You have only until next Saturday to beg, borrow or steal a ticket to go see Fermoy Musical Society's production of 'Crazy for You'. After that you'll be one of the unlucky ones having to listen endlessly to people rave about how good it was. About the terrific dancing, the great singing, the wonderful Geshwin music, the humour. The great costumes. The brilliant set. About how it's a powerhouse of a production, literally all-singing, all-dancing from start to finish. You are, most definitely, going to wish you'd been there.

This production was lifted way above the standard town-hall musical by director Bryan Flynn. Not for nothing is the musical theatre director so widely acclaimed. He and musical director Deirdre Long took the show to Broadway standard and the audiences for performances so far have responded with delight, heaping praise on all concerned with it.

Star of the show was, undoubtedly, Stephen O'Regan Cullinane who played the lead role of song-and-dance man Bobby Child. And what a song and dance man he was! The specialist tap dancer and vocalist kept audiences enthralled throughout with what could well be the most energetic performance every seen on stage in Fermoy! Stephen's experience in major shows in the UK and Europe over the past six years is clearly evident in his confident and accomplished performance throughout.

Ellie Mullane as the female lead Polly Baker also put in an excellent, spirited performance keeping the standard soaring above the norm, while Carol Anne Ryan who played Bobby Child's erstwhile fiancee Irene Roth and Valerie O'Leary as his domineering mother Lottie Chiild, did their bit to keep it there. All are veterans of the stage and it shows.

The supporting cast and chorus, who were on stage for so much of this high energy show, raised the bar still more with their many skilful song-and-dance routines, ensuring that the pace never flagged.

Special mention must be made of the excellent, completely authentic set designed by Oliver McCarthy which was so easily and fluidly interchanged, the lighting designer Tim Feehily and sound designer Austin Brosnan for showing just how important good sound and lighting is to any production. And those dazzling costumes which recreated so authentically the famous Follies Broadway sows of the 1930! Beautiful!

The eight-piece band managed to produce music that far belied their small number, doing superb justice to the rich Gershwin sound. While the only song I was familiar with from the show was 'Someone to Watch Over Me' all credit is due to the lead singers and chorus for making the lesser-known songs equally enjoyable.

Fermoy Musical Society have managed, with this production, to bring to local audiences a show worthy of a Broadway stage. That's some feat. All credit to them and to all concerned.

'Crazy for You' is so good it could be sold on prescription as the perfect tonic in these challenging times. Tickets are being snapped up as word of just how good it is spreads. Performances continue until

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