A sassy musical is bringing plenty of razzle-dazzle to the stage with a former Strictly star, a Corrie actor and a Loose Woman.

Bob Fosse’s Chicago, which is currently touring the country, including six nights in Canterbury, boasts a star-studded cast of Kevin Clifton, Faye Brookes and Brenda Edwards.

Kevin, 42, rose to fame on BBC dance competition Strictly Come Dancing, which he won in 2018 with his celebrity partner, Stacey Dooley, with whom he now has a daughter, Minnie.

Since leaving the show in 2020, the Grimsby-born performer has starred in musicals such as Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Rock of Ages before stepping into the suave shoes of slick lawyer Billy Flynn for Chicago.

He also made his panto debut with a starring role in Aladdin at Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre in 2023.

“I think Chicago is one of the most well-known musicals in the world,” says Kevin. “So when the opportunity to be a part of it came along, I had to take it seriously.

“I always try to build a bit of a backstory to any character I’m playing, and for Billy Flynn, I watched a lot of old school gangster movies, to get that inner world of madness, but outer world of confidence going on.

“I tend to usually play very physically energetic or flamboyant roles, but Billy is very much in control – he stands still, and things happen around him, as he’s in charge, commanding the stage. It’s a very different role for me to play. That’s probably been the biggest challenge for me.”

Faye Brookes, who will be appearing as Roxie Hart in the musical, is best known for playing Kate Connor in Coronation Street for four years.

The 37-year-old actress also competed in the 13th series of Dancing on Ice in 2021, coming in second place behind winner Sonny Jay.

Portraying the formidable Mama Morton is TV personality Brenda Edwards, who will reprise the role after first being cast as the shrewd prison warden on the West End in 2007.

Brenda has also appeared in Sister Act and We Will Rock You, as well as her regular spot on the Loose Women panel and being one of the hosts of BBC’s Songs of Praise.

The musical, set in the Jazz Age, follows ingénue Roxie Hart who, after murdering her lover, finds herself in the Cook County Jail and, with the help of notorious inmate Velma Kelly and lawyer Billy Flynn, uses the scandal to boost her celebrity status.

Chicago will be at the Marlowe Theatre from Monday, May 12 to Saturday, May 17. You can book tickets online here.

You can also book tickets by calling 01227 787787.