Gabrielle takes over from Simpson Oct. 30. Not only will it be the fifth time the performer has played the role in the current production, she will also be onstage to celebrate the show's ninth birthday on Nov. 18 - or, more accurately, the musical's 3,743rd performance.

The hit musical, which opened at the Adelphi Theatre on Nov. 18, 1997, moved to the Cambridge Theatre in April, leaving room for the current revival of Evita.

The Cambridge Theatre hosted the first production of Chicago when it opened there April 10, 1979, running for 603 performances. The John Kander (music) and Fred Ebb (lyrics) musical premiered on Broadway in 1975, features such songs as “All That Jazz” and “Mister Cellophane,” and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse.

This time around, Gabrielle will join Ian Kelsey as Billy Flynn and Amra-Faye Wright and Julian Sims as Velma Kelly and Amos Hart, respectively, with Brenda Edwards as Matron "Mama" Morton. Gabrielle’s previous stage performance was in the Chichester production of Coward’s Tonight at 8.30.

For more on Chicago, which is booking until April 14, 2007, call (0)870 890 1102.