While Richmond Theatre’s stage is usually reserved for performances by professional actors, next week it will be the turn of performers from Bros Theatre Company, the amateur musical theatre group based in Barnes, to tread the venue’s famous boards.

The company has staged a number of productions at Richmond Theatre and its latest is a revival of the Gershwin’s popular musical, Crazy for You, which opens on Tuesday.

The show’s director Andy Locke, a Weybridge resident who first helmed a production for Bros in 1998, says that as first night gets nearer the cast are becoming more and more excited at the prospect of performing in such a prestigious theatre.

“The fact that we will be performing at Richmond Theatre next week is certainly focusing the company’s minds,” he says.

“There is a big difference between rehearsing in a church hall in Barnes and then performing on stage in front of 800 people in such a beautiful building. It is an archetypal Victorian theatre with the smell of theatre within it and that is very exciting for us.”

Crazy for You was billed as "the new Gershwin musical comedy" when it was first performed in 1992.

It features a book by Ken Ludwig, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and music by George Gershwin and although it borrows from their 1930 production, Girl Crazy, it also includes songs from several of their other musicals.

“It’s a terrific musical and everyone knows the numbers from the Gershwin’s back catalogue, with songs in the show including I Got Rhythm, They Can’t Take That Away From Me and Biding my Time,” says Locke.

“The production is a big challenge – I Got Rhythm is eight minutes long which is a long time for one musical number, particularly as it has a tap routine almost from the beginning to the end of it.

“There are a lot of other dance routines to learn and in the second half there is also a gun fight involving the whole company.”

Although Locke, who works as the marketing director of the Regents Park Open Air Theatre, believes amateur companies should strive for professional standards, he says that having fun is the vital element of the Bros experience.

“I’m mindful that everyone does this in their spare time as a hobby and it is a social thing - that goes for myself as well,” he adds.

“There are lots of chances for us to have fun doing this show and it is certainly never boring. There are a lot of amateur dramatics societies where membership is transient with people picking shows they want to do but Bros has a loyal following and it builds up the sense of people doing something within their community.”

Crazy for You, Richmond Theatre, October 12-16, for ticket prices, showtimes and booking information, visit ambassadortickets.com