Chicago proves crime does pay for Blue Mountains Musical Society

Set in the 1920s in the city of the same name, the hit musical centres on two murderesses who are awaiting trial in jail - reigning queen Velma Kelly (Linda Aubrecht) and the contender who wants to steal her crown, Roxie Hart (Hayley Cascarino).

But the one-upmanship machinations of the plot are a cover for the musical's real interest: Shining a scathing light on the nature of fame, the justice system, and the tabloid media's fascination with scandal over truth.

This production eschews the lace and mesh costumes associated with the well-known 1996 Broadway revival of Chicago (and its followers) in favour of a far more grounded, 'trackie dak' chic.

In the lead role of master manipulator Roxie Hart, Cascarino has to play coy and commanding (often in the same number), and she pulls off the task expertly. Her first-act song, Roxie, is a one-woman tour-de-force that sets the bar high.

Rising to the challenge is Aubrecht as her rival, Velma Kelly.

As Roxie's guilelessly gullible husband, Amos Hart, James Matheson showcases both his acting skills and impressive vocal talent to make the character a subject of pathos, not just laughs (although he earns plenty of those).

His lack of street smarts is no match for the self-serving lawyer Billy Flynn, played with a commanding presence by Ri Starkey.

The performance this reviewer saw had seven of the 32-strong cast unable to perform due to COVID-19, with a mixture of understudies, back-stage players and even one "ring-in" filling their roles impressively. While BMMS prepared for just such an eventuality by casting understudies and swings, it is still a testament to the society's depth of talent that the show barely missed a beat thanks to the unscheduled pandemic interruption.

Performers who filled the gaps were Emily Fairbairn, Lewis Way, Elena Etheridge, Maddison Uren, Mirabai Baumann, Jessica Lovelace, Emma Joseph, Tim Gerber, and Lachlan Gracie.

BMMS's productions are always a great advertisement for the calibre of musicians we are lucky to have in the Blue Mountains and this production really elevates that strength. The 13-piece band's performance of John Kander's jazz-inspired music is crucial to the show's success. The musicians might literally be behind bars on the theatre's stage but they certainly deserve their moment in the sun and the sustained applause they garner at curtain call.

Chicago is also a show defined by its distinctive dance numbers and the simple set allows the exciting choreography by Emma Joseph to take centre stage, whether its big dance numbers like All That Jazz and Cell Block Tango or the final showstopper featuring Aubrecht and Cascarino.