On Sunday, 5 October 2025, Montecasino’s Teatro ignited with the swagger of the Roaring Twenties as Showtime Management unveiled Chicago – The Musical in a production that pulses with razor-sharp wit and jaw-dropping spectacle. Under Tânia Nardini’s expert direction, this revival arrives fully formed—each note, each shimmy, each scandalous aside lands like a headline that demands your attention.
Roxie Hart Reimagined by Kiruna-Lind Devar
From her very first step, Kiruna-Lind Devar made Roxie Hart both heartbreakingly vulnerable and fiercely ambitious. Her “Funny Honey” brimmed with sly wit, Devar’s voice weaving doubt and desire into every line. When she belted “Roxie,” her tone soared with raw hunger, capturing the glittering promise—and lurking danger—of instant stardom. Darren Greeff’s guidance as resident director and choreographer ensured Devar’s Roxie balanced tender vulnerability with the audacity of a nightclub siren.
Velma Kelly Commands the Stage with Samantha Peo
Samantha Peo exploded into “All That Jazz” with volcanic charisma. Peo’s sultry timbre rode Kevin Kraak’s live orchestra through brassy crescendos and snare-driven breaks, every high kick and leg extension punctuated by thunderous applause. Anne Reinking’s original choreography, re-created by Gary Chryst framed Peo as a jazz-age queen, her every movement a statement of power and poise. It was impossible to look away—or stop tapping our toes
Jonathan Roxmouth’s Billy Flynn: Legal Eagle of the Jazz Age
Jonathan Roxmouth’s Billy Flynn prowled the lectern like a silk-suited gunslinger, his courtroom theatrics a dazzling blend of charm and calculation. Roxmouth’s smoothly delivered quips and seductive lawyerly wink turned every cross-examination into a glittering duel of verbal barbs. Opposite Devar and Peo, Roxmouth traded razor-sharp banter that crackled with competitive electricity, making each legal manoeuvre feel like a high-stakes dance number.
“Cell Block Tango” Cuts to the Bone
When the lights snapped on “Cell Block Tango,” six femme fatales in fishnets took over the stage. Immaculate synchronization and staccato snaps turned their confessions of “He had it comin’” into a chilling refrain. Under Gary Chryst’s choreography, each woman’s story—delivered with clinical precision—felt both shocking and eerily compelling, leaving the sold-out house breathless and on edge.
John Kander’s Score Under Kevin Kraak’s Baton
John Kander’s indelible score roared to life under Musical Director Kevin Kraak’s baton. The 20-piece live orchestra was more than accompaniment—it was the production’s pulsing heart. Timpani rolls mimicked galloping hooves, horns soared like flapper dreams, and string swells underpinned every emotional pivot. In “Razzle Dazzle,” that kinetic energy exploded through the Teatro’s gilded walls, proving Chicago’s heartbeat still thunders in Johannesburg.
Noir-Chic Spectacle by Ken Billington
Lighting designer Ken Billington painted the stage in stark monochrome, slicing through haze with razor-sharp beams. His Art Deco-inspired light cues transformed rotating platforms into shifting worlds—courtroom benches morphed into cabaret stages in the blink of an eye. Strategic pools of scarlet—Velma’s lipstick, a single rose—punctuated the darkness, heightening every emotional turn and crafting silhouettes that felt lifted from a silver-screen noir.
Directorial and Choreographic Brilliance
Tânia Nardini’s staging is cinematic in its precision, every scene transition flowing like a silent-film montage. The re-creation by Gary Chryst of the original choreography, blended swagger and exactitude, turning each tap step, every tableau, into a high-voltage moment. Together, they distilled the story’s dark glamour without missing a beat.
A Standing Ovation Earned
By the finale the cast stood arm in arm, faces aglow. The applause wasn’t polite — it was an exalted roar from an audience utterly entranced. Chicago – The Musical at Montecasino isn’t merely a revival; it’s a reinvigoration of everything that makes live theatre magic. With powerhouse performances, a live orchestra that maximises every chord, and a creative team firing on all cylinders, this is the theatrical event of 2025. Consider it criminal to miss
Montecasino’s Teatro
3 October – 16 November
Book your tickets now exclusively at before the next Cell Block Tango locks you out.
