Chrissie appeared as Mary Magdalene in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR on the Australia and New Zealand tour back in the 1970s before moving into pop and rock. She returned to musical theatre and appeared in SMOKEY JOES CAFÉ at the Prince of Wales Theatre and as the Devil Woman in HARRY'S WEB (1999) at The Theatre Royal, Windsor. I haven't come across anything in the way of comment or photos on any of these productions.
Chrissie was featured and photographed in the Daily Mail around the time of Smokey Joe's Cafe. I can't remember the exact context but it was something to do with some substance or other taken by many stage performers to keep them going.
Chrissie then went on to star as Grizabella, The Glamour Cat, in the long running London production of CATS which closed in May 2002. Grizabella is the one who gets to sing the showstopper "Memory". Reviews of the show highlight Chrissie as the stand out performer in the cast and she seems to have been well received by the many Cats fanatics.
As the leading lady of a West End production, Chrissie was interviewed for a Daily Mail feature. She was also featured in a television programme in late 2001 that was about star dressing rooms or something like that.
Chrissie joined the London cast of CHICAGO in June 2002 playing Matron "Mama" Morton. Her run ended in November 2002 and she seems to have been well received with some considering her interpretation to be definitive.
The greatest treat of the evening was Chrissie Hammond though. The intensity and smoky tone that I had liked about her Grizabella, together with her manner, movements and perfectly done accent, made her a stunning "Mama" Morton.
The song "When You're Good To Mama" seemed to have been written with her in mind. She brought a certain cool, yet raunchy, Marlene Dietrich touch to the role that was just brilliant. Her voice was warm and rough, balanced and perfectly modulated to fit each mood as she sang. I also thought her acting was great - she created a compelling and incredibly strong stage presence for her character. Bravo!
http://web.utanet.at/lebicerw/shows/chicago.htm
There doesn't seem to be much in the way of fan sites for Chicago on the web so I haven't been able to track down any pictures.
Chrissie returned to the role of Grizabella of CATS in the 2003 UK Touring production. This has spawned interviews on manchesteronline.co.uk, ic CheshireOnline and thisisthenortheast.co.uk. The run came to an end in November 2003 but Chrissie has stayed with the touring company and is still receiving rave reviews on the 2004 UK Tour.
© Copyright 2003–2004 Graham Johnson