What a drag as reporters wait around the 1920s Chicago City Hall news room for an anarchist and (accidental) cop killer to be hanged. The corrupt sheriff and mayor both want his quick demise (as a Red, which he's not) to assure their ascendance in an impending election. Hildy Johnson won't be there as the ace reporter, though. After a final drink and farewell to the guys, off he'll train to NYC and a lucrative advertising job. Fiance Peggy and her mother are waiting to go with him. He's already late - and he's going to be much later.
Thanks to a dumb move on the Sheriff's part, killer Earl escapes. When everyone but Hildy runs out pursuing the details, Earl swings in through a window. Hiding him in a roll-top desk, Hildy has the story he can't resist. Only he has his Editor-boss Walter's orders to keep all under wraps until they can get Earl to the paper and story into the next edition.
Between Walter's hectoring and the politicians' threats, between the prospects of a honeymoon and stories of a lifetime, Hildy goes through paces that would break anything but a reporter who (as the old cliche went) has printer's ink in his veins. With David Breitbarth giving an always believable, empathy-inducing star turn as Hildy, it's a pity one has to wait (as some in the audience don't) past the 45 minute first act for him to energize all. He's helped enormously by James Clark, as devious Walter, blustering one minute, charming the next.
Earlier, Brad Wallace's arty Bensigner, a sanitation freak whose stories feature irrelevance and bad poetry, stands out among those playing writers. John Sterling Arnold's depiction of Sheriff grows very funny as he interacts with the shrewd Mayor (dependable David Howard). Mary Lipple as frustrated Peggy contrasts with Devon Pipars as loving whore Molly, but both are likeable. Donna Gerdes wins laughs in the small role of Peggy's put-upon mother, as does "killer" Aaron Kliner. With his strange accent, Sam Osheroff doesn't convince as gangster Diamond Louis, despite pin stripes. (Attention Vocal Coach: Make sure everyone from Chicago calls it Shi-CAW-go.)
The rest of the cast is reliable, as is the technical work, in recreating what newsrooms were like in the authors' days. One might quarrel with the use of only one typewriter (its clacking of keys not always synchronized with the typing) as well as the type of hats used and be amazed by the lack of smoke! Hopefully, no one but an old journalist from Chicago will notice.
