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22 THE RIVER SUMMER 2015 CULTURE What a swell party this is... by Owen Rice he opening of High Society was buzzing with excitement not only because of the society faces scattered around the auditorium but also because the Old Vic had created a fabulous retro atmosphere reminiscent of mid- twentieth century monied America. It was packed out with snappy whimsical dialogue great musical talent champagne cocktails and the easy sophistication of Cole Porters music and lyrics. As the spectators began filling the theatre the whole place twinkled with glitz and glamour and it beeped and booped with trumpets and trombones. There was a relaxed air of fun fabulous frivolous fun. Set in-the-round the audience and the stewards mixed with the performers who were dressed in tuxedos as waiting staff scooting about with silver trays of champagne. Sprinkled throughout the stalls were period aficionados themselves clad in brilliant blue suits and coiffed hair. A party was about to begin and the audience was invited prepared to be transported back sixty years or more to a place when thoughts of austerity and reality were a thousand miles and more than half a century away Picture summer days with Katherine Hepburn Cary Grant and James Stewart the lead actors in the 1940 film version of The Philadelphia Story or the first filmed High Society set in 1950s New York with Grace Kelly Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. On stage as everyone began settling more into place Joe Stilgoe was tinkling the ivories and asking the audience for requests as though in the middle of a live performance at a club in Philadelphia. His inventive merge of soundtracks and old favourites was hilarious and hey presto... the show had begun without anyone realising High Society is a tale of modern families mixed loyalties second wives and husbands layers and levels of affection - strangely common and relevant now. Tracy Lord is a spoilt rich divorcee who is not entirely out of love with her ex but is about to get married to a social climber in a society wedding that promises to be the spectacle Rupert Young as CK Dexter Haven