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Written by Administrator
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Wednesday, 09 February 2005 |
Review by of Jill Halfpenny in Chicago (31st January
2005)
Well, we all know that Jill has proved herself to be a good actress (Byker Grove, Coronation Street, Eastenders etc), plus we saw her in a totally different light in "Strictly Come Dancing", in which she proved herself a worthy winner of the second series and the Xmas 2004 Special "Champion of Champions" (yay!!). Now, however, after having seen her in the Chicago on her first night (31 January) I can honestly say that Jill has established herself as an all-singing, all dancing bona fide West End trouper! She sings all the songs really well and has a good pair of lungs (although, if I'm honest, her voice isn't as good as her rival in the show, Velma Kelly, played by Anna-Jane Casey, and the contrast between the two can be heard when they sing a number together, whereas when Anna-Jane sings her duet with Donna Hazelton who plays Mama Morton, they truly sound melodically divine). Jill's America! n accent, however, is absolutely amazing, considering her natural Georgie accent. The show really brings out Jill's comic talent, especially in her scene with Billy Flynn (played by ex-Eastender, Michael French) where Roxie sat on Billy's lap as a sort of ventriloquist doll - Jill's timing and mimicry was a classic performance, to which the audience responded well.
On the Friday before the show, Jill appeared on "London Tonight" news and said that she was going to be "genuinely very, very nervous" on her first night and that she hoped that her nerves wouldn't show. Well, she did a great job. Not a single sign of nerves - her performance was impeccable. She didn't fluff a single line, she sang in tune, she danced her heart out and made everyone laugh - all without over-acting. She's a natural born talent.
I have to say that I was expecting much more from the show itself and, as much as I thoroughly enjoyed Jill's performance, the show didn't have that "Wow" factor for me. If anything, after seeing the way Jill could move on SCD, I felt that the part as Roxie wasn't challenging enough for her. Roxie may be the lead, but the part of Velma Kelly has so much more to it and I could see Jill in that role. Nevertheless, this is a great opportunity for Jill and all I can say is:"Onwards and upwards, Jill". After Chicago, Jill deserves to go from strength to strength. She's proved she can do it all and let's hope that her career is a long and fruitful one.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 09 February 2005 )
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