Season 2, Episode 5: Behind every summer is a community that keeps Fire Island alive. This episode explores the history of the beloved Pines Pantry through the eyes of its iconic Pantry Girls, alongside the volunteer firefighters of The Pines and Cherry Grove who protect the island from fires, hurricanes, beach erosion, and an uncertain future.
Review: CHICAGO THE MUSICAL at Volksoper Wien
All That Jazz now playing at the prestigious Volksoper
By: Martin Ganeider
The Legendary Broadway Icon Returns to Vienna!
Lotte de Beer takes the famous material about 1920s Chicago, with its corruption, violence and, of course, murder, and gives the well-known show a new look and vibe.
Instead of a jury box, a grand staircase stands, and the huge orchestra sits traditionally in the pit, presenting well-behaved jazz, where it should be dangerous. One longs for a little more smoky, sleazy abandon.
The orchestra in the pit frees up plenty of space for de Beer to create a dark, seedy, and erotically charged atmosphere. From the first note, it feels and smells like smoky Chicago. But before the audience can dive into this murderous entertainment, three young girls welcome us as Conférencières: innocent, untainted, funny and yet unsettling. It is a clever directorial touch, reminiscent of the Three spirits in The Magic Flute. Throughout the evening, the three guide the audience with an innocent, sinister, and spine-chilling touch.
All I care about is showbiz!
The story never gets old: crime is entertainment, and that is one reason CHICAGO still fascinates audiences around the world. Who determines which story is believed? How does a crime become a headline, and the accused a star? It is entertaining, of course, yet in the end it is a crime we laugh about.
De Beer brings the beloved musical to the huge Volksoper stage with unflinching realism. It is violent from the start, with stunt artists in the ensemble, fight scenes and daredevil stunts. Leading this energetic company are a seductive, erotic Myrthes Monteiro as Velma Kelly and the stunning Bettina Mönch as Roxie Hart, a study in contrasts who complement each other perfectly. Lionel von Lawrence gives us a Machiavellian Billy Flynn, who cares only about his $5,000.
Also in the cast is the Volksoper’s very own Jakob Semotan, who shows his comedic talent as the good-hearted, devoted, and endearingly naive Amos Hart. You may never have seen a more tragicomic exit than Semotan's. It makes you laugh, yet there is nothing to laugh about in this poor man’s fate. That is the magic of CHICAGO and of the director’s talent: the show gets a different look while keeping its core.
Chicago without Fosse?
When it comes to CHICAGO, the name Fosse is never far away. Bob Fosse and his sui generis style are synonymous with shows like Cabaret and CHICAGO. Untying the Fosse knot is a challenge, but Arielle Smith has done it impressively. The result is a splendid production with plenty of jazz, a gleefully murderous ensemble and outstanding leads. And if you look closely, you can still find Fosse’s spirit.
On closer inspection, however, the production reveals a far darker undercurrent. De Beer’s CHICAGO holds a mirror to our age, and the reflection is unsettlingly precise.
CHICAGO is now playing at the Volksoper, with Myrthes Monteiro as Velma Kelly and Bettina Mönch as Roxie Hart leading the cast, joined by Lionel von Lawrence as Billy Flynn, Jakob Semotan as Amos Hart, Katia Ledoux as Mama Morton and Ursula Pfitzner as Mary Sunshine. Maura Oricchio, Jamie Petutschnig, Isabel Saris, Anneka Dacres and Katharina Gorgi complete the Cell Block sisterhood as Liz, Annie, June, Hunyak and Mona.
For further information, visit www.volksoper.at
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