Alison Moyet opens in Chicago

Moyet (back) plays jailer Mama Morton

Eighties pop star Alison Moyet made her acting debut on Monday in the cast of hit West End show Chicago.

Moyet - who rose to fame as one half of the band Yazoo - took over the role of Mama Morton in the musical at the Adelphi Theatre.

Moyet, 40, stars alongside Denise Van Outen in the show for 13 weeks.

Speaking of her new role, Moyet said: "It's a huge challenge."

In the show, Mama Morton is a jailer at the prison where Roxie Hart, played by Van Outen, is held.

Denise Van Outen has been a big hit as Roxie Hart

Moyet sings a range of songs in the hit show. But her major showstopping number is When You're Good To Mama.

She said: "I never even appeared in a play or musical at school so I am really cutting my teeth.

"But the rest of the cast have been very supportive and helpful."

"I loved the style of the show - it was dark and sinister and very atmospheric."

Moyet had said she was particularly looking forward to working with Van Outen, who comes from her home town of Basildon, joking it would be like the "Essex mafia" on stage.

Success

Moyet, now a mother of three, was a member of Yazoo with Erasure's Vince Clarke.

She later enjoyed a successful solo career selling in excess of 20 million records, including the hit album Alf.

Her solo singles include That Ole Devil Called Love and Is This Love, leading to three Brit Awards.

Chicago has been running at the Adelphi since November 1997.

Much of its success is due to its raunchy image and choreography, put together by American dance guru Bob Fosse.

Another big draw of the show has been the big names assigned to its cast who, like Moyet, star for a limited run.

These have included German star Ute Lemper and French celebrity Sacha Distel.