Stephen Mear's choreography has played a major part in the success of the annual musical in the park and it has never been better than in this vibrant and exhilerating revival of Gershwin's wonderfully hoky piece of escapism. Thank goodness the rain kept away so that it was possible to fully appreciate the tap routines and the Follies chorus lines. Crazy for You is an early example of a jukebox musical as several Gershwin songs have been brought together from elsewhere and forced into a book by Ken Ludwig which makes Lend Me a Tenor look like Chekhov. It doesn't matter though as a terrific ensemble tackle it with great vivacity and there are a succession of showbiz standards superbly put across by Gareth Valentine's well-hidden band. Sean Palmer has been brought over from Broadway to lead the cast with great charm but we were especially pleased to see Clare Foster as his romantic foil, Polly. Clare's early training was at the same drama schools our daughter attended and we probably first saw her in end-of-year shows. She might not be the best actress in the West End but she sings beautifully and dances like a dream - Miss Wendy and Miss Kyla must be immensely proud. Crazy For You is a terrific end to another excellent Open Air season - perhaps a transfer indoors to the Novello beckons given the sad early closure of Betty Blue Eyes. - David Baxter
26 Aug 11
The raves are totally justified not just for the production but for the leads and none moreso than for Sean Palmer's gloriously charming Bobby. Simply cannot remember the last time I saw a leading man with so much presence and talent. Special mention for those glorious leggy chorus girls and the spectacular finale - you really could not ask for anything more as everything you had just seen was pure entertainment. - Owen
23 Aug 11
Terrific fun. Cast and audience have a wow of a time. Highly recommend! - habitue
12 Aug 11
This is the best musical at Regent's Park yet.Superb direction and choreography and the set and costume design are stunning.Not even heavy rain could dampen this stunner.Don't take my word for - just go and enjoy it. - Rob
10 Aug 11
Absolutely outstanding. The Open Air Theatre has staged some first class musicals over the past few years and this more than maintains the standard. To think, all they used to put on were endless versions of the Dream! - DCH
10 Aug 11
Loved it! Near perfect production.
Congratualtions to a superb cast and creative team.
Go see it! - R Patterson
10 Aug 11
An absolute delight. The acting is first class, the girls are glamorous the songs are classics the choreography is stunning and the one liners are great. Give yourself a treat and go and see it as soon as you can. - Brian Nathan
10 Aug 11
Heavenly! That is all I have to say!!!
Don't miss this sublime evening of musical theatre! Sean Palmer dances like a dream!!! - SteveC
10 Aug 11
This is as good as the original 1993 production, which won many Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical. I think it will be up there for Best Musical Revival this year. Go see! - Kevin Darnell
09 Aug 11
Almost twenty years ago, American writer Ken Ludwig (best known for Lend Me A Tenor) and British director Mike Ockrent had the bizarre idea of staging a ‘new’ Gershwin musical. Using Girl Crazy as their starting point they created a new book and added Gershwin songs from elsewhere. Not exactly a ‘jukebox’ musical, but close. They may well have inadvertently given us the best musical the Gershwin’s (n)ever wrote.
Bobby is a banker (there, I’ve said it!) who yearns to be a Broadway boy. To divert him from his attempts to join the Zangler Follies, his haridan of a mother sends him to the Wild West to foreclose on a theatre that has defaulted on its mortgage. Of course, he falls in love with both the theatre and the owner’s daughter and sends for the Follies girls (on their vacation) to stage a show with the local rednecks to rescue the theatre. Cue lots of east coast meets wild west culture clash and knowing jokes about how gambling will never catch on in Nevada.
Peter McKintosh has created a terrific set which starts with the neon lights of Broadway but soon moves to the dusty streets and saloon bars of the old west; a few real horses tied up outside the saloon and you’d think you were there. Timothy Sheader’s staging and Stephen Mear’s choreography sparkle with ingenuity and wit and there’s a fine ensemble of hapless cowboys and pretty chorus girls. It’s packed full of Gershwin tunes, from solo gems like Someone to Watch Over Me, Embraceable You and They Can’t Take that Away From Me to big chorus numbers like the show-stopping I Got Rhythm, which closes the first act leaving you desperate for the second to start. The book is very funny and the drunken scene where the real Zangler and his imposter meet is a comic masterpiece.
Sean Palmer is terrific as Bobby and Clare Foster is delightful in her transition from tomboy to lovestruck girlfriend. David Burt and Harriet Thorpe give us great cameos as Zangler and Bobby’s mum. The band is as big and as brash as it should be when necessary, but plays tunes delicately when needs be.
This season, the OAT has gone from desert island crash site to Hogarthian London to Broadway / the Wild West and all three show have been hits. The new policy of a more varied repertoire is paying off and the space is proving it can just about stage anything. Now all they have to do is replace the caterers! Miss this at your peril.
- Gareth james
