Chicago - The Musical, Artscape, Cape Town, Until 13 April

Above: I add Chicago - The Musical to my ongoing series of "I Took A Photo Before The Event Because Technically That's Not During The Event And I'm Not Breaking The Stupid 'No-Photos' Rule". (Please note that I call it "stupid" because I can take photos without a flash - although, er, they aren't that good - thereby not distracting or blinding the performers (I can't say the same for the performers, though), which I presume is what this stupid rule is all about.)


Chicago - The Musical is running at Artscape until 13 April. I saw it a few weeks ago and enjoyed it immensely. In fact, I wrote a review about it, so I won't say too much here or I'll just be repeating myself.

However, one of favourite moments didn't occur on stage, but rather before the show, when I happened upon a sign outside the one entrance to the hall (and possibly the other entrances too, but I couldn't be at all entrances at once. I don't have those sorts of ninja abilities. Yet. (And you won't know when I do because I won't tell you. It would be un-ninja-like.)). It says:

CHICAGO
PLEASE NOTE THAT
HERBAL TOBACCO
PRODUCTS ARE
SMOKED ON STAGE
DURING THIS
PERFORMANCE

I have a photo but it's blurry because I took it in a rush as I was feeling subconscious, imagining people were staring. They probably weren't. I'm paranoid like that. That's why I hide under my desk a lot.

Anyway, by the time you see this sign you are metres away from the very expensive* seat that you've paid for, with no way of getting a refund on your very expensive* ticket, so you're a little screwed if "herbal tobacco products" (I wonder what that really means?) are not to your taste.

However, it should be noted that these so-called "herbal tobacco products" are used in a scene that is visually masterful, so don't let the tobacco scare frighten you away. Just don't sit in the first few rows on house right (stage left)....

...unless you want to inhale the mysterious "herbal tobacco products", in which case do sit there and then tell me what they're made of. I'd be fascinated to know.

Above: I managed to sneak a photo of the orchestra, too. This was during (prolonged) interval. They came back too soon (or, rather, the audience took its time returning to its seats) and then were stuck there trying not to be freaked out by us while we tried not to be freaked out by them because we could see each other. I figured I wasn't breaking any arcane theatre photographical laws here either (especially since what you can't see is the giant heads of the two aged audience members who were in front of me, and who obstructed my view (and this photo) through much of the show, which I cropped out of this shot for aesthetic reasons). But that might be because I can justify anything with no logic whatsoever. Just you try and stop me!


Back to the show, though. It's totally worth spending a fortune* to see. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I am contemplating shaking any remaining change out of my wallet to go and see it again. Except this time I'll have to buy a cheap(er*) seat.

Now go read the review!

Above: The cast and orchestra take a bow. What you can't see in this sadly blown-out image (damn stage lights!) is Grant Almirall's fabulous abs (six from the left). He had them on display all night. I highly recommend viewing them. (What you can see, though, is those aforementioned aged heads blocking my view (well, technically, what you can see is the view that you can't see because it's being blocked). Oi! Now image being me in that seat for two-and-a-half hours.)


*I know - you can sense a rant coming. Do not fear! I am saving the theatre-ticket-price rant for another day. It'll be spectacular!