Moyet steals the show in Chicago

Luke Leitch10 April 2012

After a decade's self-imposed exile, Alison Moyet reclaimed centre stage on her debut appearance in Chicago at the Adelphi Theatre last night - and promptly stole the show.

Ms Moyet, 40, has been a reclusive, barely seen superstar since her fame in the Eighties. But when she took the stage as prison Matron "Mama" Morton to belt out her opening number last night the Adelphi's packed auditorium saluted Ms Moyet's long overdue return with a deafening cacophony.

And then she sang, and the audience fell silent.

Denise Van Outen, 27, who has achieved critical acclaim with her recently extended turn at playing the murderess Roxie Hart, said afterwards: "We were sitting at the side watching her. You could hear it - when Alison started singing a hush descended through the theatre. It was fantastic."

Ms Moyet's powerful gravelly voice was famous around the world and sold 20 million records thanks to her Eighties synch-pop classics with Yazoo and her solo career.

Then crippling nervousness, and even bouts of agoraphobia, led to Ms Moyet's retirement from the pop rat-race to concentrate on bringing up her three children and her marriage to husband David, a social worker, for most of the Nineties.

Considering those raging nerves, Ms Moyet was a picture of calm as she sipped champagne and posed with Miss Van Outen and co-star Annette Mclaughlin after the curtain fell on her return last night.

She said: "I just feel a bit numb really. It hasn't been nearly as nerve wracking as singing a concert because you are just one part of a cast, an ensemble - and they have all been so brilliant and supportive, even though they have such a hard, hard job to do."

Miss Mclaughlin - an old Chigaco hand who is reprising her role as Velma Kelly for three weeks while cast member Leigh Zimmerman is away - said: "I've only been here for the last week but Alison is such a lovely person to work with, and her voice is astonishing - just so powerful and great."

As the cast clustered into Miss Van Outen's dressing room to claim a flute of champagne to toast the night's success, a determined group of Moyet fans waited by the stage door.