Hairspray

Having seen their last big musical, Little Shop of Horrors, fall victim to the discovery of RAAC at the venue, and following a three-year hiatus, Coleshill on Stage roared back into The Core with an energetic and fun version of Hairspray.  This was a show full of great, 60s-inspired music, and a message of tolerance and inclusion that resonates every bit as much today as it did in the sixties, or indeed in the eighties, where this show has its genesis in a John Waters movie. 

The show follows the story of Tracy Turnblad, a plus-size Baltimore teenager who dreams of appearing on TV as a singer and dancer in ‘The Corny Collins Show’.  It’s clear from early on that Tracy is not going to let anyone or anything get in her way, and Laura King as Tracy personified that determination perfectly.  This was a very strong performance, well sung and with great diction, anchoring the show from the opening song ‘Good Morning Baltimore’.  Excellent support was provided by Carys Wilson as Tracy’s excitable best friend Penny – an effervescent performance full of energy and humour.  Their song ‘Mamma I’m A Big Girl Now’ was an early highlight.

Tracy’s mother, Edna, has become an iconic cross-dressing role.  Following in the footsteps of Divine and John Travolta, Bob Horton did well to resist the temptation to go over the top, whilst still bringing out the comedy inherent in the role.  Alongside him was Rob Sharratt as Wilbur – their second half duet ‘You’re Timeless to Me’ was great fun – ad libs and all - and a real highlight of the show. 

It wasn’t long until we were pitched us into the world of the Corny Collins Show, Tom Willson making a strong positive impact as Corny himself, very well supported by a chorus of singers and dancers, all of whom showed great energy.  A few key players soon emerged from the group – in particular entitled brat Amber Von Tussle and her boyfriend Link Larkin (on whom Tracy also has something of a crush).  Lucia Owen-Small was spot on as Amber, stomping about and emitting an ear-splitting whiny scream whenever she failed to get her way.  And Daniel Butler also did well as the heart-throb Link, showing good chemistry with Laura as his romance with Tracy developed.  There was also a stand-out performance from Clare Connolly as Velma Van Tussle, the vile, scheming producer of the Corny Collins Show who would seemingly do anything to help her daughter get ahead.  This is a great role for any actor, and Clare grabbed the opportunity with both hands, full of sneering superiority and also making the most of her solo singing opportunities. 

Hairspray lays bare a shocking level of discrimination against black people, with The Corny Collins Show only allowing them to be seen once a month on ‘negro day’ – a phrase that still takes the breath away today.  When Little Inez (a charming performance from Ebony Bode) was turned away from show auditions, the fightback was led by Tracy and friends, along with Motormouth Maybelle, played with great sass and style by Larna Brooks.  This part features a couple of great solo opportunities, and Larna absolutely made the most of them, bringing the house down in true showstopper style!  Leandro Thomas-O’Connor showed some impressive, snake-hipped moves as Seaweed J. Stubbs, and there was a great Supremes-style turn from The Dynamites (Judine Niamh Lawrence, Kamilah Emarnee Stewart & Shayna Maxine Deer), particularly in ‘Welcome to the 60s’.

The cast was completed by David Wade as Mr Pinky, John Kerr as Harriman F. Spritzer, and Clare Willson as Prudy Pingleton, along with a fabulous 27-strong ensemble.  All of them made great contributions to the show, whether as performers on Corny’s show, teachers at Tracy’s school and so on.  The group numbers were full of pizazz, and I thought really good use was made of off-stage singers to accompany some of the other songs, which really evoked the 60’s ‘wall of sound’.  Musical accompaniment from the 10 strong band led by Andrew Smith, was impeccable.

The show was well directed by Ariane Mitchell, with nice, 60’s influenced choreography from Izzie Larkin.  There were a couple of moments where the pace dropped a little, and I thought it a bit of a shame to leave Maybelle on her own for her rallying cry ‘I Know Where I’ve Been’, but on the whole, the show ran very smoothly.  There were a few unfortunate technical issues with radio mics on the night I attended, with some lines being lost, and the odd lighting issue leaving cast members in darkness, but the backstage team worked really well to ensure the set changes ran smoothly.  Costume, so important in a show like this to evoke a feeling of time and place, was well handled, so well done to the wardrobe team of Deb King and Pauline Peach.

Once Tracy and her friend have triumphed, with Velma amusingly put in her place, Hairspray concludes with, of course, one of the great finale songs – ‘You Can’t Stop the Beat’ (or, as the original cast members perceptively nicknamed it, ‘You Can’t Stop to Breathe’).  This difficult song proceeds at breakneck speed and there is absolutely no place to hide, so it is to the immense credit of the whole company that they pulled off both the singing and the choreography with aplomb.  An excellent finish to a great show, which rightfully got the audience up on their feet! 

Well done to everyone at Coleshill on Stage for this joyful return to The Core – I can’t wait to see what you have in store for next year!

As Regional Councillor for the West Midlands, I am always pleased to see Coleshill on Stage continuing to thrive. Knowing the challenge this society faced with the last-minute discovery of RAAC on the day of moving into the theatre, resulting in the abrupt cancellation of their last musical, the anticipation for their return to the theatre was especially high.

So, what sort of impact would Coleshill on Stage make after such a setback? All I can say is: they met the challenge head-on — and more.

My visit to the show was on a different date from the Regional Representative, and while I won’t repeat the detailed report already provided by Chris, I would like to highlight several standout elements from my visit.

Firstly, the performance of Laura King in her first lead role was genuinely impressive. Having seen this show many times — including several professional productions — I can confidently say that the portrayal and chemistry between Edna and Wilbur (played by Bob Horton and Rob Sharratt) was among the best I’ve witnessed.

There were no weak links among the principal cast, and it was a pleasure to see so many familiar faces — regular performers who continue to contribute to the strength of Coleshill on Stage. A special mention must go to newcomer Larna Brooks for her powerful and moving performance as Motormouth, with her rendition of ‘I Know Where I’ve Been’ earning well-deserved applause as a showstopper.

Congratulations are also due to the entire production team for delivering a performance that was well-directed, with superb choreography, and musically polished. It was a strong, confident return to form that deserves recognition.

I look forward to Cinderella next February and to hearing more about the exciting musical plans for 2026.

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