REVIEW - TOP HAT THE MUSICAL AT THE LOWRY – A THEATRE NIGHT THAT SURPRISED ME

Name: Top Hat the Musical at The Lowry – A Theatre Night That Surprised Me
Author: Sarah Monaghan

Apr 3
4 min read

Dancing couple in elegant attire, against a blue starry background, smiles brightly. Text: Irving Berlin's Top Hat The Musical.

🎭 Theatre Night at The Lowry

On Tuesday 31st March, my mum and I headed to The Lowry for a theatre night to see Top Hat the Musical, which was playing in the Lyric Theatre.

Now, I’ll be honest — old-school musicals aren’t usually my go-to, but I’d heard really good things about this one, so I was really looking forward to seeing what it was like.

My dad dropped us off outside the Imperial War Museum North, and we did our usual walk across the bridge to the theatre, which is always such a lovely way to start the evening. It was one of those evenings where everything just felt really relaxed from the start.

We arrived at around 7pm, and I headed to the press desk to collect our programme and drinks vouchers before having a little wander around.

Posters outside a theater show "Top Hat" musical with dancers in elegant outfits and vibrant colors. Text includes dates and "The Lowry."

🛍️ Merch & Pre-Show

Of course, we had a look at the merch stand (as always 👀), and there was quite a good range available:

Magnet – £8
Keyring – £12
Pin – £9
Pin Set – £18
Bottle Stopper – £6
Umbrella – £28
Tote Bag – £16
T-shirts – £30
Programme – £6

I couldn’t resist picking up a magnet for my collection — it’s definitely becoming a bit of a tradition now!

Bowl of wrapped "TOP HAT" pins, keychains, flyers, and brochures on a black table. "TOP HAT" text is visible. Bright, promotional setup.

🎟️ Seats & View

We entered the auditorium through Door B and were seated in Row L, seats 24 and 25.

The view was excellent — really central and a great distance from the stage. It actually worked perfectly for this show because we could properly see all the footwork during the tap numbers, which made such a difference.

Audience seated in a theater facing an illuminated stage with a large, arch-shaped blue and purple backdrop, creating a vibrant atmosphere.

⏱️ Show Running Time & Interval

Act one was around 60 minutes long, and during the interval (about 20 minutes), we headed to the bar — I got a Diet Coke and my mum had a J2O.

We ended up chatting about the show, and I was honestly surprised at how much I was enjoying it already. The humour was landing really well, and the tap dancing had completely won me over. The theatre had such a lovely atmosphere too — you could tell everyone was really enjoying it.

Act two was slightly longer at around 75 minutes, with the whole show finishing at about 10:05pm.

Woman smiling, holding a "Top Hat The Musical" program in a theater with seated audience; purple seats, green patterned outfit.

🎶 Top Hat the Musical at The Lowry

Top Hat the Musical at The Lowry really leans into that classic Hollywood glamour and escapism, which works so well for a night at the theatre.

The story itself is quite simple and really easy to follow. It centres on Broadway star Jerry Travers, who arrives in London to work on a new show and ends up meeting Dale Tremont after a slightly chaotic first encounter.

He quickly falls for her, but things don’t quite go to plan because Dale mistakenly believes Jerry is actually her friend’s husband, Horace. From there, everything turns into a bit of a whirlwind of misunderstandings, near-misses and some very funny moments.

As the story moves from London to Venice, the mix-ups only get bigger, with everyone trying to fix things but somehow making them even more complicated along the way.

It’s definitely not a show you go to for a deep storyline, but that’s part of the charm — it just gives you a fun, light-hearted way to enjoy all the big musical numbers.

Person holds a "Top Hat The Musical" program in a theater. Stage background displays show title. Audience seated, lively atmosphere.

💃 Tap Dancing, Music & Standout Moments

The choreography is definitely the highlight of the show.

There’s so much tap dancing, and it’s honestly mesmerising to watch — especially in the big ensemble numbers where everything is so precise and in sync. The opening number sets the tone straight away and gives you that “wow” moment right from the start.

Phillip Attmore, who plays Jerry, is incredible to watch — his tap dancing looks completely effortless and full of energy, and you can tell he’s really enjoying every moment on stage.

Nicole-Lily Baisden brings a lovely warmth to Dale, and I really enjoyed the softer, more romantic moments between the two of them.

James Hume and Emma Williams add so much humour as Horace and Madge, and their scenes together were some of the funniest in the show. James Clyde also nearly steals the show as Bates — his timing is spot on and he had the audience laughing throughout.

Zak Edwards was on as Alberto at this performance and added a really fun, playful energy to the role.

And then there’s the music — I didn’t realise quite how many songs I’d recognise! From Puttin’ on the Ritz to Cheek to Cheek and Top Hat, White Tie and Tails, it’s one of those shows where you find yourself smiling as soon as the music starts.

Performers in elegant attire dance energetically on stage with an art deco backdrop. Blue and gold arches create a lively theatrical setting.

✨ What I Loved

Visually, this show is absolutely stunning.

The Art Deco-inspired set is beautiful, with its sweeping curves and rotating centre that allows the scenes to move smoothly from London to Venice without breaking the flow. Combined with the lighting, it creates such a polished and immersive feel throughout.

The costumes are exactly what you’d hope for — elegant, glamorous and very 1930s — and they really add to that sense of escapism.

💛 A Lovely Evening Together

One of the nicest parts of the evening was just getting to experience it with my mum.

She absolutely loved the show — especially the humour and the big tap numbers — and it was just such a lovely evening to spend together. I really love that we get to share these theatre trips and enjoy them side by side.