Crazy For You

After a month of brilliant festival events Crazy for you was exactly what the doctor ordered – a fluffy confection of pure nonsense populated with brilliant Gershwin songs and delivered with class by a talented company. This reworking of a 1930s piece has it all, comedy, romance and a plot that demands little or no attention. That’s a relief because your attention is certainly fully occupied by the choreography and musicianship of this team. The popular form of actor/musicians is here seen at its very best with almost every member of the company doubling up throughout.

Claire Sweeney gets to show her comic talents and in one number belts a song out whilst being manhandled around the set or should I say above it. I like Sweeney, she never fails to deliver and to be honest I would have liked more of her in this top billed but rather small role.

Tom Chambers gives it his all, singing dancing and cheerily mugging to the audience. It’s a performance packed with energy and comedy and he certainly pulls it off with crowd pleasing charm especially in the comic mirror duet with Neil Ditt.

The real highlight of the show though must be Charlotte Wakefield as Polly Baker, a role that smacks of a thigh-slapping Doris Day – and Wakefield certainly brings that out with a voice that packs the appropriate punch when needed and at other times sweetness.

Praise too for Nathan M Wright’s clever and complex choreography that has the multi-talented cast on their toes throughout. The evening flies by, great sing after great song, dance after dance and laugh after laugh. Crazy For You is a welcome reminder that an evening at the theatre can be a fun packed experience to lighten the spirit.

Theatre Royal Brighton

29 May

Andrew Kay

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