Crazy For You isn't a Madonna jukebox musical, but it
is a jukebox musical: Although based on the 1930 show
Girl Crazy, Ken Ludwig's book ties together a number of George Gershwin (music) and Ira Gershwin's (lyrics) most popular songs from throughout their career. It's played the West End before, and frankly didn't make enough of an impact on me to revisit it now if Susan Stroman's revival, which she originally directed and choreographed in Chichester, didn't star the criminally talented Charlie Stemp. In fact the publicity for this transfer has largely focused on Stemp's growing profile, the comparisons to Gene Kelly and the fact that he's essentially in a league of his own. God help his understudy, basically. But not tonight, as the main cast are present and correct for the most unironically old-fashioned show in town.
