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Cuba Gooding Jr: 'I'm doing Chicago for my late father'

The Oscar-winning actor is playing Billy Flynn in the West End revival of Kander and Ebb’s musical

Ben Hewis
London London's West End
Cuba Gooding Jr performs at the Chicago launch

We spoke with Cuba Gooding Jr, Ruthie Henshall, Josefina Gabrielle and Sarah Soetaert at the West End launch of Chicago.

Oscar winner Gooding Jr plays lawyer Billy Flynn, while Henshall becomes the first British actor to play all three lead female roles, taking on prison warden Mama Morton. Soetaert returns to play Roxie following her turns in previous runs at the Cambridge and Garrick Theatres, and Gabrielle will play Velma, having also starred in previous West End runs of the musical as Roxie.

The 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 from Fred Ebb. It is set in Prohibition-era Chicago and follows two women who murder their lovers and become celebrities off the back of the court cases. It originally ran in London for 15 years and won an Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production.

Featuring songs including "Razzle Dazzle", "We Both Reached For The Gun" and "Cell Block Tango", the West End run will be based on the UK and internationally touring production.

Chicago runs from 11 April to 6 October, with previews from now.