Review
Review
Review: High Society
The latest Cole Porter revival at the Barbican Theatre, High Society sees Helen George, Felicity Kendal, Freddie Fox and Julian Ovenden star
Tracy Lord’s wedding might not be going exactly to plan, but there’s not a toe out of place in this dazzling revival at the Barbican Theatre. Cole Porter’s High Society is the latest golden age musical to hit the Barbican stage, following Anything Goes and Kiss Me Kate, and it brings with it every quirk of the era – precocious younger siblings, mistaken identities, skirt choreography and of course copious amounts of champagne. Under director Rachel Kavanaugh, all these elements unite to create a summer showstopper.
The glamorous Tracy Lord, played with style and heart by Helen George, is done with passion, opting to marry boring George (David Seadon-Young) and move on from her rollercoaster marriage to ex-husband Dexter (Julian Ovenden). But when Dexter turns up at the wedding, he throws a spanner in the works – not only is he sober now and looking quite eligible, but he brings news of two reporters in their midst (Freddie Fox and Carly Mercedes Dyer) come to report on the affairs of the mega-rich, a trade-off with the press to keep a family scandal under wraps. In short, it’s all a recipe for disaster. But any deviation in the course of true love could only ever be temporary in a world as golden as this one, and the right people are all but guaranteed to make it down the right aisles.
Helen George leads the 28-strong company with a steady hand, backed by a universally strong supportive cast, from Felicity Kendal as her sharp-tongued mother to David Seadon-Young’s hilariously bumbling turn as her dull fiancé. Julian Ovenden gives a deftly charismatic performance as Dexter, whilst Freddie Fox and Carly Mecedes Dyer quip and quarrel to a charming rhythm. Naomi Pacquette is winning as Dinah, whilst Nigel Lindsay as Uncle Willie takes the reins for ‘Now You Has Jazz’, one of choreographer Anthony van Laast’s two great showstoppers.
The other is firecracker number ‘Let’s Misbehave’, which dials the dazzle-factor up to ten and calls on a magnificent ensemble to deliver not just an outstanding dance number, but a superb piece of storytelling that sees each party guest enjoying the night on their individual terms. Laast and Kavanaugh ensure that this is a true ensemble show, and a disparaging look passed between maids here or a background flirtation there makes for a lively party indeed.
To host them all, Tom Rogers constructs a balconied vista with staircases cascading on either side, glorious blue melting into golden sunsets as we cycle through the days. Jon Morrell’s costumes – full skirts, pastel suits and coloured petticoats – are an essential, as much a part of the choreography as the steps themselves. Much will be said of Cole Porter’s timeless score – no argument here, as there are too many high points to count, from Dyer’s soulful ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’ to Fox and Ovenden’s electric duet ‘Well Did You Evah’. But Arthur Kopit’s book is the real surprise, uproariously funny still and a treat in the hands of this competent cast. Frothy, bubbly and ridiculous good fun, it’s hard to imagine a revival done better. What a swell party this is!
High Society is playing at the Barbican Theatre until 11 July – find tickets here
