Helen George, best known to television audiences as Trixie Aylward in BBC drama Call the Midwife, has told audiences she is delighted to be performing in her home city as the UK tour of the stage revival of High Society arrives at the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham.
The production, which began life earlier this year with a run at London’s Barbican, features Freddie Fox in his first musical theatre role. The 1956 film version of High Society — whose screen incarnation starred Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly — is built around the songs of Cole Porter.
Home comforts and local hospitality
George, who grew up in the Harborne area of Birmingham, praised local audiences as "so kind, responsive and lovely" and revealed a small but telling touch from theatre staff: a large bar of Cadbury chocolate left in her dressing room with a note that read, "welcome home, bab". She also promised to take her co-star to try a Balti while they are in the city.
"The audiences in Birmingham are so kind, responsive and lovely," she said.
The anecdote flags two familiar themes in contemporary touring theatre: the warm relationship stars can have with regional venues, and the way productions bring metropolitan-stage talent into direct contact with local cultural life. For George, who previously competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2015, the experience of live performance and ballroom work has evidently carried over into her stage role.
Freddie Fox: a childhood ambition realised
Freddie Fox, whose screen work includes roles in films such as Pride and television series including House of the Dragon and Slow Horses, described the role as fulfilling a "childhood ambition". He plays Mike Connor, the cynical tabloid journalist in the story — the part associated on screen with Frank Sinatra — and said it was a dream to sing from "one of the best lyricists and composers who's ever lived".
Fox noted the cast had been "very supportive and kind" while he tackled his first musical theatre role. He also has a family connection to Birmingham: his sister, actress Emilia Fox, who starred in the BBC drama Silent Witness, moved production to the city in 2024 and has spoken fondly of it. Freddie added he had enjoyed performing previously at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
What the production brings to regional stages
The touring revival is part of a broader pattern in which high-profile screen actors return to theatre — and to regional venues — as productions increasingly travel beyond London. For audiences, the draw is both the familiarity of well-known television faces and the chance to see a classic musical performed live.
- Production began with a run at the Barbican earlier this year.
- Freddie Fox is making his musical theatre debut as Mike Connor.
- Helen George is reconnecting with her Birmingham roots; she grew up in Harborne.
The choice of High Society — a film adaptation famed for its Cole Porter score — gives the company a well-known songbook to showcase. For Fox, working with Porter material is a particular thrill; for George, the contrast between her Call the Midwife character and the 1930s socialite she plays on stage has been an entertaining challenge, not least because of both characters’ fondness for a tipple.
| Performer | Notable credits | Role in High Society |
|---|---|---|
| Helen George | Call the Midwife, Strictly Come Dancing | Socialite (stage version) |
| Freddie Fox | House of the Dragon, Slow Horses, films including Pride | Mike Connor (Sinatra character) |
As the company continues its tour, the production offers a reminder that regional theatres remain vital hubs for both established and emerging stage work — and for actors used to television sets, the stage can be a place to revisit ambitions and test new forms of performance. For Birmingham audiences, it has also been an occasion for a bit of homecoming hospitality, Cadbury bar included.
