The story of Chicago originated as a play written by Maurine Dallas Watkins, resulting in a feature film released in 1942 starring
Ginger Rogers. This film, titled Roxie Hart, was updated in the seventies by the team of
Fred Ebb and
John Kander (a pair of established musical writers) as well as
Bob Fosse, who directed. Fosse was a well-known choreographer and dancer, and his provocative staging was the star of the show. It faded from memory, until the '90s, when it was resurrected to much acclaim. Following the successful revival of Chicago in New York in 1996, London got its own version a year later, which is quite good in its own right. ~ Sarah Erlewine