EntertainmentTheatre

Crazy for You at the Mayflower Theatre Southampton Review

21-25 November 2017

Reviewed by Angela Paull

Last night (21 November 2017), we went to see Crazy for You at the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton. The Mayflower is in the centre of the city and surrounded by plenty of car parking (I use Grosvenor Place as it’s a flat fee of £2 after 6pm). It has a restaurant, bars, snack kiosk and a bright welcoming foyer filled with helpful staff – everything you need for a good night out at the theatre.

“Crazy for You” is an all singing, all dancing fun fest. A typical feel good musical of boy meets girl, loses girl and then finds her again.

Bobby Child, played with perfect comic timing by Tom Chambers, is a frustrated performer being forced by his overbearing mother to work in the family bank. He’s desperate to get a part in one of Bela Zangler’s shows but his pleas fall on deaf ears. When he is packed off to the American Wild West to foreclose on a failed theatre it gives him the perfect opportunity to try and put on a show – the fact that he instantly falls in love with the owner’s daughter, Polly, is an additional incentive.

He calls upon his gal pals from Zangler’s troupe of performers to help and the fun begins. Polly, played with just the right amount of feistiness by Charlotte Wakefield, discovers that Bobby is there to repossess the theatre and wants nothing to do with him. In a last-ditch effort to save the theatre and win her heart her disguises himself as the great Bela Zangler.

It’s a very clever piece of casting that means that Bobby and Bela actually look very similar (to the point where the elderly gentleman sat next to me was totally confused). One of the standout moments from the production is when they both get drunk, having failed in their respective love quests, and sing “What Causes That?” together. A genuine laugh out loud moment that had the entire audience chuckling.

The whole production is underpinned with comedy – from Hollie Cassar’s epic turn as frustrated fiancée turned femme fatale when she transfers affections from Bobby to hotel owner Lank to Stacey Ghent and Kieran Kuypers as the Fodor’s, a pair of archetypical Brits busy mapping America for their guide books.

There is also, of course, plenty of song and dance. Tom Chambers almost tap dances his way throughout and showed some quite dare devilish acrobatics at times. The songs all have a feeling of familiarity about them and the instantly recognisable “I Got Rhythm” had me singing along (in my head!)

What was most impressive though was the way the cast played the musical score themselves, somehow managing to manoeuvre instruments ranging from a Double Bass to a flute around the stage whilst still dancing and performing. They proved themselves to be jack of all trades whilst master of all at the same time.

A toe tapping musical treat that would have wide appeal.

Rating: 4/5

Tickets cost from £24.50 to £44.50 (booking fees may apply).

Crazy for You is at the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton from 21-25 November 2017, for more information or to book tickets visit www.mayflower.org.uk or call the box office on 02380 711811.

Mayflower Theatre, Commercial Road, Southampton, SO15 1GE | 02380 711811

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