Review: Top Hat the musical UK tour, Edinburgh Playhouse

Lisa in the theatre
Oct 1
5 min read

Updated: Oct 2

The Chichester Festival Theatre production of Irving Berlin's Top Hat arrives in Edinburgh for its Scottish premier as part of the new 2025/26 UK tour. Read my review of this glamourous musical spectacle below.

Top Hat the musical UK tour ★★★★☆

Review: 30 September 2025 | Edinburgh Playhouse

Based on the classic 1935 film starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, the Chichester Festival Theatre production of Irving Berlin's Top Hat has now opened in Edinburgh as part of its major new UK & Ireland tour.

Taking us back to the golden age of Hollywood, Top Hat is not only a classic musical but a classy production. There's music and dancing, and love and romance of course, but also a superb cast, glittering costumes, gorgeous sets, and with Irving Berlin's iconic score played live by a fantastic orchestra, Top Hat feels like a return to an era when a trip to the theatre was a celebratory event.

The plot for the stage musical of Top Hat is a direct adaptation of the much loved Fred & Ginger film.

When Broadway tap dancer Jerry Travers (real life Broadway dance star Phillip Attmore in his UK theatre debut) arrives in London to open a new show, his tap dancing disturbs fashion model Dale Tremont (West End star Amara Okereke) who is trying to sleep in the hotel room below. Jerry immediately falls in love and vows to win Dale's heart, but a series of comedic misunderstandings complicate their romance, not least when Dale believes that Jerry is in fact Horace (the phenomenal James Hume) a producer who’s married to her friend Madge (the legendary Sally Ann Triplett.)

What. A. Cast! Wow.

Before seeing Top Hat on stage I assumed that it would be a dance-led musical. And there is plenty of tap dancing, ballroom dancing and beautifully choreographed ensemble routines to keep dance fans happy. However Top Hat the musical leans more towards a comedy musical. Especially in Act II: the dance takes a backseat to the ludicrous, albeit fun-filled, plot.

The absurd comedy storyline of this show reminded me of Fawlty Towers in its tone - another classic! But while the script is undeniably funny, the farcical nature of it may divide audiences. James Hume (Horace) and Sally Ann Triplett (Madge) in particular are masters of deadpan delivery; both their performances and comic timing utterly sublime here. However some of the other characters do veer too far into slapstick for my own personal taste when it comes to musical theatre.

Leading the show, real life Broadway star Phillip Attmore dazzles with a charismatic, foot perfect performance. While Amara Okereke impresses with a powerful, exquisite voice. Together the pair make for engaging principal characters to root for, both of them oozing star power whether performing together or alone. Supported by a talented ensemble cast of all-singing, all-dancing performers adorned in Yvonne Milnes ravishing costumes, one of the many highlights of Top Hat the musical is its incredibly strong triple-threat company.

A beautifully designed show; most definitely "Puttin on the Ritz"

Irving Berlin’s score for Top Hat is gorgeous, with all the much-loved classic songs from the film making it to the stage. 'Cheek to Cheek', 'Let’s Face the Music and Dance', 'Top Hat White Tie and Tails' and 'Puttin’ on the Ritz' are the highlights, but the other, lesser known musical numbers are equally as enjoyable. That being said, the show as a whole does run a little too long and would benefit from being trimmed by one or two songs in Act II.

Acclaimed Broadway director and choreographer Kathleen Marshall has delivered a beautiful theatrical spectacle with this new UK tour production of Top Hat - everything looks stunning. Peter McKintosh's revolving set design is inspired; the scenes change swiftly and silently, with every fluid 180 degree turn revealing a new, glamorous backdrop for centre stage. The art deco style outer arch and main stage floor never change, but are lit in a series of sumptuous colours by lighting designer Tim Mitchell. Every scene of this musical could be a production still photograph, so aesthetically beautiful is the staging throughout.

Beautifully designed, expertly presented and a whole heap of fun, Top Hat the musical is a terrific stage adaptation and a reminder of why these classic musicals are classics. ★★★★☆

Top Hat the musical plays at Edinburgh Playhouse until Sat 4 October 2025 and then continues on tour. Find the full dates & venues below.

Top Hat the musical UK tour cast 2025 / 26

Edinburgh Playhouse 30/09/2025

Phillip Attmore

Amara Okereke

James Hume

Sally Ann Triplett

James Clyde

Alex Gibson-Giorgio

The touring cast is completed by Lindsay Atherton, Rhiannon Bacchus, Jeremy Batt, Freddie Clements, Pedro Donoso, Bethan Downing, Autumn Draper, Tilly Ducker, Maddie Harper, Stuart Hickey, Laura Hills, Connor Hughes, George Lyons, David McIntosh, Jordan Oliver, Emily Ann Potter, Joe Press, Molly Rees Howe, Kirsty Sparks and Toyan Thomas-Browne.

TOP HAT

Music & Lyrics by Irving Berlin

Based on RKO's Motion Picture

Adapted for the stage by Matthew White & Howard Jacques

Directed and Choreographed by Kathleen Marshall