The Barbican is developing a steady line in lavish Cole Porter revivals each summer. First, it was the stunning Anything Goes that swept away the lockdown blues, then the slightly more acquired taste that was Kiss Me, Kate last year.
This summer, it is the turn of High Society, an opulent piece that feels as if it has been plucked straight out of musical theatre’s revered Golden Age. It has its moments, featuring some of Porter’s most recognisable numbers, but it ultimately struggles to justify itself.
Featuring a 28-strong cast that includes Felicity Kendal and Freddie Fox, this is a farce set around a bourgeois wedding, with old flames and new sparks vying for attention while a sharp-eyed tabloid reporter hunts for scandal at the waterfront estate.
However, the main issue is that Arthur Kopit’s book is dull and clunky, bloated with lacklustre jokes that never quite land—which, for a ‘musical comedy’, is a problem. Plenty of Golden Age-inspired musicals, such as Crazy For You or 42nd Street, come with flawed plots, but their charm carries them through.
Not a lot happens here. Unfortunately, Kopit’s book does not take so much as a sideways glance at the ridiculousness of the filthy rich and their excesses. Almost every character is either vacuous or unlikable and, in that sense, the entire piece feels shallow.
Despite this, Porter’s score is sumptuous and enough of a distraction to push the show on. With numbers like ‘Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?’, ‘Let’s Misbehave’, and ‘Well, Did You Evah?’ being performed by a stacked company, there is some redemption. But even if you were not aware this was a Porter jukebox, it certainly feels that way, with most numbers awkwardly crowbarred in.
Helen George dazzles as the flighty Tracy Lord, while Julian Ovenden gives a stunning vocal performance as ex-husband Dexter Haven. Carly Mercedes Dyer’s appearance as buttoned-up reporter Liz is welcome, although anyone who saw her in Anything Goes will yearn to see her truly unleashed on the Barbican audience.
Although the comedy feels a bit strained throughout, most of the laughs come from Nigel Lindsay’s turn as Uncle Willie, with comic timing that never fails to impress.
Despite having a wealth of talent within the show’s dance ensemble, Anthony van Laast’s choreography feels a little static and underpowered here—especially in contrast with director Rachel Kavanaugh’s frenetic staging of the book scenes. Even if Kiss Me, Kate was a little lacking, it at least featured the stunning ‘Too Darn Hot’; High Society never quite reaches the same heights.
The key is to approach this production as a bit of fluff and view it as an opportunity to see some great musical theatre standards performed by a talented group of actors. There are better Golden Age jukebox shows on offer, but High Society might just about be able to give audiences a pleasant, if not swell, time.
It runs until 11 July. Tickets: here.
Review: Tom Ambrose Photos: Pamela Raith