Theatre
Interview
High Society: “You’ll leave feeling a thousand times better than when you walked in”
Director Rachel Kavanaugh and actor Freddie Fox discuss bringing the Cole Porter classic to the Barbican stage this May
Another summer, another golden age musical tapping across the stage at the Barbican theatre. Following the success of sparkling revivals Anything Goes and Kiss Me, Kate, the Barbican lifts the curtain on High Society this month, a spectacular 50s romp set to tour audiences through the most dazzling – and chaotic – wedding of the season. Featuring a songbook stuffed with Cole Porter classics, a star-studded cast including Helen George and Felicity Kendal and choreography from Tony and Oliver-nominated choreographer Anthony Van Laast, it promises escapism in abundance.
This is, at least, what director Rachel Kavanaugh hopes to deliver. “High Society is not about a real world that actually exists,” she says. “I think what we’re asking the audience to do is enter a sort of fairy tale world of glamour, champagne, partying, wit, fashion and romance for two and a half hours and just be with us there for a bit.”
Ahead of High Society’s first performance at the Barbican Theatre on 19 May, we sat down with Kavanaugh and actor Freddie Fox (Slow Horses), who makes his musical theatre debut in the show, to talk about what it takes to bring a show of this scale to life.
Rachel, this is far from your first time bringing golden age musical theatre back to the London stage. Where do you usually start with that process?
RK: I had a strange childhood where I obviously spent a lot of time watching these films. Several times in my career, I’ve been asked to do what we think of as a golden age musical: Oklahoma!, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Guys and Dolls and My Fair Lady, which I’m doing after this. Every time, I’ve said, “Well, yeah, I want to do that! I know that! I love that!” It’s part of my makeup, really. I know these songs. They’re in my head and in my body. I start there, but then I have to go, “What am I accepting about that which may not be true?” And then it’s always interesting to go back and actually read it. What’s actually on the page, what’s in the score, and how do we make that into a musical that people want to see in 2026?
High Society is a peculiar one because it was never written originally to be done on the stage as a musical. It was a play, The Philadelphia Story, then there was a film, then there was the film of the musical, and then there’s been various sort of versions for the stage, but we are trying to make the definitive one with all these extra songs. In a sense, doing this one is half like doing a revival and half like doing a new musical.
What was the thought process behind bringing that new music in?
RK: Firstly, how do we make the characters deeper, more complex? The best way to do that in a musical is to give them brilliant songs. An example is that Liz (Carly Mercedes Dyer) now sings, ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’, which is one of the greatest songs ever written, and probably the greatest Cole Porter song ever written. For that character to sing that song is an extraordinary gift. We learn so much about what’s going on with her, and how that develops musically, and how that develops her, is very, very exciting.
Also, for a stage musical, it didn’t have that many songs. It had a good amount of songs, but a musical can hold more songs than this musical has before. And actually, we can use songs for some of the other characters, like George, Tracy’s proposed husband, and Seth, her father, who don’t often sing in versions of this show. They sing in ours. We have some lovely moments for them, which again deepen those characters and make them more complex. That’s part of the thinking.
Freddie, this is your musical theatre debut. What kind of role has musical theatre played in your life up until this point?
FF: It’s sort of been a constant companion, in a way. There are certain shows that I’ve fallen hard in love with and learn all the songs and all the lyrics, Guys and Dolls was one. Cabaret was another. The Producers was another. They’ve always been in my life – my eldest sister Lucy and I always used to sing musical theatre songs to each other. In some ways, it’s the kind of the Kilimanjaro or the Everest of the theatre experience, because you’re combining everything that entertainers can do, you know, with dancing and singing and acting and the stagecraft of it all. I always sort of put it on a pedestal – when a musical is good, there is nothing better. I’ve always wanted to be a part of that. I’ve always been sitting in the audience, going, “I just wish I was up there doing it with them.”
You mentioned quite a few shows with an element of farce there. Was that part of the draw to High Society?
FF: Definitely. I’ve always loved comedy, and I’ve always loved musical comedy that has an element of romance in it. I certainly wouldn’t call Cabaret a comedy, but that part of the Emcee is obviously, for every actor who wants to break into musical theatre, a bit of a dream role.
What’s it been like working with Rachel?
FF: She’s amazing. She’s so good with actors. She’s not just directed loads of musicals, which, of course, is very helpful that she’s got so much experience, but she’s directed Shakespeare and Wilde and Shaw, so she’s got the understanding of how to communicate with actors and make sure that it’s not just about the glitzy numbers. It’s about the story. It’s about the text. It’s about the words.
What’s been the biggest challenge in the rehearsal room?
RK: The biggest challenge is getting a show of this size ready! It’s a big ensemble, a lot of songs, a lot of set, a lot of costumes, a lot of elements, a lot of orchestration that all has to happen so the band can get ready, a lot of lights and sound… for me, it’s spinning all those plates
FF: I suppose for me it was, initially, getting over my imposter syndrome. But the company, have been so kind and generous and open hearted and supportive that within a week or two, I thought, this is where I belong.
It’s all new to me. It’s a bit like the first time you visit a new city, and everything feels magical. Everything feels fresh and new and exciting. For me, it’s just a sort of working holiday. It feels like hard working holiday, but a working holiday nonetheless.
Is there a moment that you’re most excited for audiences to see?
RK: I think probably the moment where the band starts playing. We have an unusually big orchestra for a show in the West End at the moment, and I think that big band sound that we’re going to get, that jazz sound, is going to be really, really full. And so hopefully just from the moment the first notes are played, it’ll feel magical.
FF: Definitely the first note of the overture. I can’t wait for that. I can’t wait for my family to come see it. I can’t wait to sing with Julian Ovenden, whose voice I’ve admired for many, many years. And just to feel like a part of a really great team. It’s the ultimate team sport.
Do you have a favourite song to sing in the show?
FF: I’m really looking forward to singing ‘Swell Party’, because I know the audience will love it. And I’m really looking forward to singing ‘You’re Sensational’ because it’s a wonderful song and it lifts my heart when I’m singing it.
What would you say to modern audiences to convince them a golden age musical is for them?
FF: It’s timeless. The music is timeless. The message is timeless. The love story is timeless. You leave that show having listened to that music and having seen those dance numbers feeling a thousand times better than when you went in. It’s not about modern or old fashioned.
This is a musical about very chaotic wedding. I was wondering if you’ve ever been to any chaotic weddings?
RK: Thankfully, mine wasn’t too chaotic. No, I haven’t, but they’re good material for drama, aren’t they?
FF: Weddings are not normally my thing, but with occasional exceptions. And this, I think, will be one of those exceptions.
High Society opens at the Barbican Theatre on 19 May – find your tickets here
