The super-sexy, multi award-winning musical Chicago is touring the UK until September 2007, starring Dale Meeks as hapless husband Amos Hart. Best known to audiences as fishmonger Simon Meredith in the ITV soap Emmerdale, Dale is delighted to hang up his white coat and swap fictional rural life for the role of Amos, based in prohibition 1920s Chicago. "I think he's the only good guy on the whole show, even though the first two times you meet him he's telling terrible lies – but he does it because of his extreme love of his wife Roxie. It's a brilliantly written part," said Dale Meeks. Dale is no stranger to musicals as he created the role of Ginger in Ben Elton's and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Beautiful Game at the Cambridge Theatre in London's West End.
 | | Dawn Spence as Velma Kelly in Chicago |
"I took the role [Amos] because it was offered to me," said Meeks. "When I was told my run was coming to an end, and I was given a hefty heads up, I was thinking about life after Emmerdale. "I've been in the programme when some fine actors have left that show and gone onto oblivion - never to be seen again apart from other people's leaving parties. That was a big worry, life after Emmerdale," he added. Chicago - The Musical Chicago - The Musical is based on the play Chicago, originally written by Maurine Dallas Watkins. In the early 1970s it was turned into a musical by John Kander, Fred Ebb and Cabaret's legendary choreographer Bob Fosse. Chicago opened in 1975, was revived in 1996 and in 2002 had its popularity reinforced by the film version starring Catherine Zeta Jones. The show has won a multitude of awards, including six Tonys, one Grammy and two Baftas. "I'm a film buff and theatre buff and my character is kind of like the clown, almost like the ghosts of America vaudeville coming back," said Meeks.
 | | Dale Meeks performing as Amos Hart |
"[In the song] Mister Cellophane – Amos has got a moment of the stage all to himself, has a lovely bit of banter with the audience and then does a wonderful number. "It's great – it's a lovely moment and it always goes down well because it's so brilliantly written. It's a joy to play. "Amos' exit is one the most poignant and hilarious moment on stage. I'm fiercely proud of being in the show and having it on my CV, it's great," he added. Semi-naked girls Chicago is one of the sexiest musicals in production. With a sassy score and sensuous costumes by designer William Ivey Long, the cast is left leaving just enough to our imagination. So what's life like, spending 12 months on tour surrounded by a beautiful cast? "It's brilliant. My fiancée Lisa is going crackers about it," joked Dale. "I've grown up all my life backstage. You get used to it, there's no modesty so you soon lose you sensitivity to it - but it's pleasant on the eye. "It's one of the sexiest shows going, and then I'm in it – in my cardy! Though cardies are back they tell me so I'm in fashion," he added. Emmerdale After nearly three years working on Emmerdale, Dale Meeks has many fond memories of the soap.
 | | Dale Meeks (right) as Simon Meredith |
Born in South Shields, he now lives in Leeds and still catches up with his old Emmerdale mates. "It was the best time of my life. I think it was a popular character and people are saying 'When are you going back to Emmerdale?' – you never know," he said. "It was a great period of time, I still live in Leeds and I'm still in touch with a lot of the members of the cast. "I still stand by it, I think of all the soaps on the telly it's got a brilliant blend. "It deals with very serious issues very well, but it's also got a big heart and lots of comedy in it as well which I think the others fail to deliver all the time. Life's miserable enough without tuning in to watch more misery," he added. Chicago runs at the Norwich Theatre Royal until Saturday, 3 March, 2007. The national tour continues until September 2007, see local press for details. | 
