HAIRSPRAY

Hairspray is a challenging show to cast with its diverse range of characters, but on the evidence of this production, it was well worth the huge undertaking.

From start to finish the show fizzed with energy, humour and no little pathos.    Its tackling of discrimination in several forms, given its setting in 1960s Baltimore, would have been even more powerful had it been produced, rather than merely set in that less enlightened era.   The anti-racist message has thankfully become the norm today, especially among theatre folk and is less powerful in Hairspray than in say, South Pacific;  this merely reflects the great advances made in equality during more recent decades.

The principal characters were given outstanding portrayals by a dedicated and talented cast.   Melissa Cox as the indefatigable Tracy Turnblad was a total delight, as was Danny Willis, playing her larger than life mother Edna, forever ironing.   Their enemies, the pushy, scheming Velma van Tussle and her less than talented daughter Amber were delicious nasty and spiteful.   They were vibrantly played by Mary-Elizabeth White and Charlotte Donald respectively.

Sarah Marr as Tracy's gawky best friend Penny Pingleton had some great lines and scene stealing moments which she relished.    Her bigoted, racist mother Prudy, trying to turn back the tide of 1960s freedom was admirably played by Mandy Harris to the hilt.   In Panto she would have been roundly booed!   

Steve Cox as Wilbur Turnblad, joke shop owner and loving, supportive father and husband was entirely believable.   He and Edna had the best song in the show "You're Timeless to Me", the apparent corpsing made it even funnier - it was a true show-stopper - loved by the audience.

Jaco Botha played the aptly named Corny Collins for all it was worth and sang superbly.   He is a highly versatile actor and stood out in this role.

Young James Cook was Tracy's heartthrob, Link Larkin, with the looks, voice and dancing skills to carry it off, which he certainly did.    The young "negro day" dancer Seaweed Stubbs (Akhil Gowrinath) fell for Penny (much to Prudy's disgust), another excellent performance.   Chardine Wadley as his mother Motormouth Maybelle sang and moved well.   A special mention must go to Megan Haynes, a show stealer as Seaweeds's little sister Inez, bright as a button and relishing her role.   

The scene with Tracy's jail cell on one side of the stage and Penny's bedroom on the other was particularly touching with the two pairs of lovers singing "Without Love" alternately.   

The choreography and dancing under Louise E Wilson, assisted by Karen Ward, were superbly done, in fact to West End standard, and elevated the show from merely very good to a smash hit.  

The ensemble were all wonderful and I will highlight "Good Morning Baltimore", "Mama, I'm a Big Girl now", "Big, Blonde and Beautiful" and "I know Where I've Been" and the sensational "You can't stop the Beat", but really all of the others deserve a mention too.   I much enjoyed the jail scene even though the large cast could not all quite fit behind the bars!   The more minor characters all added zest to and played a full part in the success of the show.

Music was top class and punchy, without drowning the soloists, under the sure command of Musical Director Colin Copestake.

Costumes were well fitted and colourful as one would expect in this show.   The bee-hive hairdos, hair styles, wigs and make up were true to the 1960s look.    Lighting design and operation played a full part in the sure hands of Richard Pike.

But the palm must surely go to the Director John Harries-Rees who put this thrilling and sparkling show together. The whole company will certainly be very proud to have been involved  in  this  special  production. 

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