Julian Ovenden set for High Society revival at the Barbican
Julian Ovenden is part of the newly completed cast for High Society, which will open at the Barbican on 19 May 2026 for a limited eight-week run. The production brings the Cole Porter musical back to the stage this summer, with performances scheduled to continue through 11 July. The announcement confirms a full line-up around the central wedding-day story, with Julian Ovenden cast as Dexter Haven.
Full cast now in place for High Society
The revival will star Helen George and Felicity Kendal alongside Freddie Fox, who is set to make his musical theater debut as Mike Connor. Julian Ovenden joins Carly Mercedes Dyer as Liz, Nigel Lindsay as Uncle Willie, and Malcolm Sinclair as Seth Lord. The complete London company also includes Naomi Pacquette, David Seadon-Young, James Hume, 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, Thomas Inge, Robin Kent, Imogen Bailey, and Lucy Rice.
The production is directed by Rachel Kavanaugh, with choreography by Anthony Van Laast and musical supervision by Stephen Ridley, who will lead a full orchestra. The creative team also includes set designer Tom Rogers, sound designer Adam Fisher, lighting designer Howard Hudson, costume designer Jon Morrell, and wigs designer Helen Keane. High Society is presented by Howard Panter for Trafalgar Theatre Productions and Brian and Dayna Lee in association with the Barbican.
What the production is bringing to the stage
High Society is based on Philip Barry’s play The Philadelphia Story, with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, a book by Arthur Kopit, and additional lyrics by Susan Birkenhead. The score includes “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”, “I Love Paris”, “Well, Did You Evah?”, “Just One of Those Things”, “Let’s Misbehave”, “You’re Sensational” and “True Love”. The story follows a society wedding as preparations begin to unravel and past relationships resurface, while an intrusive reporter enters the picture.
Producer Howard Panter said the musical “sparkles with wit, romance and sheer theatrical joy, ” adding that Freddie Fox, Julian Ovenden, Carly Mercedes Dyer, Nigel Lindsay and Malcolm Sinclair will join Helen George and Felicity Kendal at the Barbican this summer. He said the cast brings “brilliance, charisma and musicality” that will capture the glamour and sophistication of the Cole Porter musical for London audiences from May onwards.
Why Julian Ovenden matters in this cast
Julian Ovenden’s casting gives the revival one of its key leading roles in Dexter Haven, a central figure in the story’s shifting relationships. His name sits alongside a cast built around stage and screen experience, with the production framed as a limited Barbican season before further dates beyond London. That makes Julian Ovenden one of the headline names in a project being positioned as a major summer revival.
The Barbican engagement begins on 19 May 2026 and runs until 11 July. A wider U. K. and Ireland tour is also set to follow the London run, extending the production’s reach after the opening season in the capital.
What happens next
With casting now complete, the focus moves to rehearsals and the run-up to opening night. Julian Ovenden will arrive at the Barbican as part of a production that is already being pitched as a glossy, full-company revival, and all eyes will be on how High Society lands when it begins performances on 19 May 2026. For now, the cast announcement gives the clearest picture yet of the summer return for High Society, with Julian Ovenden firmly at the center of it.
