I recently wrote a paper on the play Chicago, and I found a great
quote on a website about how the critics at the time (1975) felt about
the play. The quote was "Most critics found it too dark and too smart
for its own good." The website also contained information saying in so
many words, "Chicago never received any real positive recognition
until a 1996 revival opened to overwhelming critical acclaim ? with
many of the same critics now celebrating what they found distasteful
twenty years before." I can't find the website that has this
information on it anymore because I didn't write it down, and now I
need it to cite my paper, could you find this site for me, or one that
has that sort of information on it? Thanks!

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Request for Question Clarification by pinkfreud-ga on 19 Jan 2004 20:51 PST

Are you certain of the wording of the "too dark and too smart" quotation?
Here's a similar quote:

"Not surprisingly, reviews were mixed when CHICAGO first appeared on
Broadway in 1975. Even after Watergate, it was too dark & cynical for
popular taste, &, although nominated for several TONY Awards, it was
completely shut out by the far more sympathetic gypsies in A CHORUS
LINE. But when it was revived in 1996 we were all older & wiser, and
the O.J. Trial made the on-stage antics appear both timely & familiar.
The revival was buried in TONYs & is still playing every night in New
York even as the film version gathers the momentum of a tsunami on its
way to the Oscars."

http://www.films42.com/faq/faq_chicago.asp

I saw it when it first came round (in London) and considered that it
was only so-so.

I've seen it twice in its current manifestation and I have not been
greatly impressed.

I believe that it's now doing better today because Bob Fosse is now
generally better appreciated than he was.

Also, it's due to the marketing hype ...

You've gotta Razzle Dazzle 'em.

PS

When you write your review, you may quote me.

Pinkfreud - 
I'm not positive on the quote although I'm 95% sure I wrote that down
word for word, but in any case the website you provided with almost
identical comments are just as well, thank you a bunch! If my paper is
chosen for publication at my university for future classes ... I will
be indebt to you!! :) Thanks again!

Not that anybody asked (grin), but personally I think "Chicago" is
better received now because it typifies our society better today than
it did in the 70s.

Kriswrite