Shaw wins hearts as new Roxie

3 June 2008 10:30am

Suzanne Shaw is the latest actress to star as Roxie Hart in Chicago. With Brooke Shields, Bonnie Langford among her predecessors, Suzanne has some work to do to match up to expectations for a musical which has been a hit on both Broadway and in the West End.

Here we have a look at some of the interesting facts and figures about the much-loved show.

:: It is the West End's longest running Broadway transfer production, and celebrated 10 years on the London stage in December 2007.

:: The satirical story is based on a 1926 play of the same name by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins about actual criminals and crimes she had reported on.

:: The production opened on the London stage on November 18, 1997, to rave reviews and immediately became a sell-out hit.

:: The London show, which features music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, is staged by the entire original Broadway creative team.

:: Chicago has been performed in English, Dutch, German, Swedish, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Italian and French.

:: The show has grossed over £120 million in the capital since it opened in 1997, and has grossed over 850 million dollars worldwide.

:: It has received six Tony Awards (including Best Musical Review), five Drama Desk Awards, five Outer Critics' Circle Awards, one 1998 Critics' Circle Award, one Olivier Award (Outstanding Musical Production), one Grammy Award (for original Cast Recording), two Astaire Awards, one Drama League Award, two LA Ovation Awards, seven E E Awards and two Joseph Jefferson Awards.

:: It has played over 16,000 performances worldwide.

:: The show has been performed in England, Belgium, The Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Ireland, Scotland, Switzerland, Italy, France, Portugal, Greece, Russia, South Africa, China, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, Singapore and the united Arab Emirates.

:: Stars who have appeared in the London production include: Ruthie Henshall, Denise Van Outen, Marti Pellow, Claire Sweeney, Michael Greco, Jennifer Ellison, Jill Halfpenny, Brooke Shields, Bonnie Langford, Gaby Roslin, David Hasselhoff, John Barrowman, Ashlee Simpson, Michael French, Aoife Mulholland, Anita Dobson, Darius Danesh, Lynda Carter, Tina Arena, Leigh Zimmerman, Tony Hadley, Nigel Planer, Alison Moyet and Duncan James.

:: The London production has used over 14,871 pairs of tights, 581 metres of fishnet fabric, 871 metres of black lace fabric, 2,321 litres of washing up liquid, 760 pairs of men's socks, 520 hairpins and 9,666 hair grips.

:: A successful film version of the musical was released in 2002, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, and Richard Gere.

:: An estimated 17 million people around the world have seen the show.

© The Press Association