Reviewed by Amelia
Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review
Top Hat: The Musical is a stage adaptation of the classic 1935 film starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, featuring music and lyrics by Irving Berlin, with additional orchestration, and a book by Matthew White & Howard Jacques. Many iconic songs can be found in this show, such as: Let’s Face The Music and Dance, Puttin’ On The Ritz and more! This revival is directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall, first premiering at the Chichester Festival Theatre earlier this year, starring Phillip Attmore and Lucy St. Louis. The production was praised for its visual elegance, including stunning set design and pure overall opulence, that is often evoked from this classic 1930s Hollywood style of show. The blend of high energy ensemble numbers with romantic duets between the leads provides a stellar visual all round; Top Hat is sure to be an audience hit.
With Phillip Attmore and some of the other cast members staying on for this UK tour, the role of Dale Tremont is now being played by Amara Okereke, who unfortunately was out for this performance. The role was played by Lindsay Atherton, in her debut of the track, and she really showed why covers and understudies are so important to this industry. The actress has to move seamlessly between dry, ironic humour and genuine emotional confusion or frustration, without losing Dale’s charm or intelligence, which can prove to be a hard feat. Atherton exudes charm in abundance here, and clearly grew in confidence as the performance went on. Her standard of tap and ballroom dance was excellent and her vocals melted beautifully into this score. Her chemistry with Attmore was good but felt a little disjointed at times, something they have to rely on in order to get the rhythms and synchronisation right. His version of Jerry Travers is effortless and commanding. Being on stage for the majority of the show, the sustained energy and charm needed for this role is a commitment, but Attmore has this locked down. Numbers like “Top Hat, White Tie and Tails” and “No Strings” require split-second coordination with the ensemble while maintaining a relaxed, showman’s polish, which is clearly on display in this production. He moves around the stage with ease and taps unlike anything you’ve seen before.
The ensemble in Top Hat isn’t just background decoration; they’re vital to how the show feels and flows. In this musical, the ensemble is effectively the engine that keeps the rhythm, comedy, and spectacle alive. Standout performances from notable other cast members came from James Hume and Sally Anna Triplett’s impeccable partnership as Horace and Madge, both comedically on point individually and in tandem. James Clyde as Bates was scene-stealing, and Alex Gibson-Giorgio as Beddini was just fabulous.
The set design by Peter McKintosh is gorgeous and fills the stage well. There’s a central revolving part allowing the show to shift between locations — bedrooms, hotel lobbies, bar interiors, Venetian settings, even an aircraft interior at one point. This is joined by the outer framing of the stage which reflects 1930s art deco, only motivating the feel of the show. The set supports both spectacle and intimacy — grand ballroom scenes but also small, private hotel rooms. I read in feedback from the Chichester run that parts of the stage seemed slippery and it seems this hasn’t been completely rectified, but does not impact too much. The costumes were also designed by McKintosh, in partnership with Yvonne Milnes, to ensure coherence in the style of the production. They draw heavily on the 1930s Hollywood of it all, including sharp tailoring, silk and feather gowns and a whole load of glamour. Different tones are used throughout the show to distinguish between the theatrics and romance of each scene. The costumes are not entirely historically accurate but this can be bypassed due to the spectacle of them all. As an avid tap lover, I wish the sound could’ve been a bit louder. I sat in row O of the stalls and longed to hear a bit more of the crisp beat of each step that I was watching. As a whole, the sound could’ve been amplified in order to generate a more powerful overall effect. Some big ensemble numbers fell a little flat for me because of this; while I hoped to feel fully immersed, the experience occasionally felt disconnected from the audience from where I was sat. I can imagine in a theatre designed like the Chichester Festival Theatre, this was less of a problem.
Dazzling and charming, Top Hat returns in a production that proves classic musicals can still sweep audiences off their feet. Kathleen Marshall’s direction gives the show a crisp, cinematic flow, while the design team crafts a world of glamour. It’s a stylish reminder that a bit of elegance and romance never go out of fashion.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Top Hat tour runs across the UK through to Saturday 11 April 2026, where it concludes at the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton.
The production plays at The Southbank Centre in London over the festive season from 12th December until 17th January 2026. Tickets are available from https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/top-hat/
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