they have perfected the CHICAGO musical formula, leaning into the sexy and sassy alure of all the well-known tunes and Fosse-licious moves without being overly opulent. The focus is clearly the quality performances at the centre of the show.
Samantha Peo is a CHICAGO legend in South Africa, having in the past stepped into the shoes of both Roxie Heart and Velma Kelly to great acclaim. She is no less a triple threat this time around as she again shines as the Velma.
Tankiso Mamabolo as Mama Morton brings a new sense of power to the role. Her wonderful vocal prowess matching that of Peo note for note to such an extent that for the first time in years the duet, “Class”, truly packed a memorable punch as a standout in the show.
Jonathan Roxmouth as the smooth operator Billy Flynn hits all the right notes and has a great rapport with the stunning Kiruna-Lind Devar as Roxie Heart - this is especially evident in their performance of “We Both Reached for the Gun” where Flynn controls Roxie like a ventriloquist dummy. Your heart in turn breaks for Dean de Klerk as he brings all the feelings to his portrayal of the Amos Hart, the ultimate “Mister Cellophane”. Add to this mix M.E. Marvey as the upbeat reporter, Mary Sunshine, along with a killer ensemble (who nail the “Cell Block Tango” without question), and you have all the stuff for a crowd pleaser.
From a costume design perspective there are some hits and misses, with the quality of some of the wigs (looking overly fake at times) taking away from the glitz and glamour of the show. But not so much that it makes the musical any less enjoyable as an overall offering – you’ll still get a good dose of all that jazz.
The sound balance issue is a reoccurring gremlin that every musical staged at the Artscape seems to encounter. With this staging of CHICAGO embracing true intimate moments (as contrast to the belters for which the show is known), the nuances of the smaller performance moments may get lost because of sound quality. One can imagine that the audience towards the back of the Opera House may experience some difficulty in staying in the moment with the characters during those quieter interludes.
Narrative wise, CHICAGO is CHICAGO, it assumes much and focusses more on the sleek packaging and the moves than the narrative – it has over the years been criticized for the elements where it lacks substance and we can’t deny that these remain. But one forgives much with stellar performances and dancers who move beautifully with sultry Fosse-fabulousness.
A special shout-out must go to the expectational onstage band who stands front and centre in this production, and holds space as much as any of the characters. They up the vibe of the show with buckets of talent and personality. They are pure CHICAGO jazzy joy.
CHICAGO professes to be the sexiest show in town, and that it is!
You can catch the Showtime Management presented CHICAGO - THE MUSICAL at the Artscape Theatre until 28 September 2025 before it transfers to the Montecasino Teatro for a run from 3 October 2025 to 9 November 2025. Tickets can be booked through Ticketmaster. Please note the production carries an age restriction of PG 10.