Crazy For You
Upstairs At The Gatehouse
Reviewed on Tuesday 18th December 2012 (Press Night)
"Stagestruck banker Bobby Child, caught between his termagant mama and impatient fiancee, is despatched to the Nevada desert to foreclose on an ailing theatre; instead, he falls in love with the owner's spunky daughter Polly and hatches a plan to impersonate a successful Broadway impresario, Zangler, borrow his bevy of leggy chorines, and save the theatre by putting on a show right there. All sorts of silly shenanigans naturally ensue, including some nifty comic confusions when the real Zangler shows up."
An exceptionally strong cast bring Crazy For You to life Upstairs at the Gatehouse. This high energy show was delivered with skill and enormous enthusiasm. I Got Rhythm which is performed just before the interval was my highlight. With impressive vocals, incredible tap dancing and bags of energy I could not have asked for more. This was the first time I have seen a production of Crazy For You. I really enjoyed the show and especially loved the (unexpected!) French number, Bidin' My Time, as well as the spectacular finale.
Jay Rincon and Ceili O’Connor are brilliant as Bobby and Polly, singing and dancing their way through the show. Georgie Burdett, Sara Morley and Becky Bassett (who plays her ‘dumb blonde’ role to perfection) are extremely talented performers along with Ricky Morrell, Simon Ouldred and Tom Pepper who each portray their character perfectly. The entire cast keep the show alive. From beginning to end I was entirely engaged as there is not one slow scene.
Natalie Lipin and James Wolstenholme play nasty characters Irene and Lank convincingly. The scene between the two Zanglers when they perform What Causes That in a mirror image of each other is delivered brilliantly, producing much laughter in the audience. Also Tamsin Dowsett’s portrayal of Patricia Fodor is beautifully exaggerated, ably supported by Anthony Williamson as Eugene Fodor.
Upstairs at the Gatehouse is a lovely intimate theatre, bringing the audience close to the cast making us feel involved with the action. The set is minimal but effective with the cast doing seamless set changes. Crazy For You is enormously entertaining and will bring a smile to your face. Bring your kids... bring your grandparents... bring anyone!
Suzanne Mayer (Reviewer)
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