****
Wales Millennium Centre
Until Sat 9 Sept
Crazy For You follows the story of Bobby Child, the son of a New York banking family with dreams of dancing on the stage. The opening scenes are rather sloppy, lacking a snappy pace to the humour and poorly introducing the central character of Bobby. Everything changes, however, in the second song which acts as the first all-singing, all-dancing number in the show, and where it begins to shine. The energised tap-filled choreography, simple yet vivid use of colour and light, and the slew of gumball-coloured, pixie-like chorus girls effortlessly create an authentic, charming rendition of old-school musical theatre which forms the dreamscape Bobby escapes to.
The initial impression of Tom Chambers as Bobby Child proves rather over the top, his performance of Bobby with an inherent wackiness providing insufficient contrast between Bobby’s own persona and when he escapes into his dancing. Lacking calmer moments which could have imbued his character with greater emotional depth, he proves more engaging during chunks of the narrative where Bobby adopts another man’s identity, the caricature Bobby creates better suiting Chambers’ performance style. Still, Chambers supplies relentless energy, excelling in moments of physical comedy, and is satisfyingly counterpointed by the more grounded character and performance of Polly (Charlotte Wakefield).
The choreography elevates each performance. At times slow, natural and intimate, at others characterised with fast-paced physical precision, it never proves repetitive, establishing character relationships and conveying emotion more effectively than any of the spoken word in the show. Though the supporting performances entertain, an unnecessary subplot wastes time which could have better served improving the characters of Bobby and Polly. While the utterly charming old-fashioned style of the show is worn on its sleeve (inherent in its inception as collecting Gershwin Brothers songs), it makes no attempts to adapt or subvert the style of narratives it is borrowing from, leading the storyline to admittedly prove rather simplistic and predictable.
The pacing of the show, however, largely prevents this from becoming an overbearing issue. The sense of rhythm coursing through the production is palpable. The seamless confluence of set, choreography, performance and music played live on stage by the actors creates a natural, organic flow and sense of dynamism which whisks us from each well-polished number to the next. The set, designed as a theatre stage complete with curtain and boxes, creates effectively atmospheric environments and evocation of classic Hollywood as it takes us from New York to a Wild West-style town.
Ultimately, the production excels in showcasing the raw ingredients of musical theatre. If you are willing to accept the flaws of the narrative, the initially slightly off-putting central performance, and know the style of show you are in for, you may well end up loving it. Revelling in its classic approach, it doesn’t necessarily do anything new, but what it does do, it does with panache and heart.
words EDWARD LEE