Multi-Olivier Award-winning musical Top Hat will hang up its white tie and tails this autumn, with the glamorous production set to end its popular run at the Aldwych theatre on 26 October after more than 600 performances at the West End venue.
Following its London premiere in May 2012, Top Hat won both critical and public acclaim, boasting seven nominations at this year’s Olivier Awards with MasterCard and tap dancing off with three, including the coveted Best New Musical Award.
Starring Gavin Lee and Kristen Beth Williams, who stepped into the lead roles earlier this year following Tom Chambers and Summer Strallen’s Olivier Award nominated performances, the opulently staged musical is based on the 1935 film and recreates the golden age of Hollywood with Hildegard Bechtler’s Olivier Award nominated set and Jon Morrell’s award-winning costumes.
Telling the story of famous tap dancer Jerry Travers and his attempt to woo the irresistible Dale Tremont, the Matthew White-directed production features a host of familiar Irving Berlin songs including Cheek To Cheek, Isn’t It A Lovely Day To Be Caught In The Rain and Top Hat, White Tie And Tails.
Speaking about the show’s announcement to close, Top Hat’s producer Kenny Wax said: “It has been such a great privilege to have produced the first ever stage adaptation of Top Hat. We look forward to taking the production out on an 18 month national and international tour and over the years to come I have no doubt that the stage musical will be performed by both professional and amateur companies all over the world. I hope they have as much fun as we’re having.”
As Wax confirmed, fans of the show need not despair with a UK tour planned for 2014-2015.