If the idea of escaping  into a wonderful bygone era full of Art Deco glamour and sophistication appeals to you, look no further than Chichester Festival Theatre’s Olivier Award-winning production of Top Hat.

Originally presented in 2011 and based on the 1935 film of the same name starring Golden Age dancing duo Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, the show features some of legendary composer & songwriter Irving Berlin’s best-known songs, including Puttin‘ On The Ritz and Let’s Face The Music And Dance.

Live music, lavish sets, ravishing costumes and marvellous lighting all come together to create an elegant, classy atmosphere. The choreography is excellent, from the more-intimate couple numbers, to the large ensemble pieces, which are positively bursting with feelgood energy. Dancers tapping in perfect unison is a truly incredible sound to hear!

For those not in the know, the story revolves around the character of Jerry Travers, a famous American Broadway star who travels to London to appear in a show being produced by his pal Horace Hardwick. While there, Jerry falls in love with fashion model Dale Tremont, who hilariously mistakes him for her friend Madge’s husband - the selfsame Horace Hardwick! Travelling from London to Venice, the misunderstandings are eventually ironed out, resulting in the obligatory happy ending for the young couple.

Phillip Attmore gives a solid performance as Jerry, displaying mesmerising tap-dancing skills, although his vocals on the night seemed a little fragile. Amara Okereke, meanwhile, plays Dale to perfection. She is sweet and beguiling, with a beautiful singing voice. The chemistry between the pair waxes and wanes a little, but their duet, Cheek To Cheek, is one of the show’s most noteworthy performances. 

The supporting cast are strong and funny. James Hume and Emma Williams (Horace and Madge) display well-executed comic timing as an exasperated yet loving couple trying to communicate with each other. Their dour, long-suffering butler, played by James Clyde, frequently steals the show, his dry, deadpan humour creating some truly memorable laugh-out-loud moments.

The ensemble work is executed with perfect precision. This is especially evident in the bigger numbers, such as Top Hat, White Tie And Tails, during which ambitious tap-dancing routines positively abound, creating an illusion of the kind of large chorus lines made famous in the original film.

There is plenty to commend Top Hat The Musical. The storyline might be wafer thin, but the Irving Berlin songs are wonderful, the live band is fabulous, the choreography is spectacular, and the cast are exceptionally talented, singing, dancing and acting beautifully. All in all, this is a thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable theatre experience that’s well worth an evening of your time.

Four stars

Reviewed by Sue Hull at Birmingham Hippodrome on Tuesday 3 March. Top Hat continues to show at the venue until Saturday 7 March.