Music & Lyrics by Cole Porter
Book by Arthur Kopit
Review by Rose Sarafilovic
This staging of the 1956 film of the same name, High Society, is a truly refreshing golden-age musical, full to the brim with wit, humour, charm, and showstopping numbers that had me grinning for the entire runtime. Set in a stunning Long Island mansion, Tracy Lord (played by understudy Isobel Snaas) is set to marry the worst person imaginable: the humourless accountant George Kitteredge (David Seadon–Young) and her entire family is vehemently opposed to this, including her ex-husband Dexter Haven (Also played by an understudy: Andrew Coshan), who arrives to throw a spanner in the works. To complicate matters even further, two reporters, Mike Connor and Liz Imbrie (Freddie Fox and Carly Mercedes Dyer respectively), have been tasked by their editor to write about what is to be “the wedding of the year” in exchange for the editor squashing a story about Seth Lord’s (Malcom Sinclair) extramarital affair. This highly convoluted, drama-rich setup makes for a roaring comedic affair of mistaken identity, romantic sabotage, and drunken debauchery, all set to a spectacular score of classical musical theatre numbers and expertly composed jazz standards that will make anyone want to get up and dance.
Each actor brings an incredible performance in their own right; from the leads to the ensemble, not a single person on stage is lacking in charm or energy. Even the background acting in group scenes deserves commendation, as the ensemble really brings the life to the party with the little touches they add to each scene. Special mentions are deserved for Nigel Lindsay, who plays the alcoholic Uncle Willie with supreme humour and a surprisingly nuanced look into alcoholism and masculinity in and around his solo number “Say it With Gin” and also to Naomi Pacquette, who plays the necessarily refreshing Dinah Lord with the charm and perfect comedic timing required to stop this romantic comedy from becoming too highly sexually charged.
The set and lighting design for this production (by Tom Rogers and Howard Hudson, respectively) are both impeccable, effortlessly differentiating the different locales of the Lord’s estate with style and evoking the technicolour of the original film. A standout moment for the scenic design is the garden party in the second act, where some incredible set pieces (which I won’t reveal for fear of spoiling the effect) are flown on stage to perfectly frame and highlight the night of revelry.
The only complaint to be had about this production is that you couldn’t hear the performers singing very well during the louder musical numbers, but this could be due to my seat being quite close to the band and may very well be a non-issue for those sitting further back in the audience. Excepting an interjection from an audience member during the emotional climax of the show that caused more than a few of the cast to corpse ever so slightly (and which they recovered from very well), there wasn’t a single off-moment in this performance. To borrow the words from the friend who accompanied me to this show: This show is simply ‘very classy‘. So if you’re looking for a whip-smart, laugh-a-minute romantic comedy where the people you root for fall in love with the right people in the end, then look no further than High Society
Classy and Whip-Smart
High Society runs at The Edinburgh Playhouse September 12th
Running time – Two hours and forty minutes
Photo credit – Pamela Raith
Review by Rose Sarafilovic (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Rose is a theatre technician, playwright and producer of the monthly performing arts and poetry event A Stop On The Road. With Rose – specialties lay somewhere around absurdism, Shakespeare, new writing and lighting designing musicals. Rose is well versed in many different theatrical forms and has an intimate knowledge of everything it takes to bring a production to the stage. Whenever she isn’t writing, watching, or doing tech for a show she can be found thinking about doing one of those things, preferably while talking to a friend.
Rose is excited to finally be reviewing for Corr Blimey, something that she knows will expand her horizons and allow her to experience a greater breadth of theatre than she’s had access to before!
