Michael Cox reviews ‘a bubbly delight’.
Socialite Tracy Lord is about to be married a second time. Almost everyone thinks she’s making a colossal mistake—including her ex-husband Dexter Haven, who has turned up at the eleventh hour. He claims he’s there to help keep a lid on a growing scandal, but might he have other plans? And what about reporter Mike Connor and photographer Liz Imbrie? They’re on the family estate looking for a story—can they be enticed to not report on the patriarch’s shenanigans with a showgirl?
It all sounds overly complicated, but in truth it’s rather easy to follow. This is mostly down to the fact the plot doesn’t really matter—what matters is the comedy of errors and battle of wits between the major characters.
This all began as the 1939 play The Philadelphia Story, which was written as a starring vehicle for the great Katharine Hepburn as Tracy. Hollywood soon came knocking, casting Cary Grant as Dexter and James Stewart (in his Oscar-winning performance) as Mike. Nearly two decades later and Hollywood returned with a Cole Porter musical version: High Society. It starred Grace Kelly (in her final performance before becoming Monaco’s princess) as Tracy, Bing Crosby as Dexter and Frank Sinatra as Mike—as well as including musical performances by Louis Armstrong.
With a pedigree with such impressive star power, it almost feels impossible to find anyone who can match such voltage. And indeed, those looking for such pizzazz will be let down by this touring production.
That isn’t to say there’s anything wrong with it. The truth is that it is a delightful production filled with charming performances. The ensemble is filled with actors who deliver wit and sing Porter’s music well, and director Rachel Kavanaugh’s staging leans into the farcical moments with ease.
And there are standout performances. Nigel Lindsay has a lot of fun as the cheeky Uncle Willie, Naomi Pacquette injects needed youthful energy as Tracy’s kid sister Dinah while Carly Mercedes Dyer proves to be the most sympathetic character—Mike’s photographer partner who worries about his possible moral decay after wondering ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire?’ with him during one of the most famous showstoppers of the musical.
But as the casting of the films show, it all comes down to the three leads. Julian Ovenden plays Dexter well—not too showy, but with enough heart to be convincing. Freddie Fox is excellent as Mike—particularly in the second half when he has to be drunk while becoming the story’s conscience.
However, it all centres on Tracy, and here the production has its ace—Helen George is terrific: she sings well, plays the sarcasm with just enough humour to get away with using the razor’s edge and yet is almost always sympathetic. George is always a delight when she’s on stage—never demanding of attention yet earning it anyway.
And yet, with all of this, the production still feels like it’s a few beats off. Maybe something has been lost in translation through Arthur Kopit’s book. And maybe it’s down to our current age, where it’s hard to care about the lives of the rich and powerful who seem so careless—with their own lives, let alone the lives of others. Or maybe director Kavanaugh’s production leans too much on style but forgets the substance.
Whatever it is, High Society isn’t quite the ‘swell party’ it promises, even if it is a bubbly delight that nevertheless proves enjoyable—if not memorable.
High Society’s run at Glasgow’s Kings Theatre has ended. It is scheduled to be at the Edinburgh Playhouse from 8-12 September 2026 before continuing its UK and Ireland tour. For further information, go to the production’s website.
Photos by Pamela Raith Photography.
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