I was lucky enough to get seats for the touring hit musical at Bristol Hippodrome and joined a very happy audience in musical paradise for two and a half hours of sumptuous sounds, scenery and sparkling costumes.
This show is pure escapism on a grand scale with the best music from Irving Berlin and choreography that would make Fred and Ginger proud.
Taken from the film Top Hat, the film, the storyline is fairly typical of the many Fred and Ginger movies featuring romantic pursuit, mistaken identity, and ultimately a happy ending. There is an entertaining line up of comedic characters including the ubiquitous flamboyant Italian and the gentleman’s gentleman who played by with perfect comic timing John Conroy.
The star of the show is the dancing. The lead characters, Jerry Travers played by Alan Burkitt and Dale Tremont (Charlotte Gooch) are certainly up to the task and bring us the famous Dancing Cheek to Cheek with the white feathered dress transporting the audience to heaven with them. Another essential Fred and Ginger moment was the dance to Let’s Face the Music and Dance, which is not from the film but interpolates perfectly into the show.
Alan Burkitt and Charlotte Gooch in Top Hat
It was the first half featuring the tap dancing Jerry that excited me the most with the syncopated sound of tapping feet creating a cocoon of resonance. The final number of the first half with all the cast dressed in top hats, white tie and tails, as a triumph, and my feet were not just tapping along to the music they were actually trying to dance. I could have danced with joy alongside them.
This was not just going to watch a show this was experiencing the nostalgia of Hollywood musicals with all the glamour and style expected. The set was superb and slickly changed taking us from Broadway to London to Venice and came complete with a landing aircraft flying across the backdrop. To emphasise the luxury of the setting, watch out for the Ferrero Roche moment!
The second half contained many amusing moments and the characters of Horace and Madge Hardwick were given their chance to entertain with the Italian Alberto Beddini featuring in a striptease song and dance that gave us an eye-popping show-stopping moment. Who wears underwear like that these days?
There were moments where the farce took over and I wondered if perhaps the production team had gone too far in reaching for laughs, but the audience loved it and I was probably being too po-faced.
I could find no other fault and recommend this show for its music – the orchestra was magnificent – the lighting, sets, costumes and energy of the dancers. This production has won three Olivier awards including best musical – a must see!
by Charlotte Courthold
