WHAT’S this, that nice clean-living Osmond boy as a sleazy, money-grabbing lawyer?

And one of soap’s sweetest characters as a cheating, bitchy murderer?

But Jimmy Osmond and Emma Barton, who played the aptly-named Honey in EastEnders, defy typecasting to put in fabulous performances in the perennially popular musical.

I’ve now seen Chicago five times, on every occasion that it has come to Birmingham, and I think this could well be the best production yet.

Other casts had one or two stand-out members, such as sassy, high-kicking Jennifer Ellison and smooth-voiced Marti Pellow.

But never before have there been two leads who can sing, dance and act to such a high standard.

Jimmy Osmond, with his menacing laugh, is surprisingly nasty as Billy Flynn. Emma, as Roxie Hart, has a fine voice and the requisite long legs to perform Bob Fosse’s liquid moves.

An even better dancer and singer – although she has a slight tendency to garble her lines – is Twinnie-Lee Moore as Velma Kelly, another 1920s killer awaiting her fate in a Chicago prison and hoping to evade the noose with the help of a manipulative lawyer and bags of publicity.

Then there is Adam Stafford, excellent as Roxie’s cuckolded husband.

The company of lithe dancers, clad in tiny pieces of black net curtain, are mesmerising as they move together, while the great live band really look as if they are enjoying themselves.

After Birmingham the tour continues on without Jimmy, as Gary Wilmot is replacing him, so I advise audiences to catch this hugely entertaining show while they can. Witty and fast-paced, it is slick, stylish and sexy.

* Running time: Two hours, 35 minutes. Until June 13.

Rating: 5/5