review of Crazy for You
"Crazy for You", billed as a new Gershwin musical opened in Melbourne on November 30th, after an eight month run in Sydney. It's actually a compilation of the hit songs from tried and true musicals written by the prolific partnership of brothers George and Ira Gershwin in the 1920s and 30s.
"Crazy for You" starts a little slowly, but once 'little rich boy who wants to go into theatre', Bobby Child, hits Deadrock Nevada to foreclose on the owners of the Gaiety Theatre, the pace picks up.
Needless to say, Bobby falls in love with Polly, daughter of the theatre owner, and vows to save the theatre, but must conceal his identity as a dreaded banker.
The line "Hey, let's put on a show" is inevitable from there, and provides the narrative thrust. At least Polly has the grace to quip: "Who do you think you are? Jimmy Cagney?"
The sets are tremendous and inventively employed, even if the transitions into the Bobby / Polly par de duexs leave the dancers backed by an unaccustomedly empty stage. The final scene is pure 1930s Art Deco, very Gershwin.
If you like the music of George and Ira Gershwin, set piece dancing on a large scale, you will enjoy "Crazy for You".
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