‘Crazy For You’ review
‘an absolute belter of a night out’
It is hard to imagine having more fun at the theatre than one can have watching DULOG’s blockbuster production of Crazy for You. From the moment the play opens, the stage is simply bursting with talent. This is exemplified by Michael Nevin, playing overzealous rich boy Bobby Childs, who soon establishes himself as both technical virtuoso (pulling off single wings on top of a questionably stable car whilst maintaining an energetic, smooth vocal) and utterly charming leading man. The plot largely hinges on Child, being banished by his hilariously hectoring and unamused mother, played with perfect wit and unflappable presence by Charlotte Field, to a small town in Nevada where he endeavours to revive the local theatre to win the heart of simply sensational leading lady Polly, played immaculately by Connie Richardson.
Richardson is very simply a star: heart, soul and grit. In ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’, we see a world of loneliness in her eyes as her raspy mezzo-soprano balances dignity with desperation, whilst later her forceful heart and relentless presence believably turn the mood of a whole town in ‘I Got Rhythm’. All of this was helped by a gorgeous side parting that never falters through dance after dance, a testament to Hannah Sheppard's skill as WHaM supervisor. Much of this central romance is sold through dance, in which Nevin and Richardson inject truth into every movement. It is a testament to the skill of choreographers Daisy Allen and Xanthe Gibson that such a beautifully evolving character dynamic is told almost entirely through movement.
All this action is set against two incredible ensemble casts: the New York Follies and the Nevadan Cowboys. The Follies are played faultlessly, each possessing perfect poise whilst balancing their own individual comedic personalities, such as Charlie Holliday’s frenetic Vera, and Eve Fidler’s wide-eyed Sheila. They are utterly polished, largely helped by Bethan Avery’s gorgeous work as wardrobe supervisor (rarely has pink and silver worked so well) and Poppy Harvey Wood and Lucy-Mae Bly’s brilliant leadership as co-dance captains, but not so much that we do not feel tinges of sympathy for Beth Dench’s poor Patsy and her many encounters with the chaos of this Nevadan town.
The rocky cowboys’ journey from lethargic screwballs to polished dancers is a source of constant hilarity with such standout moments as Jo Price’s Moose dancing on a roof; Harry Allderidge’s Sam banging a shovel on beat with immense pazazz; and George Cass’s Mingo’s hilarious, but somehow equally soulful, struggles with a double bass. This interaction plays out into a set piece in which the follies pose as double basses for the dancing cowboys, a set piece that could risk being awkwardly dated but is played with such charm that you cannot help but grin. Every actor on this stage has utterly earned their place on Durham’s biggest stage – they are all brilliant. Balancing such absurd humour against a narrative of genuine romantic intrigue is a profound challenge, and co-directors Hannah Thomas and Ben Cawood do a brilliant job of injecting charm into the sometimes risky humour of the playbook whilst never undermining the weighty passions of their leading duo.
Our two real foils are played too charmingly to ever really be considered antagonists, with Lucy Rogers playing Childs’s somewhat scorned fiancé Irene with plucky, zany outrage, and Damola Amusa’s Lank communicating frustration with a grounded charm that makes it hard to root against his plans to prioritise his hotel over the theatre. When their tensions are diffused by the hilariously raunchy ‘Naughty Baby,’ both performers solidify themselves as comedic geniuses.
Somehow in the joyful absurdities of this play, Childs’ romantic mission involves impersonating Bella Zangler, a Hungarian mega-producer whose unique charms could only have been embodied so hilariously by the indefatigable Ollie Cochran. When Zangler shows up in the second act, Cochran flips between literally red-in-the-face bamboozlement and a forceful businessman-persona with ease, all while maintaining pitch-perfect comedic timing and a beautiful baritone. Nevin impersonates Cochran with both precision and hilarious awkwardness, even handling a minor moustache slip with ease, leaving me feeling there is not a task Nevin cannot handle.
Another joyful mid-play arrival is the dynamic duo of Jacob Vellucci and Charlie Holliday playing Eugene and Patricia Fodor, two English guests who are simply standout comedic foils for this southern town. Holliday and Vellucci literally never miss a chance to inject a facial expression or line with complete camp flair, inducing cackles in the audience; pure charm!
Daniel Hicks must be given his flowers for bringing together an incredible band that simply never falters throughout the long run time, gliding through romantic melodies and hitting comedic jingles with ease, showcasing his immense skills as a musical director. The woodwind section enhances the atmosphere of fragile rural romance, and percussionists Oliver Radd and Drummer Janathan Karunakaran punctuate the comedy perfectly.
The set is huge and beautifully textured, and the lighting, designed by Theo Nellis, is perfectly set up with spotlights and washes that enhance both comedy and tender longing. This is a product of an immensely talented tech team – with too many brilliant and dedicated souls to name – but Tim Millard and Rory Collins deserve a world of praise as production managers. Clearly, Cawood and Thomas have pulled off an absolute belter of a night out, bringing together element after element with ease.
By Laurence Davidson.