You'd be crazy to miss Crazy For You at the Abbey Theatre!
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Crazy For You - Music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin, book by Ken Ludwig. Presented by the Masqueraders Theatrical Society at Abbey Theatre, Nuneaton, from 21 – 23 May 2026. Directed by Angie Adams. Assistant Director & Producer Mike Chappell, Musical Director Dave Adams. Choreography Gemma Eales and Chloe Jupe.
Review by Ann Evans
It was another fabulously entertaining show from the Masqueraders Theatrical Society as they presented Crazy For You – an uplifting colourful musical that’s really a show within a show.
The story, adapted from Gershwin’s 1930 musical Girl Crazy and which ran on Broadway for 4 years in the 1990s, sees New Yorker Bobby Childs - played excellently by Ashley Blackstock – a young man with dancing in his veins, eager to find work in the theatre. His impromptu audition in front of theatrical producer Bela Zangler (Richard Yates) fails to impress anyone, least of all his mother (Kim Liggins) who nags him to follow a career in banking, and his fiancée Irene (Kirsty Fell) who nags him to marry her.
There’s plenty of humour in these early scenes as well as great music from the 15-piece orchestra, plus singing and dancing from the company. For Bobby Childs, however, he sets off to Nevada to foreclose on a disused theatre in the town of Deadrock, Nevada which owes money to the bank. He finds it to be a sleepy little town where nobody can really be bothered – sentiments expressed in the local cowboys’ laid-back rendition of ‘I can’t be bothered now’. However, Bobby also finds love!
It’s love at first sight when he sets eyes on Polly Baker played by Jenney Chappell, but she wants nothing to do with him despite his best efforts. Bobby then has an idea to save the theatre that means so much to Polly and her dad (Andrew Sutton). Bobby believes that if they can put on a show, it will pay the debt owed to the bank. And while no one thinks it’s a good idea, they give it a go. Bobby arranges for his New York friends, the Follies Girls to come out to Deadrock and teach the cowboys how to dance.
There’s some great comic scenes, especially when Bobbie disguises himself as Bela Zangler to impress Polly, only to have the real Bela Zangler arrive in Deadrock himself. The show is packed with fun song and dance routines by the talented Masqueraders, and fabulous singing from Jenny Chappell as Polly. Plus of course, the wonderful music and songs of George and Ira Gershwin such as ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’, ‘Embraceable You’ and many others.
Ashley Blackstock plays Bobby brilliantly, he’s talented, energetic and very likeable; the theatre was rooting for him to succeed in putting on a successful show – and getting Polly to fall in love with him.
The whole company put on excellent performances, from the dancers led by choreographers Gemma Eales (playing Tess) and Chloe Jupe (playing Betsy) plus Amy Morris (Patsy), Leah Marston-Revill (Mitzi), Poppy Morris (Vera), Elsie Downes (Margie), Laura Grant (Elaine), Rachel Spencer (Susie) and Kristia Silverwood (Sheila). And then, the Cowpokes who are fun – but a special mention to Jack Deaves playing Moose, who absolutely shines when he’s handed a double bass to play in the fabulous routine ‘Slap That Bass’.
Naturally, things don’t go smoothly. Bobby's fiancée Irene comes after him – but luckily falls for local hotelier Lank Hawkins (Luke Rooks), and then his mother arrives! A very neat ending when she spots Polly’s dad and goes weak at the knees over him. There’s also a delightfully funny section when an English couple arrive on a visit. Eugene and Patricia Foder played by Jordan Bloomer and Katy Lloyd add a really fun element to the show.
It’s no secret that Bobby succeeds in his endeavours; he and Polly fall in love, and everyone else pairs up nicely – as you would expect in this fabulous, uplifting show.
Crazy For You runs at Abbey Theatre, Nuneaton until 23 May.
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