Sex, murder, and celebrity in Jazz Age Chicago
The Film
Long before Bob Fosse’s Broadway hit, Cecil B. DeMille brought the true story of jazz‑loving murderess Roxie Hart to the screen.
After killing her lover, Roxie joins forces with slick lawyer Billy Flynn and fellow murderess Velma Kelly to turn her trial into a media circus. A sharp satire on fame and scandal, Chicago is as outrageous as the real events that inspired it.
The Music
Silent film pianist Jonny Best will perform an improvised piano soundtrack on Brewery Arts’ beautiful Steinway grand piano. Jonny’s silent film performances are widely acclaimed for bringing silent cinema vividly to life, and tonight he’ll draw on the infectious rhythms and harmonies of 1920s jazz and song styles to match every twist of the story on screen. His improvised score responds to the film in real time, amplifying the comedy, heightening the drama, and giving audiences the thrill of hearing the movie breathe with live music.
Music: Jonny Best (piano)
Director: Frank Urson
Year: 1927
Country: USA
Length: 105 mins + interval
Thanks to FPA Classics
