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CHICAGO COMES TO DUBAI

Ensure that your loving husband coughs up the dough to hire a hotshot lawyer while you're in the pen, who in turn will manage to hit the headlines with the story. Add some cool numbers, some hot jazz dancing and hold the apparel; that's Chicago.

Self described as a 'razzle, dazzle' musical, it's also fairly raunchy and daring for downtown Dubai. Brought here by Done Events in association with Tiara Residence, Chicago is the first Broadway musical to be shown in the city. This revamped version of the musical that has been running on Broadway for 10 years is taking timeout from a hectic tour of the US. And according to BJ Holt, General Manager for the production, it's going to take the town by storm.

"Dubai is creating a cutting edge scenario by what it is creating; Chicago is a cutting edge musical. It's the first of its kind and Dubai is the first of its kind as well so it's a very good marriage."

But this is still very much the Middle East and Chicago is quintessentially American.

"Yes it is," says BJ, "and yet it works in every country in the world that we've brought it to. It's set in Chicago, Illinois but the creation of celebrity and the determination of the individual to do what they want to do is a universal theme."

"Ultimately art is at its best when it's reflecting life; Chicago reflects Roxie Hart's life and simultaneously society's. She is bound and determined to be a celebrity. People who want to have that kind of fame make a lot of sacrifices but there's also a lot of determination. What makes Chicago successful is that you see that determination but you also get a glimpse into Roxie as a person; you see her vulnerability and her sensitivities. There's something for everybody to relate to. The show is often likened to the OJ Simpson trial: it happened and suddenly there's all this media pressure and it became a huge issue all around the world. Chicago is based on that scenario of something occurring and someone being able to gain celebrity out of it. And that's why I think it keeps working."

The cult of celebrity maybe the underlying theme of the production but is Chicago in danger of underlining the fixation?

"I think it goes beyond that," says BJ. "At the end of the show there is a twist which makes you suddenly realise that all of this can be very fickle. Chicago is the kind of show that is extremely entertaining, the dancing is great and so is the music. Some people reflect on it immediately, some three 3 days after or even 3 months later but whatever, it does make you think. That's the best part of it because you want people to be moved somehow.

Mentally moved or not, Roxie, Velma, Billy and friends will keep your foot tapping and your eyes shining.