Chicago Tickets

About Chicago

Dark comedy murder musical

The twisted tale of corruption and the concept of the celebrity criminal is based on Maurine Dallas Watkins’ 1926 play of the same name.

The story and characters find their origins in true events covered by Watkins while she was a reporter for the Chicago Tribune, with the famous characters of Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart based on Belva ‘Beauty Of The Cell Block’ Gaertner and Beulah ‘Most Stylish on Murder Row’ Sheriff Annan respectively.

The original play was a great success on Broadway and on its subsequent tour, but it was when the rights to the play were sold to legendary actor, director and choreographer Bob Fosse that Chicago as theatre audiences today know and love it was born.

With a book, music and lyrics by Kander and Ebb (Cabaret), Chicago: A Musical Vaudeville opened on Broadway in 1975 but, like every other new show that year, was sadly overshadowed by A Chorus Line. The show was, however, well received in the West End when it opened at the Cambridge Theatre in 1979, playing for 603 performances.

Chicago was the phenomenal success it deserved to be when it was revived on Broadway in 1996 and in London in 1997, with the Broadway production winning six Olivier awards and the West End show at the Adelphi Theatre taking two Olivier awards, Best Actress in a Musical for Ute Lemper as Velma Kelly, and Outstanding Musical Production.

For the past ten years, Chicago has developed a tradition of casting celebrities in its key roles, and these have included Ruthie Henshall, John Barrowman, Tony Hadley, Kelly Osbourne, Marti Pellow and Jerry Springer.

Having proved itself a mainstay of the West End, Chicago returned to its original London home at the Cambridge Theatre in 2006, where it continues to wow audiences with its heady blend of drama, eclectic musical numbers and eye-popping choreography.

*Please note that Ruthie Henshall will perform the role of Roxie Hart until the 17th April 2010.