High praise for Society

THE old festive legend has it that kids who are naughty all year can expect nothing but sooty black stuff at Christmas, but the people of Highgate will be glad of a bit of Cole in their stockings this time around.
A true genius of the musical genre, Cole Porter created a masterpiece in High Society; its songs like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and Well, Did You Evah will live long in the memory.
He would surely have been more than happy at trusting it to the team at Upstairs At The Gatehouse.
Of course, the name of the show and memories of Grace Kelly and Fred Astaire in the film version sell the tickets on their own, but that does not mean corners have been cut.
Kirby Hughes steals the show as Tracy Lord, shoes once filled by Princess Grace as the drunken butterfly of a socialite, blonde and beautiful but ultimately a bit of a twit. Hughes can sing, she can dance, she can do the comedy – she is perfectly cast. In fact, the only grumble was that she didn’t dance more. Some of the frothier dialogue could have been replaced with a few more jazz hands and tap toes, and nobody would have complained.
Ultimately Tracy is too vulgar for you to care too much which of her potential suitors she will end up with on her wedding day.
But even if – like with most shows – we are not left rooting for an underdog to steal the leading lady’s heart, there is a barrel of
sub-plots, clever one-liners and superb choreography to enjoy.
Until January 31
020 8340 3488
RICHARD OSLEY