Review: Top Hat - Leeds Grand Theatre

On a cold winter's night in Leeds this new production of the acclaimed Rodgers and Astair movie was the icing on the cake for a pre-christmas theatre visit.

The glamorous costumes and the dancing on stage along with the lighting are a sight to behold. The story remains true to the film: Horace Hardwick (played with aplomb by Clive Hayward) brings American heart-throb Jerry Travers (Alan Burkitt) to appear on stage in London. Here Travers meets Dale Tremont (Charlotte Gooch) and a romance beckons, although he is not all plain sailing as Dale Tremont thinks that Travers is Horace Hardwick.

As you would expect there is plenty of dancing on stage - Burkitt and Gooch glide effortlessly across the stage and they never miss a step especially during their tap dancing sequences. The couple look like they were made to play these roles.

I found the first half of the show a little slow to get going but by the time they perform the closing song of the first half with Top Hat, White Tie and Tails things start to look promising.

There is plenty of humour in the show with two characters dressmaker Alberto Beddini (played with gay abandon by Sebastien Torka) and the butler Bates (played with straight faced comedy by John Conroy).

Bates appears in the musical in many guises from a Grand Dame to a Gondolier! This last character is due to the second half of the show being set in Venice. It is easy to warm to both these characters and they brought some laughter to the evening.

Rebecca Thornhill as Horace Hardwick's money spending wife, Madge Hardwick is also a leading character although we do not really get to know her to the second half. She has some of the best one-liners at the night.

It is a show that has everything: glamour, romance, humour, a convincing storyline, dancing and memorable songs. Magnificent, majestic and magical. Top Hat - Top Class.

Runs until 11 January 2015. Tickets available from: www.leedsgrandtheatre.com