Crazy For You

Last night was one of those unusual evenings when somebody was taking me to the theatre, in this instance to see the Regents Park Open Air transfer of Crazy For You into the Novello. I must say it was a particularly odd experience visiting a show that I knew to be - for want of a better phrase - old-school musical theatre, when I knew nothing of the plot or songs.

I have a deep-seated liking of musicals, as my readers will know and Crazy For You is a wonder of ridiculous plotting, silly situations and punchy one-liners. The music and lyrics are George and Ira and the book is Ken Ludwig - which might go someway as to explaining the strong affinity to the recently closed Lend Me A Tenor, also by Ludwig.

As much fun as I found the show it did creek awfully loudly in places and what may have been great fun to watch on a balmy evening in Regent's Park, now seems decidedly doughy in places. The costumes seem a little workaday, the set - evidently a wonder of creativity on the Regent's Park stage - behind a pros arch seems simply uninspired. The group choreography is great fun in places but individual dancing lacks joi-de-vivre.

Whilst I may have enjoyed myself a little, Crazy For You is simply a filler; a shoo-in for the awkward, uninspiring Betty Blue Eyes, which shuttered early despite the critics and West End Wendys lavishing it with superlative reviews. Personally, I would much rather have seen the meatier Ragtime get a transfer but I suppose, this was a 'safer bet' with the right size set.

Awe Inspiring Beauty

Keeping Up

Trying to catch up with highlights from over the last couple of months. Anyway, here's a montage of images that should speak volumes....but probably don't.

Theatre Family

Trying to catch up with things a little bit, I couldn't help but pause and take note of the wide theatre family that was around me a couple of weeks ago at Noel & Gertie. The show itself was fun and threw up the second performance I have seen from Helena Blackman - the first being in Saturday Night at Jermyn Street. It was also the second time I had seen Ben Stock on stage - the first, bizarrely in G & I at the New End, where he was playing second fiddle to Anita Harris Gertrude Lawrence.

However for me, one of the real pleasures of this press night was the wonderful Kevin Wilson guest list of fun and talented people. Our hosts were the gorgeous producer Mr Tarento and the director Thom Southerland. Naturally Howard Hudson, the lighting designer was there and there would be little to see on the Fringe without his machinations. My guest for the evening was Ross Leadbeater, the young Welsh musical director whilst musical director Michael Bradley arrived too, direct from a brief visit home to Ireland.

With this being the 'same team who brought you Parade', there was a selection of Parade people there including the very talented Laura Pitt-Pulford and Terry Doe, the latter I was rather keen to meet as I had also seen his remarkable performance in Roar of The Greasepaint at the Finborough. Making a fashionably late entrance was the incomparable Christopher Cleggosaurus, producer of the recent Betwixt! at the Trafalgar Studios whilst Phil Matthews was snatching pictures for Fourth Wall Magazine and looking gorgeous as ever. Scott Matthewman, Chad Armstrong, Aline Waites, Penny Horner and Sarah Lark......

As Noel Coward once said, 'I've been to a wonderful party!'