Crowds eagerly packed the Regent Theatre on Monday night to get their fix on a guilt-free evening of jazz, sex, rebellion, and crime.
As I arrived, I passed by posters leading to an awning of twinkling lights and a crowd eagerly preparing themselves for the highly anticipated show.
Faye Brookes and Djalenga Scott were made for their roles as the captivating Roxie Hart and elegant Velma Kelly.
The cunning duo gave so much more to their characters than just their lines.
They were intriguing and mysterious, and only let us in on what they wanted us to see.
Sheila Ferguson as Mama Morton was a crowd favourite and it didn't take much for her to steal the show any time she made an appearance on stage.
It was a bit of a surprise how enjoyable Jamie Baughan's character and performance was as Amos Hart- his role providing an essential contrast to the rest of the characters.
When the jailed women lined up in their chairs and confessed their crimes to the audience, we realised that the dark and dirty is what has made Chicago one of the longest running American musicals in Broadway.
What a treat it was to have a live band, let alone one that showed off so much personality of their own.
They were set up to face the audience and take centre stage throughout, which was different from anything I've seen, but just made sense.
Each character had their moment to shine, even the journalist (especially the journalist!)
The world was their stage as the performers interacted seamlessly with each other, the audience, the conductor and the band.
Razzle Dazzle was my favourite performance of the night, as that was where the story seemed to come together with help from the harmonies, lighting, insights, and interactions.
After all of the jealousy and competition between Faye and Djalenga's characters on stage, the admiration the performers had for one another was heart-warming as they came out for their final bows together holding hands.
The big and the bold has made itself at home in Ipswich this week- and you don't want to miss out.
Chicago at the Ipswich Regent Theatre runs until March 26.
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