High Society

Synopsis

The Champagne Musical includes songs such as "Let's Do It", "Who Wants to be a Millionaire", "In the Still of the Night" etc. The show is set in the fashionable High Society world of Philadelphia, Tracy Samantha Lord is engaged to be married to the dependable George Kitteredge. However her wedding plans are disrupted by the arrival of her ex-husband C K Dexter Haven and two reporters from the tabloid press, who are keen to publish scandalous stories about Tracy's father and his affair with an 'exotic dancer' ! The wedding does eventually go ahead - but who does Tracy marry?!

Our Review:

11 October 2005

In an autumn notably absent of the opening of any major musical productions, the sole new entry is the rather belated arrival of a stage version of the 1956 Cole Porter movie musical High Society that was first seen at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park two years ago.

Ian Talbot's production moves indoors to the Shaftesbury Theatre in an almost entirely re-cast staging (only Claire Redcliffe as the irritating younger daughter survives), in the first West End transfer from the Park in the 78 years the Open Air Theatre has been operating. But whether it's a good advertisement for the usually reliable summer entertainments that are presented there is not entirely clear.

Its cause is not helped by the stunt casting of Jerry Hall, who turns a knowing, forgiving eye on her husband's infidelities and cries to a prying journalist, "Is there no such thing as privacy?" How resonant such situations and phrases must be to a woman who has lived her life in...

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Latest User Review

88.105.11.73) - 1 January 2006:

a number of "poors" and amongst that the set and the curious lack of adventure. The costumes were also over-done even accepting the cast generally were meant to represent wealthy Americans. However, whilst tracy Lord is always a big acting ask, the star of the show for me was Katherine Kingsley. If she does not go on to critical acying aclaim elsewhere I will be very surprised - and if she chooses to launch that vocal talent on the wider market place there is a star in the making for sure....

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