90 years after Irving Berlin’s 1935 classic film ‘Top Hat’, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers enthralled audiences, this latest musical adaptation by Matthew White and Howard Jacques is doing the same.
The opening scene of ‘Putting on the Ritz’ kicks off the show with an energetic tapdancing routine readying the audience for a splendidly choreographed night that will thrill any ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ fan.
The story is a simple love farce of mistaken identity. Jerry Travers (Phillip Attmore) is the big star of a new show Horace Hardwick (Clive Carter) is bankrolling. Jerry falls for the charms of Dale Tremont (Amara Okereke) and instantly love bombs her. Dale is at first unsure but then falls for him. Only to then erroneously think he is already married to her friend Madge Hardwick (Sally Ann Triplett). As plots go, it’s a little thin, but as the audience knows there’s no harm to be had and everyone is acting in good faith, it contributes overall to the simple feelgood of the action.
As shows go, I don’t think the story is the main attraction, what people are really wanting to see is a huge dollop of dancing – with the more tapping the better!
Attmore is clearly at home tapping his toes to his heart’s content and the joy radiating from him made me glow. This isn’t Riverdance so don’t go expecting high kicks and speed ala Michael Flatley, but you will enjoy the fine-tuned footwork.
The choreography of this show is absolutely stupendous and Kathleen Marshall, a multi Tony and Olivier award winner, has clearly excelled in working the ensemble’s talents. It is an entertaining watch, but it isn’t eye-popping bedazzling as I was hoping. If anything, I felt the routines could have been bolder, louder and bigger. Maybe I’m being greedy, but I wanted more.
But this show isn’t just about the dancing – it’s also about the songs. There are plenty of big hits which will have you humming along, and Okereke has a fabulously strong voice, but for me my favourite was ‘Outside of that, I love you’ performed by Carter and Triplett to perfection.
It would be remiss of me not to mention the fabulous comedic singing of Beddini (Alex Gibson-Georgio) and his strip routine had the audience in fits.
When it comes to set design it’s always tricky when you don’t really want to detract the audience’s attention away from the drama, but Peter McKintosh has managed to create a set that is simple yet glitzy, elegant and chic, and big enough to hold and dress the action perfectly. Alongside Yvonne Milnes, McKintosh also designed the costumes which are key to setting the scenes and dance routines. Every routine – along with the costumes – is a piece of art in itself, and the unity with which this has been thought through is clear in its execution.
Top Hat the Musical is about feel-good entertainment. It’s not challenging or deep, but that’s not it’s purpose. This is about light-hearted dance, music and song – and it does it in splendid choregraphed time!
‘Top Hat the Musical’ runs until 17th January at the Southbank Centre with tickets available https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/top-hat/
Reviewer: Samantha Collett
Reviewed: 16th December 2025
North West End UK Rating:
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