Crazy For You - Farnham Amateur Operatic Society January 27, 2010

Crazy For You introduces us to 1930s New York and wealthy bank heir, Bobby Child, who dreams of a life in theatre, not marrying his fiancee Irene and spending as much time as he can backstage at Zangler’s theatre.

His mother sends him to Deadrock, Nevada, a town that has seen better days, (Bidin’ my Time) to foreclose on a property, the down at heel Gaiety Theatre, as feisty Polly Baker and her father Everett are behind on their loan repayments. Polly vows that she will do ‘something ugly’ to Bobby when he arrives but does not realise who he is when they meet and is bowled over when he teaches her to dance. (Shall We Dance).

Bobby suggests a show to help save the theatre but when Polly realises his true identity he is aware that any idea of his will not be well received so he invites some glamourous Zanglers ‘Follies Girls’ to Deadrock, to the delight of its male population (Entrance to Nevada) and pretends to be the great impresario Bela Zangler himself to persuade Polly and her father to put on the show. This does not go down well with Lank Hawkins, owner of the town’s saloon, as he has designs on both Polly and the theatre.

After some dire rehearsals the townsfolk pull together to create a show (Slap that Bass) but are very disappointed when they don’t appear to attract an audience and the only visitors to the town are Eugene and Patricia Fodor, from England, to review Lank’s saloon for a guidebook. Meanwhile Irene has arrived in Deadrock and is threatening to expose Bobby’s real identity to Polly if he doesn’t agree to return to New York. Bobby is then horrified to learn that Polly has fallen in love with his ‘Zangler’. (Embraceable You).

With everyone at rock bottom Bobby’s ‘Zangler’ apologises and starts to leave but Polly points out that the venture has pulled the town together and despair turns to celebration (I Got Rhythm) during which the real Zangler turns up but no-one notices in their frenzy of joy.

Bobby asks Polly to marry him but she declines as she is in love with ‘Zangler’. While Bobby confesses that he is ‘Zangler’ the real Zangler comes in to Polly’s delight. Zangler, however, has come to Deadrock to find Tess, the Follie’s dance director. Tess walks off though when Zangler refuses to help advertise the show leaving Bobby and Zangler to get drunk and bewail the loss of their women (What Causes That?) On seeing the two Zanglers Polly is humiliated and storms off.

Lank is exhausted from catering to the Fodors and lashes out at Irene when she ribs him, causing Irene to realise that they have a lot in common. She wastes no time in seducing him (Naughty Baby).

There is a heated discussion over whether to revive the show with the Fodors offering their own very British advice (Stiff Upper Lip) but on voting the decision is to call it a day and Bobby tells Polly he will return to New York but thanks her for the memories (They Can’t Take That Away From Me). Polly now realises that she has fallen for Bobby (But Not For Me).

Zangler, seeing his hope of wooing Tess fade if he doesn’t act, agrees to bankroll to show but this results in him losing the Zangler Theatre and Bobby’s mother offers it to Bobby, now back in New York, who is delighted until he hears about the circumstances. He conjures up the ‘Follies’ (Nice Work If You Can Get It) tears up the deeds to the Zangler Theatre and follows his heart back to Deadrock, a town rejuvenated, and to Polly.

Official Website: http://www.faos.org.uk/story.shtml