At the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 25 years of Razzle Dazzle come to the stage as the traveling production of Chicago celebrates a quarter century of a show with a muted bite.
By John Lavitt
Costa Mesa, CA (The Hollywood Times) 05-21-2023
I must admit that this review is a matter of opinion and does not reflect the audience’s reaction to the grand opening. However, from this critic’s perspective, some musicals age well, and others do not. Unfortunately, Chicago is in the latter category. Although Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb’s musical was cutting edge when it first came out in 1975, it doesn’t have the exciting impact it once did.
At the same time, there is no doubt that the audience at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts loved the show, cheering and applauding from beginning to end. Sometimes the best forms of entertainment are the most familiar. Chicago was indeed the longest-running American musical in Broadway history. Every great success runs its course, and as the end approaches, some musicals become a touch old-fashioned and tired. Indeed, Chicago is like an old pooch who has collapsed on the porch. You still love him, but you know his best days are bygone.
Overall, the cast in this version of Chicago proved to be disappointing. All the leads pale compared to the movie stars cast in the 2002 film version that won Best Picture at the Academy Awards. I never saw the Broadway show that won the Grammy Awards, yet I imagine it had a bit more of a bite. The best lead in the cast is Logan Floyd as Velma Kelly. She has a certain kind of Liza Minnelli mix of fire and vulnerability on stage. Her Velma knows that time is closing in on her, but she fights passionately to hold onto her stardom and the potential for something greater. In addition, she has a compelling voice complimented by fine dance moves.
As Roxie Hart, Katie Frieden is somewhat forgettable. She does not pull at our heartstrings like Renée Zellweger managed to do on the big screen, and she feels miscast. Her presence is slightly grating, and the big numbers do not come across well. As the sleazy lawyer Billy Flynn, Jeff Brooks pulls off the sleaze remarkably well without highlighting the charisma. As a direct result, you do not like him as the male lead and do not care if he succeeds or fails. Unlike the charismatic fireworks of someone like Richard Gere, he seems like he needs a shave and a shower before putting on the snazzy suit.
The best part of the show is when Christina Wells takes the stage as Mama Morton. With a powerful presence and a booming voice, she brings us back to the old speakeasies and clubs before prohibition when alcohol flowed freely, and the Twenties roared. Her presence reminds us of a certain authenticity lacking from the rest of the show. Yes, the performers are dedicated, and the production is pristine, but the overall effect is like that old dog on the porch. No matter how fancy the haircut or jewel-encrusted the collar, he remains a broken-down mutt whose best days are in the distant past.
Photos by Jeremy Daniel
