Sequins in their eyes

A new production of classic American musical Chicago is set to razzle dazzle the country. Kirsty Cameron witnessed its scandalous plot being hatched.

- 

Outside it's raining and bleak, the swoosh of car tyres on wet seal rising from the busy arterial road overlooked by Auckland's Viva Dance studios. But inside the studio, “the gin is cold, but the piano’s hot ... it’s just a noisy hall where there's a nightly brawl, and all, that, jaaaaaazz”.

“That was great, just a bit more slowly when you put the bottle down. Take your time.”

It's day three of rehearsals for Chicago the Musical and director Michael Hurst is taking the company through the opening number, All That Jazz. Actor Hannah Kee has an empty bottle to swig from and swatches of tape on the floor to indicate stage dimensions as she sets the scene for the audience. “Ladies and gentlemen [swig, pause], you are about to see a story of murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery and treachery - all those things we hold near and dear to our hearts.”

The audience in the dance studio is Hurst, producer Ben McDonald, musical director Paul Barrett, choreographer Shona McCullagh and stage manager Tiumalu Noma Sio. Leads Nomi Cohen and Joel Tobeck, who are not required for the opening number, are also spectators. To Hurst's cue, the ensemble starts again on All That Jazz. At the next pause, McCullagh tweaks some footwork. “Try to have a tight relationship with whoever your snuggle-puss is,” she suggests as the singing-dancing chorus break apart, reform into sinuous new shapes, pair up - the snuggle-puss part - and separate again.

A month after this,