Top Hat at Leeds Grand Theatre

Well what a Christmas Cracker this is at The Grand Theatre in Leeds for their production over Christmas and New Year. Without doubt, this has to be one of the finest choreographed shows that I have seen for a long time. Top Hat is currently on a national tour covering 24 venues throughout the UK since August and the Leeds production is the tenth one of these prior to it continuing around the country in the New Year and concluding in July. This new stage show is based on the 1935 RKO film of the same name starring Fred Astair & Ginger Rogers.

In 2009 Kenny Wax contacted Ava Astair McKenzie, the daughter of Fred Astair, to seek her agreement before going back to the Irving Berlin Music Company in New York to finalise the deal. She gave her blessing and as they say, the rest is history!

Top Hat has often been shown on TV as a Saturday or Sunday afternoon film and therefore most people attending the show will have an idea of the storyline. For those who have not seen it the storyline centres around dancer Jerry Travers who meets his friend and producer Horace Hardwick at the conservative Thackeray Club in London and Horace invites Jerry to spend the night in his hotel. Jerry is excited with the show and has a "dance attack", tap dancing in Horace's room and disturbing guest Dale Tremont who is lodged in the room below. Dale goes upstairs to complain about the noise and meets Jerry and they flirt with each other. The next morning, Dale mistakes the single Jerry for the married Horace and becomes upset with her flirtation. When she learns that Horace is the husband of her friend Helen Broderick, there are many complications and confusions in the lives of the two friends.

The Astair role of Jerry is being performed by, Alan Burkitt, a seasoned performer who has appeared in Grease, Singing in the Rain, 42nd Street and We Will Rock You to name but a few and also has been one of the professional dancers in Strictly Come Dancing and has choreographed the show as well. At the Deborah Capon School in London where he trained he won All England Tap Dancer of the Year – a great pedigree therefore for this part in which he is perfect with his immaculate acting, singing and dancing skills. His feet, like Astair's, are a whirl in both the numbers Top Hat and I’m Putting All My Eggs In One Basket.

His co-star, Charlotte Gooch as Dale is a perfect partner and again her dancing appeared flawless. Humour abounds throughout the show with this tangled web of mistaken identity and in particular Horace (Clive Hayward) and Madge (Rebecca Thornhill) deserve mention but I thought the best comedy came from Sebastien Torkia as Alberto Beddini and John Conroy as Bates, Horace’s valet.

The original film unbelievably only contained five musical numbers but this has been increased to fourteen in the stage show by using other Irving Berlin songs after discussions with his estate. This extends the running time of the show to around 2½ hours which certainly gives the audience value for money. The orchestra under the leadership of Musical Director Jae Alexander were outstanding and never drowned the soloists or chorus throughout the entire evening.

Matthew White and Bill Deamer have certainly made this into a magnificent spectacle and the sight of over 20 dancers on the stage at The Grand tap dancing to Top Hat, White Tie And Tails is a sight to behold, such is the quality of the choreography.

For anyone who loves dancing, this is certainly a show not to be missed.

By John Burland