Top Hat
Top Hat
Festival Theatre, Edinburgh
Marianne Gunn
The Festival Theatre's 1928 interior complements the period details of this new touring adaptation of the RKO classic musical Top Hat, a star vehicle for dance's ultimate power couple, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
The film, released in 1935, was the first to boast an entire score of new Irving Berlin songs and with memorable numbers such as Puttin' On The Ritz, Cheek To Cheek and Let's Face The Music And Dance it is only surprising that it has taken so long for someone to attempt this reboot (producer Kenny Wax approached Astaire's daughter Ava in 2009 and the rest is now history).
The original London cast lead duo of Tom Chambers and Summer Strallen (playing Jerry Travers and Dale Tremont) may have pulled in the London crowds but Alan Burkitt and Charlotte Gooch also deliver the goods for the UK tour. Burkitt, a former All England Tap Dancer of the Year, makes Bill Deamer's challenging choreography look like child's play. Gooch, who was memorable as Penny in the first UK tour of Dirty Dancing, is one of the most accomplished dancers to grace the musical theatre scene. Her high kick is a revelation while her fluid ballroom style puts the Strictly professionals to shame.
The supporting cast members also sparkle when the narrative takes a farcical turn in Venice.
Clive Hayward and Rebecca Thornhill delight as odd-couple the Hardwicks, their eccentric man Bates is deftly portrayed by John Conroy, and Sebastien Torkia, as over-the-top fashion designer Alberto Beddini, steals the laughs in his solo number, Latins Know How.
Matthew White's deceptively simple production has superb musical direction by Jae Alexander and anyone with an interest in the detail and costumes of the period will appreciate Hildegard Bechtler's eye for set design and Jon Morrell's opulent costuming,
Meanwhile ensemble musical number Top Hat, White Tie and Tails will have toes tip tapping in the Art Deco aisles and beyond.
It comes to Glasgow's Theatre Royal at the start of December.
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