Former pop star Martin Kemp will take over from Cuba Gooding Jr, as Billy Flynn in the hit revival of Chicago at London’s Phoenix Theatre from Monday 2 July 2018.
Recently seen on stage in the UK tour of Million Dollar Quartet, the Spandau Ballet guitarist will step into the role of the smooth-talking lawyer for a limited season until Saturday 1 September. Further cast changes will be announced at a later date.
The current cast of the multi-award-winning show which returned to the West End for the first time in five and a half years last month will remain in place until the end of the first booking period on 30 June.
Appearing alongside Oscar winner Gooding Jr in his British stage and musical debut as Billy Flynn, the cast includes: Sarah Soetaert who returned to the role of Roxie Hart she previously played at the Cambridge and Garrick Theatres; another former Roxie Hart, Josefina Gabrielle (who plays Velma Kelly, after previously playing Roxie at the Adelphi and Cambridge Theatres; and Paul Rider who returned to the role of Amos Hart after playing the part in past productions at both the Adelphi and Cambridge Theatres,
The line-up also features Ruthie Henshall who became the first British actress to play all three female leading roles in Chicago when she stepped into the role of Mama Morton in March. The West End favourite originated the role of Roxie Hart in the West End in 1997 and went on to play both Roxie and later Velma Kelly on Broadway before returning to the role of Roxie in 2009.
Following on from the successful UK and international tour and after a five and half year absence from London, the new production which is based on the 1996 Broadway revival directed by Walter Bobbie with choreography by Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse and produced by Barry and Fran Weissler is currently booking until 6 October.
Based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, Chicago has a book by Fred Ebb and Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The musical opened at the Adelphi Theatre in London on 18 November 1997 to rave reviews and ran for 15 highly successful years in the West End.
The production claimed the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production and the 1998 Critics Circle Drama Award for Best Musical. Chicago is currently playing in New York where it recently celebrated its 21st birthday. The show is now the world’s longest-running American musical.
Angela Thomas
Tickets for the West End production of Chicago are available HERE.
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