Reviewed by Matt Forrest
Opening Night verdict ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The social event of the year has just arrived at The Lowry, and everyone is invited. Cole Porter’s High Society promises plenty of glitz, glamour, gossip and a side order of scandal, but, more importantly, some absolute classic songs from Porter’s back catalogue.
Direct from a sell-out run at London’s Barbican Theatre, this glossy hit show is now touring the UK and Ireland. Based on the 1956 film of the same name, which starred Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra, the musical itself was adapted from the 1940 non-musical film The Philadelphia Story.
Helen George stars as socialite Tracy Lord, a member of the extremely wealthy Lord family. It’s the weekend of Tracy’s wedding to accountant and safe pair of hands George Kittredge (David Seadon-Young), whom Tracy’s family don’t particularly approve of on account of his being, well, rather dull and boring.
Things become considerably more complicated with the arrival of Tracy’s charismatic ex-husband Dexter Haven (Julian Ovenden), who has crashed the wedding with news of a brewing scandal that could potentially ruin the Lord family name.
Adding further fuel to the fire are two undercover reporters from Spy Magazine, Mike Connor (Freddie Fox) and Liz Imbrie (Carly Mercedes Dyer), who have been sent to dig up some dirt and, hopefully, secure a few more salacious stories.
What follows is a fun and thoroughly enjoyable show, packed with big song and dance numbers, top-drawer performances and stunning costumes, all of which do a good job of disguising a rather paper-thin and contrived plot.
This talented ensemble cast seem to have come straight from central casting. Helen George brings plenty of star quality to the role, displaying great comic timing alongside a tremendous vocal range. She is perfectly complemented by musical theatre veteran Julian Ovenden and musical theatre debutant Freddie Fox, with all three displaying terrific chemistry whenever they share the stage.
Fox, in particular, makes a confident transition into a convincing song and dance man. His performance brings plenty of energy to the production, and he clearly looks at home in his musical theatre debut.
They are supported by some fine comedic turns from Nigel Lindsay as the kindly drunk Uncle Willie and Carly Mercedes Dyer. Lindsay’s is an entertaining watch throughout: his turn during the act one ensemble closer Now You Have Jazz, was for me the one of the show’s many highlights.
Meanwhile, Dyer’s dry, deadpan delivery of some of the production’s more stinging lines is perfectly matched by her heartfelt and tender rendition of I’ve Got You Under My Skin.
As this is a Cole Porter musical, the real star of the show is always going to be his fantastic songbook, and this impressive cast and band more than does it justice.
Fox and Dyer deliver a fun rendition of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, while George and the ensemble cast bring the house down with the magnificently naughty Let’s Misbehave. Ovenden, meanwhile, excels in the slower and more wistful Just One of Those Things.
Cole Porter’s music sounds magnificent, brought to life by the superb band under the direction of Dan McLaughlin, while Anthony Van Laast’s choreography is slick, complementing the score perfectly.
The production values are first class, bringing to life the decadent lifestyle of the Lord family. John Morrell’s costumes are sharp and elegant, fully recapturing the 1950s razzmatazz, while Tom Rogers’ bold and lavish set design, complete with flowing staircases and a swimming pool, perfectly sets the scene.
Threadbare plot aside, and with perhaps a few too many drunken revellers running around the stage during the second act (we get the point, it’s a party!), I’m always amazed at how quickly affairs and infidelity are forgiven in productions from this era, while being a bit of a bore appears to be the ultimate sin. Different times, I suppose.
High Society is a fun and classy night at the theatre, showcasing talent from across the board who are all at the top of their game. My advice? Should an invitation ever arrive for a Lord family wedding, go. You’ll have a fantastic time and get the chance to revisit some timeless tunes along the way.
