entertainment
High Society review
Barbican theatre, London Impeccable vocals and slick staging make for dazzling set pieces in a tame production that’s missing the emotional centre of the 1956 film
TL;DR
- The production is smoothly staged with impressive song and dance numbers and impeccable vocal performances.
- It is based on the 1956 film and Philip Barry's 1939 play, but lacks the emotional center and languorousness of the source material.
- The central love triangle and characters are underdeveloped, lacking a sense of desire and conflict.
- The journalist character's 'Bolshevism' and anti-money stance are announced but not fully explored, as he gets lost in song and dance.
- The book by Arthur Kopit is described as wooden, and the direction prioritizes musical and visual dazzle over story and character.
- The songs are praised as heavenly, but the overall production is considered too tame, nostalgic, and well-behaved.
- The show has plenty of theatrical fizz but lacks genuine emotional depth and joy.