HIGH SOCIETY: Music and Lyrics, Cole Porter; Book Arthur Kopit
Tours to 13 July 2013
Information: www.highsocietymusical.com
Runs: 2h 35, one interval
Review: Alexander Ray Edser, Birmingham Hippodrome., 15 May 2013
High Society? – What did you do to me?
Cole Porter’s HIGH SOCIETY is a gorgeous affair. A nonsensical story . . . but that hardly matters in this splendid and splendid looking production. The sheer elegance of it all makes you feel so much better. And then, of course, there are the songs . . .
How could one man have so much talent? Porter had so much of it, he could stuff this show full of songs so good, you could end up arguing that every one of them is tbest one. Here, in their context are, among others, WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED LOVE?, WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?, WELL, DID YOU EVAH? The whole show is an seemingly endless stream of stunning melodies.
A host of splendid performances, too. Sophie Bould is an admirable Tracy Lord – warm, a strong singer, and a golden vein of humour. Which comes well to the fore in the lively first half duet with her sister, Dinah (Katie Lee), PAREE, WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME? Teddy Kempner cuts a fine figure as, larger than life, Uncle Willie – and helps to keep the show bubbling along.
The second half opener, LET’S MISBEHAVE shows off Andrew Wright’s sharp choreography and the whole show show-cases Francis O’Connor’s beautifully elegant sets and costumes.
Give yourself a treat . . .
MICHAEL PRAED: Dexter Haven
MARILYN CUTTS: Margaret Lord
TEDDY KEMPNER: Uncle Willie
DANIEL BOYS: Mike Connor
SOPHIE BOULD: Tracy Lord
KEIRON CROOK: George Kittredge ALEX YOUNG as Liz Imbrie
CRAIG PINDER; Seth Lord
KATIE LEE: Dinah Lord
Ensemble: JILL ARMOUR, JOHN BOWLES , STEVEN BUTLER , MATT CORNER, ZOE DOANO, CAROL HEFFERNAN, LUCY JAMES, ASHLEY KNIGHT, ANTHONY McGILL , BEN REDFERN, RACHEL SPURRELL
Director: ANNA LINSTRUM
Choreographer: ANDREW WRIGHT
Set & Costume Designer: FRANCIS O’CONNOR
Sound Designer: BEN HARRISON
Lighting Designer: CHRIS DAVEY
Production Musical Director: MICHAEL HASLAM
Casting: Stephen Crockett CDG for David Grindrod Associates
2013-05-16 20:51:29
