YES, IT’S MY KIND OF TOWN
NIGEL PLANER appeared in the original London production of Chicago. Now he declares it’s America’s greatest city
Sherry, a charming woman in her 70s, tells me: ‘There are 3,200 pieces of glass in that dome. It’s the largest glass dome in the world — of its type.’
‘What type would that be?’ I ask, which seems to throw her for a moment. She replies falteringly — something about metal struts and cubic volume. I don’t mean to be giving her a hard time; she’s a lovely, enthusiastic volunteer who refuses tips, and she has a bad knee today, which should perhaps be keeping her from this job as a walking-tour guide.
We are in the old Chicago library, admiring some of the mosaic work of Louis Comfort Tiffany, which can be found in many of the downtown landmark buildings.
earlier, we had visited the Frank Gehry-designed open-air concert space, which is home to ‘ the longest-running free classical concert season in America’, and is situated in Millennium Park — ‘the largest green-roof garden on top of an underground car park in the world,’ as Sherry calls it.
She is by no means the only person infected with this need to use unnecessary superlatives.
The whole city seems to have a massive chip on its shoulder — perhaps the largest chip in all the northern states of the U.S., I would say. Which is strange because there is so much of interest and beauty in Chicago, Illinois, it doesn’t need to big itself up.
‘It’s because we got tired of being known as the “Flyover” city,’ Sherry explains. ‘As in: “ya fly over Chicago to get from New york to Los Angeles”.’
My reason for being here is that this is officially the year of Chicago Theatre, but basically, it’s just great to be back.
The last time I was in town was 1997, when I was about to appear in the original London cast of the musical Chicago. On that occasion, I visited Cook County Jail, where the show is set — taking the actor research thing a bit too far. I was given a tour around all of the blocks, the court house and the murderer’s wing.
It felt like something from an episode of homicide or NyPD. The only thing missing was the unsteady camera work. By the end of my visit, I felt more ready to tackle a day’s shooting opposite harvey Keitel or Tim roth than sing in a West end show.
Chicago suits me fine. In fact, I’d go further and say that it’s my favourite place in the whole of the U.S. And I think a lot of British people would agree with me.
First, there’s the Chicagoans themselves. They have quieter voices than most Americans and they understand what you’re saying if you make a deadpan remark.
Then there’s their overriding subject of conversation: the
weather. Yes, the weather in Chicago is even more changeable than in the UK. In one week I experience baking sun, blizzards, torrential rain, beautiful cold pellucid skies, and a lot of wind.
Wind so strong you have to push your whole weight against doors to open them. Chicago earns its moniker, the Windy City (although some say that refers to the hot air spouted by the residents).
Then there’s the Chicagoan sense of humour — dark and sarcastic and more, well, English. Their top comedy club is called The Second City, and it has been named with a certain bitterness. I’m not able to establish whether Chicago is known as the Second City because of the 1871 fire, after which it all had to be rebuilt, or because it’s not the First City (New York).
Nevertheless, The Second City comedy club has impressive alumni. If I list a small portion of them, you’ll get the idea of what the Chicago sense of humour is all about: Bill Murray, Tina Fey, Steve Carrell, Mike Myers, John Candy. There are a lot of comedy venues in Chicago, but there are a lot more theatres. There are more than 250 of them — everything from ‘storefront’ theatres in disused High Street shops and railway arches, to multi- stage venues and oldfashioned, proscenium-arch giants.
The most famous Chicago company is Steppenwolf, an ensemble that creates work within its own ranks. Many of its members, who went on to become stars, returned to live and work here: Gary Sinise, John Malkovich, Tracy Letts, John Mahoney from Frasier.
But the jewel of the city’s theatres, is the Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier.
Barbara Gaines started this company in the mid-Eighties with a production of Henry V on the roof of a pub, and it has grown into an international theatre hub.
I sit in on the exciting rehearsals for their latest show, Six, a musical about the six wives of Henry VIII, which has come via London’s West End and Edinburgh.
Edinburgh, that’s it. I’ve been trying to think why it is that I feel so at home in Chicago. You get that same awake feeling; the buzzy people, the challenging weather and the historic architecture. Chicago reminds me of Edinburgh — and there’s just much going on.