TOP HAT to Play Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury

THE MULTI-award-winning Top Hat makes a welcome return to The Marlowe Theatre next month (April).

Winner of three Olivier Awards (Best New Musical, Best Choreography, Best Costume Design) from its seven nominations, and winner of the Evening Standard Award for Best Night Out, the musical comes to Canterbury as part of a 47-week tour.

Stepping into the shoes of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the lead roles of Jerry Travers and Dale Tremont are Alan Burkitt and Charlotte Gooch, who both return to Top Hat having previously performed these roles in the West End. They are joined by Clive Hayward who returns as Horace Hardwick, the role he played in the West End, Rebecca Thornhill as Madge Hardwick, Sebastien Torkia as Alberto Beddini and John Conroy as Horace's valet Bates.

With music and lyrics by Irving Berlin and based on the RKO motion picture, Top Hat tells of Travers, a famous American tap dancer, who arrives in London to appear in his first West End show. He meets the irresistible Tremont, the girl of his dreams, and follows her across Europe in an attempt to win her heart.

Nominated for four Academy Awards, RKO's Top Hat was the most successful picture of the nine movies Astaire and Rogers made together. It premiered at the Radio City Music Hall in 1935 where it broke all box office records. Within a few weeks, all five songs from the film occupied the top five places on the American Hit Parade. It is still widely regarded as one of the greatest dance musicals of all time.

Performed by a cast of 29 and accompanied by 11 live musicians, this multi-award-winning musical comedy includes Berlin classics from the movie such as Cheek To Cheek, Isn't It A Lovely Day To Be Caught In The Rain and Top Hat, White Tie And Tails. In addition, from Berlin's 1200-strong back catalogue, a further 10 numbers have been interpolated, including well-loved favourites Let's Face The Music and Dance and Puttin' On The Ritz.

Burkitt started his career winning the All England Tap Dancer Of The Year award. A member of the original West End cast of Top Hat at the Aldwych Theatre, Burkitt understudied the lead role of Travers for both Tom Chambers and Gavin Lee. He received rave reviews when he stood in for Lee on press night, a success story documented by Channel 4 for series the The Sound of Musicals. Other recent stage credits include Singin' In The Rain, 42nd Street (Chichester Festival Theatre), Shall We Dance (Sadler's Wells), Cats (German tour) and We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre).

Gooch took over the lead role of Tremont from Summer Strallen in the West End, performing alongside Chambers. She performed the lead role of Penny Johnson in Dirty Dancing in the West End and also in the original national tour. Other recent stage credits include: the lead role of Sandy in Grease (UK tour), Cats (German tour) and Swing Time, dancing a duet with Anton du Beke.

The world premiere stage production of Top Hat opened in the West End in May 2012 where it played more than 600 performances during its run of nearly two years. Prior to the West End, the production enjoyed a sell-out UK Tour in 2011.

Top Hat is at The Marlowe Theatre from Tuesday 14 to Saturday 25 April. Performances are at 7.30pm, with Thursday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm. Tickets, priced from £15.50 to £46.50, are from the Box Office on 01227 787787 or marlowetheatre.com. There will be a British Sign Language-interpreted performance at 7.30pm on Thursday 23 April, and an audio-described performance at 2.30pm on Saturday 25 April.

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