Photos: Stars Reunite for Chicago's Birthday Bash

The West End production of Chicago celebrated a “decade of decadence” last night (5 December 2007) at the West End’s Cambridge Theatre with a special one-off charity gala reuniting the show’s original stars: Ruthie Henshall, Henry Goodman, Nigel Planer and German Ute Lemper, who won a Best Actress in a Musical Olivier for her turn as Velma Kelly (See News, 13 Sep 2007).

Other stars who’ve appeared in the Kander and Ebb musical over the past ten years also took part in the unique performance, including: ‘Roxie Harts’ Anita Louise Coombe, Jennifer Ellison, Josefina Gabrielle, Jill Halfpenny, Linzi Hately, Bonnie Langford, Aoife Mulholland, Frances Ruffelle, Claire Sweeney and Denise Van Outen; ‘Velma Kellys’ Anna Jane Casey, Pia Douwes, Annette McLaughlin, Caroline O’Connor, Amra-Faye Wright and Leigh Zimmerman; ‘Billy Flynns’ Darius Danesh, Tony Hadley, Duncan James, Ian Kelsey and Terence Maynard; ‘Amos Harts’ Paul Baker, Paul Rider and Paul Leonard; and ‘Mama Mortons’ Brenda Edwards, Sue Kelvin, Kelly Osbourne and Gaby Roslin.

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For Whatsonstage.com Photos, our photographer Dan Wooller was on hand for yesterday’s on-stage photocall and arrivals at the Cambridge Theatre, capturing cast members past and present and other gala guests, including Jenni Falconer, Tim Vincent, Claudia Shear, Walter Bobbie, Fiona Bruce, Gloria Hunniford, Lisa I'Anson, Adam Cooper, David Ian, Tamzin Outhwaite and Karen Millen.

Last night’s performance of Chicago was held in aid of Breast Cancer Haven and the Breast Health Institute in the presence of the evening’s honorary patrons Elizabeth Hurley, Mr and Mrs Julian Kitchener-Fellowes and Andrew Lloyd Webber with the support Fran and Barry Weissler.

This West End production of Chicago opened at the Cambridge Theatre (where the musical’s original London production ran for 603 performances from April 1979) on 28 April 2006, after eight-and-a-half years at the Adelphi Theatre on the Strand. Amongst its accolades are the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production and the Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical.

Kander and Ebb’s 1975 musical is based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins and has a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The current stage revival, which transferred from Broadway, is directed by Walter Bobbie and designed by John Lee Beatty, with choreography by Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse.

- by Terri Paddock

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