Top Hat to play festive season in London with casting confirmed

Top Hat will spend Christmas in the capital this year.

The Chichester Festival Theatre production of the Irving Berlin musical is set to embark on a UK tour after its summer in Chichester, where it was described as “cheeky and charming”.

As part of that, the show will enjoy a limited season at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall from 12 December 2025 to 17 January 2026.

Adapted for the stage by Matthew White and Howard Jacques, and directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall, this production features some of Hollywood’s greatest songs, including “Cheek to Cheek”, “Let’s Face the Music and Dance”, “Top Hat White Tie and Tails”, and “Puttin’ on the Ritz.”

The story follows Broadway star Jerry Travers, who arrives in London to open a new show and crosses paths with model Dale Tremont. Mistaken identities and romantic entanglements ensue as Jerry tries to win Dale’s heart.

The stage adaptation, based on the 1935 film starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, won the 2013 Olivier Award for Best New Musical and the Evening Standard Award for Best Night Out.

Reprising their roles from Chichester Festival Theatre will be Phillip Attmore as Jerry Travers, Clive Carter as Horace, Sally Ann Triplett as Madge, James Clyde as Bates and Alex Gibson-Giorgio as Beddini.

New to the cast for this run will be Amara Okereke, joining the London production as Dale Tremont.

The London company is completed by Lindsay Atherton, Rhiannon Bacchus, Jeremy Batt, Freddie Clements, Pedro Donoso, Bethan Downing, Autumn Draper, Tilly Ducker, Laura Hills, Maddie Harper, Connor Hughes, James Hume, George Lyons, David McIntosh, Jordan Oliver, Emily Ann Potter, Joe Press, Molly Rees Howe, Kirsty Sparks and Toyan Thomas-Browne.

Joining Marshall on the creative team are set designer Peter McKintosh, costume designers Yvonne Milnes and Peter McKintosh, musical supervisor Gareth Valentine, musical director Stephen Ridley, orchestrator and arranger Chris Walker, lighting designer Tim Mitchell, sound designer Paul Groothuis, casting director Natalie Gallacher for Pippa Ailion and Natalie Gallacher Casting, associate director and choreographer Carol Lee Meadows, associate director Cameron Wenn, associate set designer Ben Davies, associate lighting designer Imogen Clarke, associate sound designer Rich Pomeroy, and resident director and choreographer Richard Pitt.

Casting for the tour, for which you can find dates and venues here, is yet to be confirmed.