High Society: A colourful and joyous night of escape – just what the doctor ordered

The Citizen was all set to write an erudite, lyrical introduction to fully encapsulate the joy of High Society. It was even going to include an oh-so-clever play on words, but then Alan Carr’s inimitable, fog horn voice shouted down every sentence that stumbled across the keyboard.

I encountered Alan (OK, I stopped him like a fan) on the stairs after the curtain fell on the opening night of this wondrous production. We had never met before, but I needed to tell him that I was parachuted in to Harper Collins in 2007 to discuss me ghosting his autobiography.

The job never went beyond that first meeting because it soon became clear that Alan was easily the best person to write his story. The endearing and funny book that emerged a year later – Look who it is: My Story – became something of a sensation. We laughed that at least he was spared me cocking up his book. Then I ask what he thought of High Society.

“Oh, I loved it. I was singing along and moving in my seat. Everything is so miserable in the world right now – it’s just what the doctor ordered!”

Hmm. And there you have it. As far as summaries go, that spontaneous soundbite from the arch Traitor himself is hard to beat, not least when it comes with a toothy smile and a friendly glare through over-sized specs.

The Citizen braved the Circle Line from Sloane Square – 14 brutal stops – to the brutalism of the Barbican Centre ostensibly to cheer on an up-coming local actress, Felicity Kendal. It was fabulous to see her triumph as Mother Lord, delivering pithy one liners with perfect comic timing and evergreen stage aplomb. She even stole the headline in the Telegraph’s review.

Alongside Felicity is a cast of glorious range. Helen George is commanding and brilliant in the lead and is ably joined by Julian Ovenden, Nigel Lindsay and Carly Mercedes Dyer. Add all that talent to a super stage set, colourful costumes, slick choreography and a full orchestra playing Cole Porter’s timeless songbook, what’s not to like?

For me, the stand out turn of the night came from Freddie Fox as Mike Connor (well, he does play a dejected gutter press reporter who wants to be a serious writer). He brings warmth and pizazz to the role. Unbelievably, this is Fox’s first performance in a large scale musical. Goodness. A star is born.

Local girl steals the Telegraph headline

Felicity Kendal takes her curtain call to rapturous applause

The grand summer musical has become something of an annual feature at the Barbican. Many comparisons have been made between High Society and Anything Goes from 2021 (both are made by Trafalgar Theatre Productions). I saw that show and vividly recall the spontaneous standing ovation to an outrageously brilliant rendition of the title track. That was in post-covid times, when everyone needed the frivolous joy of that show.

When it comes to energy and pure dazzle, High Society does not quite reach the same heights of Anything Goes (it could do with a bigger, stand-out all-singing thriller in the first Act), but it is certainly a fabulous night out and the perfect tincture for these unsettling times.

I saw Alan again later, in the underpass as he waited for a taxi. “Got an interview for a poor reporter?” I asked in my weakest beggar’s voice.

“Get that man home and give ‘im a sedative,” he told my wife.

I looked back from distance and called out: “We LIKE you!”

“I love you!”, he screeched.

Gotta be True Love.