TOP HAT to Make West End Debut in April; Summer Strallen and Tom Chambers to Star

TOP HAT will make its West End debut at the Aldwych Theatre with Summer Strallen and Tom Chambers in the lead roles beginning April 19, according to The Daily Mail.

The show is based on the 1935 screwball comedy musical film of the same name in which Fred Astaire plays an American dancer named Jerry Travers, who comes to London to star in a show produced by Horace Hardwick (Edward Everett Horton). He meets and attempts to impress Dale Tremont (Ginger Rogers) to win her affection. The film also features Eric Blore as Hardwick's valet Bates, Erik Rhodes as Alberto Beddini, a fashion designer and rival for Dale's affections, and Helen Broderick as Hardwick's long-suffering wife Madge.

Chambers was winner of Strictly Come Dancing 2008 with his partner Camilla Dallerup. On television he is also well known as surgeon Sam Strachan in Holby City, a role he played for three years. Strallen created the role of Meg Giry in Love Never Dies at the Adelphi Theatre, for which she was nominated for Best Performance for a Supporting Role in a Musical at the 2011 Olivier Awards.

The film was written by Allan Scott and Dwight Taylor. It was directed by Mark Sandrich. The songs were written by Irving Berlin - "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails" and "Cheek to Cheek" have become American song classics.

TOP HAT has been touring with Strallen and Chambers in anticipation of a West End bow, but will reportedly run in Woking and Bristol in March to feel out what changes have to be made before opening at the Aldwych.

Read the Daily Mail article here.