Chicago is at the Alhambra in Bradford until October 26

The hit musical takes the audience on a rollicking ride back to the razzle-dazzle of the 1920s.

Winner of six Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, and a Grammy, Chicago is the longest-running American musical in Broadway and West End history.

Chicago has been running for years and remains hugely popular (Image: Images from the 2021 production of Chicago)

Set in the American city in the Jazz Age, it’s inspired by a 1926 play of the same name by Maurine Dallas Watkins about actual criminals and crimes on which she reported.

I’ve been lucky enough to see it a few times over the years, though never in Bradford, so it felt a real treat to see it at the Alhambra.

The show is packed full of amazing performances (Image: Images from the 2021 production of Chicago) This production lived up to my expectations and I found it the perfect antidote for the dark, autumnal nights now upon us.

As Act I begins, we meet Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer, who murders her lover after he threatens to walk out on her.

In a desperate bid to avoid conviction – and the hangman - Roxie dupes the public, the media, and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest lawyer, Billy Flynn, to transform her crime into a barrage of sensational headlines.

Chicago runs until October 26 at the Alhambra (Image: Images from the 2021 production of Chicago) Kicking off with All That Jazz (which will undoubtedly be in my head for the rest of the week) Chicago delivers a heady mix of brilliant music, staging, and choreography.

The musical score soars from one high-octane number to another – Cell Block Tango - where the six merry murderesses of the County Cook jail explain why they’re behind bars; We Both Reached for the Gun; Roxie; I Can’t Do It Alone; When Velma Takes the Stand, and Razzle Dazzle are highlights in a show packed full of brilliant performances.

Faye Brookes dazzles as Roxie (Image: Images from the 2021 production of Chicago)

Roxie and Velma are the stars of the show. Stage and soap actress Faye Brookes - best known for playing Kate Connor in Coronation Street - is fantastic as Roxie Hart, alongside Djalenga Scott as Velma Kelly.

Djalenga Scott as Velma and Faye Brookes as Roxie (Image: Images from the 2021 production of Chicago)

As a Strictly Come Dancing fan, I was looking forward to seeing former pro, Kevin Clifton, as Billy Flynn. He delivers an impressive performance, along with 80s pop legend Sinitta as Mama Morton.

The cast of dancers and talented orchestra – which takes up much of the stage and is a collective character itself – complete a stellar show.

Chicago runs at the Alhambra until October 26