The Lady from Dubuque - TNT
16th April 2007

What fails on Broadway sometimes works here, but, even with Maggie Smith in the cast, it's either brave or exceptionally foolhardy to revive Edward Albee's 1980 New York flop which folded after only a dozen performances. Set in Connecticut, the first half revisits familiar territory of a boozy party slanging match — given added bite by the fact Catherine McCormack's bilious Jo is dying from cancer and seems determined to alienate all around her. In the second half, Dame Maggie's Elizabeth arrives — elegant, enigmatic and claiming to be Jo's mother, but more likely an Angel of Death come to comfort her victim. Some wicked humour helps keep things afloat, but this is a waste of talent which peters out in a pointless mixture of flippancy and violence. Multi-award-winning Albee apparently admitted to being too drunk to write when he penned this — unfortunately, it seems he was absolutely right.
Theatre Royal Haymarket, Haymarket, SW1, 0870-145 1171

Chicago - TNT
16th April 2007

Even after almost nine and a half years, this revival of Kander & Ebb's 1975 musical must still rate as one of the slickest, sexiest shows in the West End and can still attract top-notch names. Currently, diminutive Aussie singer Tina Arena is taking on the role of murderous chorine Roxie Hart and makes her a dulcet-voiced schemer with a calculating backbone of steel. With its monochrome set, onstage band and ultra-fit, terrifically toned chorus in skin-tight black leather and fishnets — not to mention a great score, a leggy Velma, and super-slinky choreography — what more could anyone want?
Cambridge Theatre, Seven Dials, WC2, 0870-890 1102. Booking to October 6; Tina Arena appears until May 5

LOUISE KINGSLEY