Chichester has a monster hit on its hands with this “divine” revival of Crazy for You, said Arifa Akbar in The Guardian. First staged on Broadway in 1992, it is largely based on George and Ira Gershwin’s 1930 musical Girl Crazy, but it incorporates some classic numbers from other parts of the Gershwin oeuvre.
The show’s original choreographer, Susan Stroman, also directs, and the result is “spectacular entertainment” – a giddy feast of irresistible physical comedy and punning wisecracks, infectious melodies and, perhaps best of all, a fabulous “whirligig” of dancing – “tap, ballroom, chorus-line and balletic movement, all effortlessly athletic”.
This “magnificent” production will “knock you for six”, agreed Dominic Cavendish in The Daily Telegraph. As with Cole Porter’s Anything Goes (1934), its theme is a simple one, about that relatable “yearning to break free, escape the rat race and follow your passion”.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Bobby, the scion of a New York banking family, is sent to foreclose on an ailing theatre in the small town of Deadrock, Nevada – but on arrival he is instantly smitten by the place, and by Polly, the young woman who runs it.
The madcap plot that follows loads an awful lot onto the “shoulders (and dancing shoes) of Charlie Stemp”, who plays “the banker with a heart of gold”, but he is simply sensational. He switches deftly between “rubber-limbed goofball and epitome of debonair charm”, and achieves an apparent “weightlessness in his waltzes, quick-turns and tap frenzies you never tire of watching”. And he is matched for “poise and sparkle” by Carly Anderson as Polly.
In a show packed with classic numbers (including Someone to Watch Over Me and Nice Work If You Can Get It), Anderson has the best tunes, and she sings them beautifully, said Patrick Marmion in the Daily Mail.
As for Stemp, he displays the “physical comedy of Norman Wisdom and the dancefloor artistry of Fred Astaire”, confirming his place as a true star of the genre. Musical theatre really “doesn’t get any better than this”.
Chichester Festival Theatre, West Sussex. Until 4 September
-
Why ‘anti-Islam’ bikers are guarding Gaza aid sitesIn The Spotlight Members of Infidels MC, who regard themselves as modern Crusaders, among private security guards at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites
-
China: Xi seeks to fill America’s voidFeature Trump’s tariffs are pushing nations eastward as Xi Jinping focuses on strengthening ties with global leaders
-
Rebrands: Bringing back the War DepartmentFeature Trump revives the Department of Defense’s former name
-
A tour of Sri Lanka’s beautiful northThe Week Recommends ‘Less frenetic’ than the south, this region is full of beautiful wildlife, historical sites and resorts
-
Giorgio Armani obituary: designer revolutionised the business of fashionIn the Spotlight ‘King Giorgio’ came from humble beginnings to become a titan of the fashion industry and redefine 20th century clothing
-
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale – a ‘comfort’ watch for fansThe Week Recommends The final film of the franchise gives viewers a chance to say goodbye
-
The Paper: new show, same 'warmth and goofiness'The Week Recommends This spin-off of the American version of The Office is ‘comfortingly and wearyingly familiar’
-
Rachel Jones: Gated Canyons – ‘riotously colourful’ works from an ‘exhilarating’ painterThe Week Recommends The 34-year-old is the first artist to take over Dulwich Picture Gallery’s main space
-
Born With Teeth: ‘mischievously provocative’ play starring Ncuti GatwaThe Week Recommends ‘Sprightly’ production from Liz Duffy Adams imagines the relationship between Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe
-
Art review: Lorna Simpson: Source NotesFeature Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, through Nov. 2
-
Jessica Francis Kane's 6 favorite books that prove less is moreFeature The author recommends works by Penelope Fitzgerald, Marie-Helene Bertino, and more
