Crazy For You - Novello Theatre

Review Summary

Average Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars based on 7 review(s)



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Having wowed audiences at the Open Air Theatre, “Crazy For You” now heads to the West End’s Novello Theatre. Brought to audiences by team behind “Hello, Dolly!” at the Regent’s Park venue, which won great praise when it was staged in 2009, it is a further chance to experience the show in a new location. Timothy Sheader, the Artistic Director of the Open Air Theatre, returns as director, whilst Stephen Mear and Peter McKintosh return as choreographer and designer respectively. After a successful run in Regent’s Park it should have little trouble impressing London theatre audiences in the West End.

The story of “Crazy for You” focuses on Bobby Child and his dreams and ambitions of becoming a dancer for the stage. Add to this the heart-warming love story that runs alongside this and you have the make-up of a feel-good musical, particularly when you factor the great songs into the equation. These range from “Embraceable You” and “Nice Work If You Can Get It” to “Someone to Watch Over Me”, “I Got Rhythm”, and “They Can’t Take That Away from Me”.

Timothy Sheader, as Artistic Director, has been behind a wealth of shows for the Open Air Theatre, from 2010’s “The Crucible” to previous years’ “Hello, Dolly!”, “Twelfth Night”, “Gigi” and “Romeo & Juliet”. He has also directed other shows around and outside of London, including “Imagine This” at the New London Theatre, “Streetcar to Tennessee” at The Young Vic Theatre and “Love in the Maze” at the Watermill Theatre. He has earned great acclaim for such productions and should ensure that “Crazy for You” retains the magic felt in the Tony and Laurence Olivier Award-winning 1992 original.

But London theatre audiences also get to look forward to the work of musical director Gareth Valentine for the production, who arrives at the Novello Theatre following previous stints for the Open Air Theatre and a host of shows in the West End. His credits include “Into the Woods” at the Open Air Theatre, “Wicked” at the Apollo Victoria Theatre and “Cats”.