Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of Irving Berlin’s Top Hat will have a Christmas season at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Performances will begin on Friday 12 December 2025 and continue to Saturday 17 January 2026.
Top Hat is currently playing at Chichester Festival Theatre, until Saturday 6 September.
The show then embarks on a UK tour including visits to Woking (New Victoria Theatre), Milton Keynes (Milton Keynes Theatre), Edinburgh (Edinburgh Playhouse), Nottingham (Theatre Royal), Wimbledon (New Wimbledon Theatre), Canterbury (Marlowe Theatre), Liverpool (Liverpool Empire Theatre), Cardiff (Wales Millennium Centre), Sunderland (Sunderland Empire Theatre), Manchester (Manchester Opera House) before taking up residence in London for the holiday season at Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.
In 2026 the tour will continue to Sheffield (Lyceum Theatre), Dublin (Bord Gais Energy Theatre), Glasgow (Kings Theatre), Eastbourne (Congress Theatre), Southend (Cliffs Pavilion), Birmingham (Birmingham Hippodrome), Aberdeen (His Majesty’s Theatre), Norwich (Theatre Royal).
Taking to the stage in London will be Phillip Attmore (So You Think You Can Dance) as Jerry Travers, Amara Okereke (My Fair Lady) as Dale Tremont, Clive Carter (Moulin Rouge! The Musical) as Horace Hardwick and Sally Ann Triplett (Cabaret) as Madge Hardwick.
James Clyde (Matilda the Musical) will return as Bates with Alex Gibson-Giorgio (Mamma Mia!) as Alberto Beddini.
The London company is completed by Lindsay Atherton, Rhiannon Bacchus, Jeremy Batt, Freddie Clements, Pedro Donoso, Bethan Downing, Autumn Draper, Tilly Ducker, Laura Hills, Maddie Harper, Connor Hughes, James Hume, George Lyons, David McIntosh, Jordan Oliver, Emily Ann Potter, Joe Press, Molly Rees Howe, Kirsty Sparks and Toyan Thomas-Browne.
Based on the classic 1935 film which starred Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, the stage adaptation’s original West End production won the 2013 Olivier Award for Best New Musical.
The musical equivalent of the finest vintage champagne – effervescent, elegant and exhilarating – Top Hat is a heady romantic cocktail laced with sparklingly witty dialogue, stunning choreography, lavish sets and gorgeous costumes. Irving Berlin’s irresistible score includes some of Hollywood’s greatest songs: the immortal Cheek to Cheek, Let’s Face the Music and Dance, Top Hat White Tie and Tails and Puttin’ on the Ritz.
When Broadway star Jerry Travers arrives in London to open a new show, he crosses paths with model Dale Tremont, whose beauty sleep is rudely interrupted by Jerry tap dancing in the hotel suite above hers. Instantly smitten, Jerry vows to abandon his bachelor life to win her heart – but the path of true love never does run smooth. Especially since Dale has mistaken Jerry for his hapless producer Horace, who’s trying to avoid the wrath of his formidable wife Madge, and Dale’s own fiery Italian admirer is planning a trip to Venice for her to showcase his couture gowns…
With Music & Lyrics by Irving Berlin, Top Hat is adapted for the stage by Matthew White & Howard Jacques. Joining director and choreographer Kathleen Marshall on the creative team are set designer Peter McKintosh, costume designers Yvonne Milnes and Peter McKintosh, musical supervisor Gareth Valentine, musical director Stephen Ridley, orchestrator & arranger Chris Walker, lighting designer Tim Mitchell, sound designer Paul Groothuis, casting director Natalie Gallacher CDG for Pippa Ailion and Natalie Gallacher Casting, associate director & choreographer Carol Lee Meadows, associate director Cameron Wenn, associate set designer Ben Davies, associate lighting designer Imogen Clarke, associate sound designer Rich Pomeroy and resident director & choreographer Richard Pitt.
Further information and full details of the UK tour can be found at tophat-musical.com.
Additional information about the London production of Top Hat
When is Top Hat playing in London?
Top Hat is playing Friday 12 December 2025 – Saturday 17 January 2026
What time does Top Hat start?
TBC
How long is Top Hat?
Top Hat is 2hrs 30mins long (including an interval)
What Theatre is Top Hat on at?
Top Hat is on at the Southbank Centre
What is the age recommendation for Top Hat?
is suitable for ages 8+
Are there any Accessible Performances for Top Hat?
Yes.
BSL Interpreted & Audio Described: Wed 17 Dec 2pm & Thu 8 Jan 7.30pm
Captioned: Sun 28 Dec 2pm & Thu 15 Jan 7.30pm
Relaxed Performance: Sun 11 Jan 2pm
More information about the cast of Top Hat
Phillip Attmore – one of Broadway’s most exciting performers, winner of the Fred and Adele Astaire Award for Best Male Dancer for Shuffle Along and a Playbill Breakout Performance Award for On the 20th Century – in his UK debut as Jerry Travers. His US credits also include Hello, Dolly!, Cheek to Cheek: Irving Berlin in Hollywood and TV’s The Marvelous Mrs Maisel.
Amara Okereke – winner of the 2018 Stage Debut Award for her role as Cosette in Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre. Further theatre credits include Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady at London Coliseum, Oklahoma! at Chichester Festival Theatre, A Streetcar Named Desire at Sheffield Crucible and Spring Awakening at the Almeida Theatre. Film credits include the upcoming The Choral (directed by Sir Nicholas Hytner).
Clive Carter – three-time Olivier Award nominee for Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Come From Away and Into The Woods. His many West End credits also include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Wicked and Priscilla Queen of the Desert (WhatsOnStage Award nominee).
Sally Ann Triplett – among her many distinguished London roles are Fraulein Schneider in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, Gran in The Witches and Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes for which she won a WhatsOnStage Award (National Theatre), and Aunt Eller in Oklahoma!.
James Clyde – among his extensive theatre credits are Mr. Wormwood in Matilda the Musical at the Cambridge Theatre, and various roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company including in King Lear, Cymbeline, Tamburlaine, Tartuffe, Timon of Athens, Romeo and Juliet, Days of Significance, Comedy of Errors and Twelfth Night.
Alex Gibson-Giorgio – theatre credits include Sinatra The Musical at the Birmingham Rep, Zorro The Musical at Charing Cross Theatre, Rags at the Park Theatre and Mamma Mia! Australia Tour, TV credits include: One Day for Netflix and Taika Waititi’s Time Bandits for Apple TV+.
