Going to Chicago

If I learned nothing else from going to Chicago, it is that I love my neighborhood and my house. Getting lost in Brooklyn will do that to you.

Anyway, Chicago was very good. It most certainly wasn't the movie, though. Isn't that strange how we think that movies and plays are the same, but they're so different? In a play there is basically one setting, few costume changes, and no extras. In Chicago, 2/3 of the stage was taken entirely by the classy risers for the band. The music was absolutely centerstage, and that's an important thing to notice - this is a musical, and the music is the most important thing.

This idea was stressed when the show started and there was virtually nothing but music for the first 15-20 minutes. Since there was no physical setting, the music had to set the scene instead, and it did an ok job of it - and yet, there's an aspect of "I AM IN JAIL" that was missing. Then again, that's not really the important thing, is it?

The dancing was really great (increased by the fact that, I will not lie, all the actress, and actors, were extremely attractive) and well-thought out. It was interesting how sometimes the chaotic, untime, things-are-happening-everywhere type of choreography was just as beautiful and intriguing as when everyone was doing the same steps in time with each other. There were virtually no props, but the few that came up were well used when they needed to be and disposed of when they weren't. The song Billy Flinn sings about only wanting love would have been boring and ineffective without all the girls and their huge white feathery fans they waved all over the place.

Something that bothered me, though, was that the actress who played Roxi was...skin and bones, really. The back of her costume was cut off in such a way that I could, literally, see most of her bones sticking out. It was disturbing, distracting, and sad. She also didn't even have a great voice. Also, I felt like the non-main characters didn't have real personality, but were just there for the sake of having a background. In my own experiences in acting in a backup roll, I've found it's still important, no matter how small your part is, to know exactly who you are and why you're there, while some of these actors simply didn't show that.

It also seemed strange that the theatre was only half full. As a whole, we were fairly unresponsive, though I'm not sure why. There wasn't enough excitement, I guess. And to think, all of those wasted playbills!!!!! NOOOOOoooooo................

And then on my way home my train got screwed up and I caught the wrong bus. Oh joy, being out in a random place somewhere in the city at 11 at night. How delightful.