Jazz and Justice : Marxist-Feminist Responses to Chicago (2002)

Come on babe, why don't we paint the town?
And all that jazz ✨


Chicago (2002) undoubtedly painted all of America with that Jazz! As an eccentric and whimsical adaptation of the 1926 play-turned musical, directed by Rob Marshall, Chicago has revolutionized American musical theater, as well as filmography. With its alluring and seductive illustration of the Jazz Era and Vaudeville, satirisation of marriage, law and society, amoral and deplorable characterisation of its key characters, Chicago has bridged the gap between social criticism and avant-garde aesthetics.

Who would have ever believed that murder could be a form of entertainment? The 1920s surely didn’t!

In this episode of Toil and Treble, we will primarily delve into a reader-centric discussion and interpretation on Chicago, through the intersections of gender, class and race while attempting to deduce the reason why its audience is the very part of society that it critiques. How did a text with several leftist subversive themes become a cult classic amongst conservatives?

From the composition of Watkins’ play, the ire erecting from the remnants of World War I and the Great Depression, the cataclysmic state of marriage and family in America to the eventual upsurge in crimes, murderess rows and social antipathy that had muddied America in the 1930s. This was an era when feminism was on the rise, and women were more conscious of their selfhood and autonomy. Gender is candid in Chicago, especially through its characterisation, performance and performativity, and costumes and aesthetics.

This episode will also discuss the intersectionality of class and race, the plenitude of Marxist and countercultural elements, and the vacillating and somewhat stereotypical depictions of certain characters such as the Hunyak and Mama Morton.


Chapters

The Historical Foundations of Chicago in America. 01:14
Unveiling Feminist Voices and Themes 01:51
Razzle Dazzle: The Role of Costumes, Fashion and Aesthetics. 03:34
Revisiting feminine roles and societal expectations. 04:35
Female Agency and Autonomy 05:10
Race, Class and Representation 06:10
The Reader-Response Reflections of Chicago 07:54
Conclusion 09:03

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Bhattacharya Adrita Amit (2333119)
Sebanti Hui (2333168)
Shiny Pinto (2333173)
Sreesha Chakrabarty (2333180)