Freddie Fox and Julian Ovenden join High Society
Published on 8 April 2026
- Freddie Fox, Julian Ovenden, Carly Mercedes Dyer, Nigel Lindsay, and Malcolm Sinclair join Helen George and Felicity Kendal in High Society
- Cole Porter's classic, High Society, plays at the Barbican from19 May until 11 July 2026
The guestlist for the most swell party of the year has been confirmed, and it features some serious VIPs.
Freddie Fox (Slow Horses) and Julian Ovenden (Downton Abbey) will join the previously announced leads Helen George (Call the Midwife) and Felicity Kendal (Rosemary and Thyme) for this summer’s revival of Cole Porter’s musical, High Society. They are joined by Carly Mercedes Dyer (A Chorus Line), Nigel Lindsay (Kiss Me, Kate), and Malcolm Sinclair (Pie in the Sky).
Completing the cast are Naomi Pacquette (Dinah Lord), David Seadon-Young (George Kittredge), James Hume (Chester, Butler), alongside ensemble members; Bethany Adamson, David Austin-Barnes, Jabari Braham, George Bray, Andrew Coshan, Jordan Crouch, Frances Dee, Aaron Elijah, Tosca Fischer, Jacob Fisher, Heather Jackson, Aoife Kenny, Nell Martin, Isabel Snaas and swings; Thomas Inge (dance captain), Robin Kent, Imogen Bailey and Lucy Rice.
The production centres on socialite Tracy Lord (Helen George), as preparations for her high-profile wedding unravel over the course of a single weekend.
Staged with a full orchestra, the lavish revival features some of Cole Porter’s best-known, and much-loved, numbers, including; “Let’s Misbehave”, “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”, “I Love Paris” and “Well, Did You Evah?”. With a 28-strong company, the show combines large-scale ensemble performance with a score that remains a staple of the American songbook.
The production features an award-winning creative team, with direction from Rachel Kavanaugh, and choreography by Anthony Van Laast.
High Society plays at the Barbican from 19 May until 11 July 2026.
