Even people who don't like musicals will find it hard not to like this one. The songs are catchy, the dialogue is snappy and the dancing is terrific. The Chicago musical was adapted from a play and debuted on stage in 1975. It was directed and choreographed by the celebrated Bob Fosse. Set in the turbulent 1920s, the songs are inspired by jazz and vaudeville music. There is no saccharine plot here. The story involves murder, betrayal and prison.

The three central characters are Velma Kelly, Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn. Velma has found her sister and husband in a compromising situation and killed them both, whilst Roxie has murdered her boyfriend. They are both sitting on death row.