Picture: Richard Davenport
Crazy For You at the Milton Keynes Theatre until 24 March 2018, before continuing its tour until 9 June 2018.
Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩
This musical story, full of Gershwin classics and set in the 1930s, follows the troubles of aspiring dancer Bobby Child and Polly Baker, a young ‘cowgirl’ from Nevada.
The essence of their love story is captured as the two couldn’t be more different. Bobby comes from a family of well-established bankers whilst Polly, the daughter of Everett, is longing to save her father’s failing theatre in Deadrock, Nevada which is on the brink of bankruptcy.
That is where their love story begins. Bobby (Tom Chambers) embraces the cheekiness of his character as he wins over Polly, played by Charlotte Wakefield.When Wakefield beautifully sings ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’’, she shows how innocent she is in love.
Although initially Bobby arrives in Nevada to reclaim the mortgage money owed by the Bakers, he finds himself staying in order to in fact do the opposite and save the theatre.
This is not lovers’ young dream as the theatre can only be saved if Bobby disguises himself as producer Bela Zangler.
The choreography by Nathan M Wright is perfect for the toe-tapping era, and the ‘I Got Rhythm’ number had audience members shuffling in their seats, ready to dance.
Bobby’s prim and proper attire is humorously juxtaposed with the introduction of the ‘Nevada lads’ who demonstrate a funny side to the hillbilly cowboys.
Their performance of ‘Bidin’ My Time’ makes the audience love these characters who soon trade their guns for instruments as they become part of Bobby’s show. We also see how truly talented the cast members are as they all play multiple instruments on stage.
Irene, played by Claire Sweeney, takes on the role of a sexy New Yorker in Nevada and her rendition of ‘Naughty Baby’ is powerful.
Notably, the Follies Girls offer a fun outlook on proceedings and in particular Patsy’s (Seren Sandham-Davies) one liners are playful and comical.
It is great to see live music being played in front of you while also being incorporated in the production of the show.
Molly Kerrigan
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