4 STARS, November 28 – December 2. Jane McGowan enjoys a rip-roaring production of Hairspray
Hairspray is one of my favourite musicals – aside from the toe-tapping tunes, dynamic dance numbers and witty one-liners, it is a show that has really has something to say, albeit through a haze of Ultra Clutch hair products!
Set in Baltimore in 1962, the show follows overweight teenage wannabe Tracy Turnblad on her journey to become not only a TV dance sensation but the girlfriend of heartthrob crooner Link Larkin – star of the Corny Collins show. The musical is based on the cult film by director John Walters which starred Divine and the then unknown Rikki Lake, and deals with issues of weight, segregation, racism and acceptance. Set in a supposedly more innocent time of bobby socks and up-dos, it offers a glimpse of the racial tensions that were ignored in pursuit of presenting ‘the all-American’ ideal.
But if all this sounds a bit heavy for a musical – then think again – as every theme is delivered through a seemingly never-ending stream of show-stopping songs. The energy of this production (which is part-way through a 12-month UK tour), was phenomenal. The vocals soared and the sequins shone until by the final number – the relentlessly catchy You Can’t Stop the Beat - there was nothing else for it but to stand-up and join in!
Claudia Brunning
On the night I saw the show, Tracy was played by understudy Rosie O’Hare and she coped admirably. From the first song, the tongue-in-cheek Good Morning Baltimore, Miss O’Hare belted out every tune as if her life depended on it. Star of Bad Education and School for Stars Layton Williams had the audience audibly gasping as he leapt across the stage throwing in several acrobatic feats for good measure, while former X Factor contestant Brenda Edwards as Motormouth Maybelle almost raised the roof with a thundering rendition of I Know Where I’ve Been.
Matt Rixon and Norman Pace (yes, of 80s comedy act Hale and Pace) worked incredibly well together and their romantic duet, You’re Timeless to Me, was very well received by the audience which had until that point been rather reserved.
The only downside was the set. The only two moving aspects clunked and lurched into place every time they were required and the designs projected on to the back of the stage where so faded and cheap it looked like they had been borrowed from a church hall panto back in the 80s. Such a shame that it didn’t sparkle and shine as much as the performers.
Still, set aside this is well worth a visit – its energy and exuberance providing the perfect antidote to a bitterly cold November evening.
- Hairspray is at G-Live until Dec 2. For tickets and further information, visit glive.co.uk
Check out our Theatre/Arts Section for more great local theatre news, reviews and interviews
You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates on all our latest articles
Sign up to our Weekly Newsletter for exclusive competitions, offers and stories
Looking to advertise your business in Surrey or SW London? Check out our 11 different lifestyle magazines with a combined monthly distribution of over 210,000 AB1 homes
