Friday, February 4

Latest on Tom Chambers and Summer Strallen Top Hat Musical

Last year I wrote about Tom Chambers and Summer Strallen taking on the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers roles in the Musical Top Hat which is touring later this year.

Summer is currently playing Meg Giry in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom sequel Love Never Dies at the Adelphi Theatre but  is due to leave next month. The stage version of the classic American musical goes into rehearsal on July 4th with the opening dates not yet announced but I believe the tour of Top Hat the Musical  is due to kick off at Milton Keynes Theatre in August and then play at the Birmingham Hippodrome from 30th August-September 10th

The only other date I have so far is the Southampton Mayflower from 13th-24th September but I believe the show is currently scheduled  to visit the Salford Lowry, Plymouth Theatre Royal, Norwich Theatre Royal, Canterbury Marlow and Leeds Grand before hopefully moving into the West End. I will publish the dates here as soon I have them confirmed.

Summer will play the part of Dale Tremont and Chambers will play Jerry Travers.  In the real partnership Astaire ruled the dance floor and often had Rogers in tears, but according to Summer it will not be happening in the stage version and joked she will be wearing the trousers saying “Tom and I get on so well, we’re going to make a really good partnership. But I’m a brigadier’s granddaughter, so I am bossy by nature, which I think Tom might quite like.

Last month Tom mentioned on Twitter that the pair were at a photo shoot for the show, which the picture above from today’s Mail reinforces and Summer certainly looks the part.

Director Matthew White, choreographer Bill Deamer and producer Kenny Wax have been given permission by the Berlin estate to use the classic numbers featured in the movie which include Cheek To Cheek, Top Hat (White Tie And Tails), No Strings, Isn’t It A Lovely Day To Be Caught In the Rain and The Piccolino, plus additional songs not in the film Let’s Face The Music And Dance and I’m Putting All My Eggs In One Basket.

4 comments:

Simon said...

I can't wait to see it. Have already booked for Birmingham. I always thought this (out of all the Fred & Ginger movies) would make a great stage musical. There is so many brilliant songs that are now classics that were introduced in the Fred & Ginger movies. There are other great Irving Berlin songs used in Carefree & Follow The Fleet. Apart from the ones mentioned, I wonder if there will be any more.

Theatre Spy said...

I'm looking forward to seeing it as well. It promises to be a real "Hollywood style" musical with classy costumes and fabulous tunes. And the two leads can really sing and dance!

Anonymous said...

Have the dates been confirmed yet for Salford

Theatre Spy said...

The producers for Top Hat have not come up with a firm tour list yet, and I am sure you know it's not yet on the Lowry website.

I'll chase it up again and post any news as soon as I have anything confirmed.

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