Photo credit – Ellie Kurttz
23 years after Hairspray the Musical first premiered there was no stopping the beat as it took to Mayflower Theatre’s stage last night.
From start to finish, this vibrant, high-energy show took the audience along on the journey of teenage misfit, Tracey Turnblad, as she deals with the struggles of fighting for liberation, tolerance, and equality in the face of adversity in ‘60s America.
The set design was simple yet effective, with scene changes happening so seamlessly that I never noticed at all, and costumes were the perfect fit for the era they represented.
The choreography was outstanding, and the ensemble didn’t put a foot wrong as they performed every dance with a passion and energy that would be hard to match.
The whole cast were exceptional, including Katie Brace who debuted in the lead role as Tracey, and Michelle Ndegwa as Motormouth Maybelle – who gave a beautiful and moving rendition of I Know Where I’ve Been.
But my, and from the reaction of the audience – theirs too, favourites had to be Neil Hurst as Edna and Dermot Canavan as Wilbur Turnblad. They worked really well together and created more than a few laughs from the auditorium, especially when they performed Timeless to Me – almost a standing ovation on its own.
I attended with my son and his friend, who played Corny Collins and Edna Turnblad in their school production back in 2010 (along with Chance Perdomo, who played Seaweed), which evoked some memories and laughs about that time for them.
And, on a cold January night, Hairspray provided an uplifting, feel-good musical that left us all with a warm feeling deep inside our hearts, a smile on our faces, and a reminder that we should always fight for what is right.
Just what we all needed!
Tickets for Hairspray (Tuesday 7– Saturday 11 January 2025) are on sale at at mayflower.org.uk or 02380 711811.
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