By Graham Hiley.
Chichester Festival Theatre’s new production of Irving Berlin’s Top Hat was not just a triumph – but a triumph over adversity.
The press night performance was halted after barely a minute as at least two of the chorus girls took a tumble on a slippery stage.
Going over on high heels while tap-dancing at such speed could have caused serious injury and although they bravely leapt to their feet to continue, the show was immediately stopped.
To cheers from the hugely-supportive audience, Tony Award winning director Kathleen Marshall explained the stage had got wet during the warm-up and there would be a brief delay while the stage-hands dried it off.
After a brief test run-through to check there would be no risk of further falls, finally the cast were ready to Face the Music and Dance.
Press night is always nerve-wracking for performers at the best of times but it took real courage to come back out and perform with such style and intensity after such an alarming opening.
Inevitably there were a few hesitant steps before they hit their stride and produced some thunderous tap-dancing during the opening number Puttin’ on the Ritz.
From there it just got better and better through to the well-deserved standing ovation at the end of a magnificent musical.
Leading the way was the hugely-talented Broadway actor and dancer Phillip Attmore, who not only wowed the crowd with the speed of his feet as Jerry Travers but also played the part with just the right blend of smarm and charm.
Alongside him, Lucy St Louis proved the perfect foil, while her vocal range showed why she was cast as Glinda in the West End production of Wicked.
But even they were eclipsed by Olivier Award nominee Clive Carter who brought so much humour to the production as Horace Hardwick especially when avoiding or interacting with his overbearing and long-suffering wife Madge (Sally Ann Triplett).
This updated version of the 1935 Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers movie and the 2012 West End stage production was much funnier than I expected thanks not only to the Hardwicks but also to Alex Gibson-Giorgio as Beddini and the understated but clever performance of James Clyde as Bates.
Although it has been freshened up, the main focal point of the show will always be the timeless music with classics such as Puttin’ on the Ritz, Let’s Face the Music and Dance and of course Top Hat, White Tie and Tails.
The main cast and talented ensemble did full justice to the big numbers with great vocals and flawless choreography backed by a slick script and brilliantly directed by Kathleen Marshall.
But the other star of the show was the staging. Peter McKintosh’s superb set design used iconic skylines to good effect and incorporated a revolving section which allowed for rapid scene changes and even swifter switches of scenery and furniture – a major feat in itself.
It all came together seamlessly to give this the feel of a big West End production – and quite possibly that is where this excellent production is heading.
It runs at the much more intimate and closer Chichester Festival Theatre until Saturday September 6. For more information, click here.
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