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Graham Clark
Music Features Writer
@Maxximum23Clark
10:51 AM 28th August 2017
arts

Crazy For You - Interview: Tom Chambers

 
The Watermill Theatre production of Crazy For You opens in Leeds on Tuesday 29 August starring Caroline Flack (Strictly Come Dancing), Charlotte Wakefield (Sound of Music, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) and Tom Chambers (Top Hat and Strictly Come Dancing).

I spoke to Tom on the opening week of the musical in Plymouth.

THE MUSICAL OPENED IN PLYMOUTH THIS MONTH, HOW IS IT GOING?

It's going really good. It is unlike any other production you will have seen of Crazy For You. All the actors are playing their own instruments on stage, there is just so much going on, then on top of that you have the Gershwin songs too.

I am really looking forward to coming back to Leeds. I was there with the musical, Top Hat, the Grand is such a gorgeous theatre. Shirley my auntie is from Leeds so she will be coming to watch one of the shows and bringing the family too.

DO YOU GET CHANCE TO LOOK AROUND LEEDS WHEN YOU COME?

We are doing an extra matinee in Leeds so I will not have as much time as in total we do 3 matinees in Leeds. I love to have a look around too and so does Caroline Flack who is in the show, there are some great shops and markets in Leeds

STRICTLY DID HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON YOUR CAREER?

It certainly did, I was on there in 2008, Caroline won it too in 2013. If it wasn't for that show I wouldn't be doing this job now.

There are so many talented people out there and it is good that there are shows like the X Factor and Britain's Got Talent so that people can get recognised.

The cast though on Crazy For You is incredible - it is like a box of fireworks going off on stage.

WHAT OTHER CAREER PATH MIGHT YOU HAVE TAKEN?

I had signed up to be a fireman but then they phoned up for an audition on Holby City.

THE SHOW RUNS UNTIL NEXT MAY, DO YOU GET TIRED OF THE TRAVELLING?

Yes, it is a long run. We come back to Yorkshire next year, the show is on at The Alhambra in Bradford. I don't mind the travelling too much. I have to be fit for the role of Bobby too, it is like Gene Kelly meets Tarzan for this part.

DO YOU GET FIRST NIGHT NERVES?

Yes I do on the first night, you have usually travelled and the production have taken up to 12 hours to put everything up on stage. At Leeds it is a raked stage (sloping stage) which you do not get at many theatres. That's the beauty of theatre though is that you never know what is going to happen.

The show is a real pick me up, it will put a spring in your step, people tend to go away with a smile on their faces and the reviews so far have been brilliant.

DO YOU LIKE ANY CURRENT MUSIC?

I actually do a radio show every Saturday afternoon for Mellow Magic. I am always looking for good songs to play, I tend to play tracks by George Benson, UB40 on the show along with the classics from George Michael, Prince etc.

I like Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, I always put the radio on. Recently I have been listening to the radio station Kiss Story, they play all the classic dance tracks - it takes me back to when I left school.

Crazy For You runs from 29 August to 2 September
Leeds Grand Theatre
Evenings 7.30
Matinees Wed, Thursday, Sat at 2.30
www.leedsgrandtheatre.com
Telephone: 0844 848 2700