Theater News

Tom Chambers, Summer Strallen to Star in West End Transfer of Top Hat

Tom Chambers and Summer Strallen
in Top Hat
(© Alaistair Muir)
Tom Chambers and Summer Strallen
in Top Hat
(© Alaistair Muir)

The dance musical Top Hat, based on the movie starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, will transfer to the West End, playing the Aldwych Theatre beginning April 19, with an opening on May 9, 2012. Matthew White directs, with choreography by Bill Deamer.

With music and lyrics by Irving Berlin and based on the RKO motion picture, the screenplay by Dwight Taylor and Allan Scott has been adapted for the stage by Matthew White and Howard Jacques. In it, a famous American tap dancer arrives in London to appear in his first West End show. He meets the girl of his dreams, and follows her across Europe in an attempt to win her heart.

Tom Chambers and Summer Strallen will star as Jerry Travers and Dale Tremont, with the cast also featuring Martin Ball and Vivien Parry playing husband and wife Horace and Madge Hardwick, Ricardo Afonso as Alberto Beddini and Stephen Boswell as Horace’s valet Bates.

The production will feature set designs by Hildegard Bechtler, with costume designs by Jon Morrell, lighting design by Peter Mumford, musical direction by Daniel Jackson, musical supervision by Richard Balcombe, new orchestrations provided by Chris Walker and sound by Gareth Owen.

Performed by a cast of 31 and accompanied by a live band of 15, this new musical comedy will include Berlin classics from the movie such as “Cheek to Cheek,” “Isn’t It a Lovely Day to be Caught in the Rain,” and “Top Hat White Tie and Tails,” as well as a further ten numbers from Berlin’s catalogue, including “Let’s Face the Music and Dance” and “I’m Putting All My Eggs in One Basket.”

Chambers was winner of Strictly Come Dancing in 2008 with his partner Camilla Dallerup. On television he is also well known as surgeon Sam Strachan in Holby City, with stage credits including Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. Strallen received Olivier nominations for her work in Love Never Dies, The Drowsy Chaperone, and The Boy Friend.

Top Hat is currently on a UK Tour, with newly announced pre-west end tour dates at New Victoria Theatre Woking, March 13-17 and Bristol Hippodrome, March 21 – 31.

For tickets and more information, click here.

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Top Hat

Closed: December 4, 2013