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Picture
INTERVIEW
Caroline Flack, Tom Chambers and Charlotte Wakefield 
starring in 
CRAZY FOR YOU
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend on Sea
26th - 30th September 2017
Southend Theatre Scene were invited to the Dominion Theatre in London’s West End to meet the leading cast of the new and exciting Gershwin musical, Crazy for You.  The musical comedy is about a wealthy man who falls for the daughter of the owner of a failing theatre in Nevada. It features the songs "I Got Rhythm", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", and "Embraceable You” and will begin its tour this week in Plymouth.  The show is heading to Southend’s Cliffs Pavilion on 26th  September and will be starring tv presenter and Strictly Come Dancing champion, Caroline Flack, in her musical theatre debut.  Also starring is her fellow Strictly winner and Holby City actor, Tom Chambers and two times Olivier Award nominated actress, Charlotte Wakefield.  Caroline and Tom will be playing Irene and Bobby with Charlotte in the role of Polly.

The cast are already half way through rehearsals when we meet at their rehearsal space, a room atop the Dominion Theatre, where myself and a few other members of the press are led through a labyrinth of stairs and corridors, via the dress circle of the vast auditorium, where later that evening audiences will be sat to watch An American in Paris, currently playing at the theatre.

The first thing on everyone’s mind is how on earth Caroline, 37, had been able to fit in rehearsals for the show all the while she’s been hosting the popular reality tv show, Love Island, which has just come to an end.

“I haven’t had a day off since I started Love Island.  I’ve been doing both at the same time. They’ve been able to adapt the schedule so that I can come in and do my bits.  I’m a tiny bit behind for some of it but I’m catching up,”  she explains with a smile.

“It’s terrifying how talented everyone is in the cast. I’ve never seen a production quite like it.”  Looking at Tom and Charlotte she adds,  “I’m quite blown away with you guys.  It’s really cool.”
Below: Caroline and Tom in rehearsal Photos: Richard Davenport
The part of Bobby is clearly a dream role for Tom Chambers, 40, who tells us, “The thing for me, when seeing this show at the age of 15, was immediately, please if ever there’s a chance to do a part in a musical in the world it would be playing Bobby in Crazy for You.”

Tom, who won Strictly Come Dancing in 2008 and was nominated for a Best Actor in a Musical Olivier for his role of Jerry Travers in Top Hat says, “Gershwin is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful music composers - the flavour and the style of the music has got so much joy and light and shade to it.  It’s a musically entertaining and uplifting show combined with the tap, which personally I love.”

Charlotte, 26, who has played Truly Scrumptious in the tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Maria in the Regent's Park production of The Sound of Music, to name but a few of her many roles, agrees, “Tap is the one thing I’ve never had to use in my career and finally all that money my parents paid for tap lessons is going to pay off!” she says triumphantly.  

This will be Charlotte’s fourth tour in three years and she has a wealth of experience to bring to the show.  “I’ve been all over the world - I’ve been really lucky and what I love about a regional tour is the different reactions you get in each venue.  That’s what makes it all so exciting.  It’s always different.”

With this show being Caroline’s musical theatre debut, is she feeling like she has to prove herself?

“These guys haven’t made me feel like that at all - they’ve been really helpful.  It's like when I did Strictly - it all starts to come back. I really enjoy it, it’s what I love doing.”

Caroline trained and graduated in musical theatre before her tv career took off and she explains, “This is actually the first time I’ve used my qualifications - the only ones I have - I’m actually using them for the first time! [laughs]  I used to sing lots when I was at college, I used to be in a jazz band.  I think television took me on a path where I kind of got busy with other stuff.”

By way of endorsement, Tom adds, “You'll be pleasantly surprised, let’s put it that way.  You’ll be blown away with this gorgeous husky voice.  Like Marilyn Monroe.”
Below:  Charlotte, Tom and the cast in rehearsal Photo Credits: Richard Davenport
This touring version of Crazy for You will also feature the cast playing all of the instruments in the show with no orchestra in the pit - a brave choice for a Gershwin musical.

Charlotte tells us, “To be on stage with that live sound is so thrilling. It’s just like nothing I’ve ever experienced ever in my life.  The audience will be watching the show and knowing that it’s 100% live.   What a better show to do it in than a full Gershwin show like this.”

Tom agrees, “It’s like they [the cast] are able to maintain a note of such outstanding beauty whilst also doing leg kicks and pirouettes.  How you do that on a violin and keep in perfect contact with the strings?  It’s kind of taking it to a different level.  It used to be triple threat and now it’s like major, quadruple threat - that you have to be able to play an instrument as well as sing, play and dance.”   

“I just love watching live music.  It’s great that they’ve learnt the Gershwin score off by heart.  I don’t know how they have time to do it because we actually have to be out of this building at 6pm.   They must take the instruments home and work until they go to bed.”

“Their poor neighbours…” says Caroline with a grin.   ​
Crazy for You will be at Southend’s Cliffs Pavilion from 26th to 30th September and tickets are available online at www.southendtheatres.org.uk or you can call the box office on 01702 351135
All photo credits:  Richard Davenport

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