Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Starring Strictly champion Tom Chambers alongside a fabulous Gershwin brothers score, the acclaimed Watermill Theatre production of musical comedy Crazy For You arrives at Manchester’s Opera House this week as part of a 2017/18 national tour.
Privileged New Yorker Bobby Child (Tom Chambers) has been sent to close down the theatre in deepest darkest Deadrock, Nevada. Banker Bobby however harbours a not so secret desire to tread the boards himself, cue thrills, spills and laugh out loud silliness as Bobby disguises himself as Hungarian theatre impresario Bela Zangler in order to put on a show and save the theatre.
Tom Chambers shines as Bobby Child, he has the strong physical comedy skills needed for the role as well as an impressive voice and impeccable dance ability. He bursts with charisma and boundless energy and seems to be having as much fun with the role as the audience are having watching him.
Leading lady Charlotte Wakefield as Polly is perfection. Full of sass and spark her warm characterisation is a joy to watch, she literally bursts with personality. The scenes between Wakefield and Chambers are magic, both incredibly skilled dancers they work their socks off throughout the entirety of the show.
The static set is put to good use with changing backdrops and ambient lighting, allowing scenes to change from NYC to Nevada convincingly.
Despite the 1990’s reworking of the show by Ken Ludwig the characterisation and storyline does however remain a little weak, so much so that things just seem to happen with no explanation, fiancé’s swap fiancé’s while hardened New Yorkers move to the Wild West and shack up with the local saloon owner without batting an eyelid. That said the excellent performances and big hitters such as I got rhythm and They Can’t Take That Away from Me are fantastic, all are delivered with high energy and great confidence from the cast of actor musicians.
The cast work incredibly hard, dancing one minute then playing the fiddle the next, all are enormously talented. While there may be less impact from the tap numbers due to actors doubling up as musicians the skilful multitasking roles they deliver entertain adequately.
Crown pleaser Tom Chambers delights with his charming and confident take on the character while Charlotte Wakefield delivers a confident and commanding performance any leading lady would be proud of. All in all Crazy For You is a light-hearted, uplifting and all round fun show.
On at Manchester’s Opera House until Saturday 2nd Dec, tickets available here
Paul is stuck in a failing school which doesn’t even rank high enough to receive an Ofsted rating while Gordon has progressed to headmaster at the nearby snooty Oakmoor Prep. Oakmoor excels every Christmas with the most extravagant of nativities while St Bernadette’s can’t even muster a one star review, cue head teacher Mrs Bevan (JemmaChurchill) instructing Mr Maddens to lead this year’s nativity with the help of clueless new classroom assistant Mr Poppy (Simon Lipkin). Daniel Boys is exceptional as Mr Maddens, delivering a perfectly judged performance, warm and charismatic yet enormously frustrated with his lot. Boys is endearing and hugely likeable as we see his character soften and develop under the influence of the bonkers but brilliant Mr Poppy.
Sidekick to Boys is Simon Lipkin who is perfectly cast as the brilliant Mr Poppy, a big kid with an even bigger heart, his enthusiasm and energy is infectious. He portrays the lovable Mr Poppy superbly; he is incredibly funny, demonstrating a very natural comedic ability that leaves the audience roaring with laughter every time he takes to the stage, an absolute joy.
Each character is so wonderfully defined from the camp and catty local theatre critic (Jamie Chapman) to the power obsessed Mr Shakespeare (Andy Brady), this is storytelling to perfection, with every cast member an absolute delight to watch. David Woodhead’s set as you would hope is a sparkling spectacular sight, versatile and inventive, beautifully lit by Tim Mitchell.
Nativity strikes the perfect balance between being a real show stopping spectacle and delivering genuinely real, relatable and honest theatre. It’s uplifting, hilariously funny and enormously entertaining. Your heart will be warmed and your funny bone well and truly tickled by this sparkly, joyful, festive treat. The standing ovations will no doubt be repeated night after night as this real gem of a production warms hearts with every performance, my only criticism would be that we only get to have it in Manchester for one week, please Nativity! The Musical, come back soon!
Kara Lily Hayworth more than succeeds in stepping into Cilla’s footsteps, having won the role through a tough open audition process, Hayworth belts out showstopper after showstopper with ease and oozes style. With stunning vocals, perfect Cilla like mannerisms and a flawless Scouse accent her performance is superb. When Hayworth closes Act I with Cilla’s 1964 number one hit ‘Anyone Who Had a Heart’ she literally brings the house down, goose-bump inducing brilliance, expertly delivered.
Cilla the musical has clearly been a labour of love for director Bill Kenwright, offering audiences a charming and nostalgic walk down memory lane, act one for me lingers slightly too long in the Cavern days, although the performances are exceptional (Michael Hawkins as John Lennon is fantastic) the pace becomes a little slow, shaving a couple of the songs from this section wouldn’t be of any detriment to the story and would keep the audience fully engaged for the duration. That said, Cilla the Musical is a fantastically fun show, which at its heart is ultimately a love story, not one love story but several, the love story of Bobby and Cilla, Cilla’s love for the music, Brian’s love for his artist, Brian and Bobby’s at times love/hate relationship with each other and even our love for the Scottie Road girl who rose from rags to riches but always remained true to her Liverpudlian roots.
Opening Night 