Inspirations: Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers

If I am looking for influences going a very long way back – then Fred and Ginger have to be given much credit. I had a passion for their films in the early 1970’s and it has stayed with me ever since. Of course I organised Fred Astaire parties, showed Fred Astaire films and just adored the elegance, grace, rhythm.  The films also always had marvellous songsmiths too – Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, the Gershwins. All wonderful stuff – the stuff that dreams are made of.

A really healthy counterbalance to the critique of sociology!

The stage version has just landed in London, some 75 years after the film. It keep to the plot and the wit; but adds an extra five songs from the Irving Berlin Songbook – suitable for the story lines. I am usually a bit doubtful of these enterprises – but I have to say this one works for me. It was two hours of song, dance, absurdity and joy. And at the matinee I saw,  the three key roles were being understudied-  superbly.

I will go again before it closes.

It joins Singing in the Rain at the Palace as the top London musicals right now.