The old razzle dazzle heads back to town

BARRY WEISSLER hummed a familiar tune down the phone line from Manhattan and said: ‘The razzle Dazzle is back.’

As in: ‘give ’em the old razzle dazzle … give ’em an act with lots of flash in it.’

That number was one of the hits in the John Kander and Fred ebb musical Chicago, which is jazz-handing its way back to the West end five years after it left town (against its will, it should be said), after running in three theatres over 15 years.

Mr Weissler, who produced the Chicago revival with his wife Fran — on Broadway and london — said he and his associates had been waiting for a West end house to bring it back. The Phoenix unexpectedly became available when the star of a high-profile new production had a ‘ scheduling conflict’, so Weissler has been able to secure the theatre for an initial year’s run, with the first performance on March 26.

The cast is likely to be a combination of star names and solid theatre professionals.

The show’s about two showgirls, Velma Kelly and roxie hart, who get their own back on their cheating men by eliminating them. But then they have to face the music, in a murder trial.

Weissler said the story of ‘ murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation and adultery could not be more pertinent’.

he added that he and the creative team, including director Walter Bobbie, choreographer (in the style of Bob Fosse) Ann reinking, and their surrogates, will be involved in casting the main roles.