Stage: The summer’s musicals
Top Hat in Eastbourne and Mack & Mabel in Chichester – the season is filled with song and dance
With music and lyrics by Irving Berlin and based on the RKO motion picture, West End hit Top Hat, winner of three Olivier Awards, for Best New Musical, Best Choreography, Best Costume Design and winner of the Evening Standard Award for Best Night Out, shuffles its way onto the Congress Theatre stage, Eastbourne from 21 – 25 July for one week only!
Nominated for four Academy Awards, RKO’s Top Hat was the most successful motion picture of the nine movies Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers made together. It premiered at Radio City Music Hall in 1935 where it broke all box office records and within a few weeks, all five songs from the film occupied the top five places on the American Hit Parade. It is still widely regarded as one of the greatest dance musicals of all time.
Top Hat tells the story of Jerry Travers (played by Alan Burkitt, reprising his West End role), the famous American tap dancer, who arrives in London to appear in his first West End show. Travers meets the irresistible Dale Tremont (Charlotte Gooch, also reprising her West End role), the girl of his dreams, and follows her across Europe in an attempt to win her heart.
Stepping into the shoes of Astaire and Rogers, Alan Burkitt and Charlotte Gooch are joined by Clive Hayward who returns as Horace Hardwick, the role he also played in the West End, Rebecca Thornhill as Madge Hardwick, Sebastien Torkia as Alberto Beddini and John Conroy as Horace’s valet Bates.
Performed by a cast of 29 and accompanied by 11 live musicians, this multi award-winning musical comedy includes Irving Berlin classics from the movie such as Cheek to Cheek, Isn’t It a Lovely Day to be Caught in the Rain plus Top Hat, White Tie and Tails. In addition, from Berlin’s 1,200 strong back catalogue, a further ten numbers have been interpolated including well-loved favourites Let’s Face the Music and Dance and Puttin’ On the Ritz.
Top Hat is at the Congress Theatre, Eastbourne from Tuesday 21 – Saturday 25 July 2015, with nightly performances at 7.30pm and three 2.30pm matinees on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Tickets priced £30 – £44.50. Book online at eastbournetheatres.co.uk or call box office on 01323 412000.
Mack & Mabel
Over in Chichester at the Festival Theatre they are presenting an American classic. Based on the true romance between Hollywood legends Mack Sennett and Mabel Normand, Mack & Mabel received eight Tony Award nominations when it opened on Broadway in 1974. Music and lyrics are by Jerry Herman (La Cage aux Folles) and the book by Michael Stewart (Barnum, 42nd Street), the multi award-winning team behind the classic Broadway musical Hello, Dolly! This thrilling tale of trailblazers and stars is widely admired for its outstanding score including hits I Won’t Send Roses and Time Heals Everything.
Olivier Award-winner Michael Ball returns to Chichester to play Mack Sennett, following his celebrated performance in Sweeney Todd (2011). On his recent tour he gave us a preview of the hit I Won’t Send Roses and the audience loved it.
Festival Theatre 13 July – 5 Sept
cft.org.uk 01243 781382
