‘Hairspray’ musical review: Full of energy and joyful songs

Posted Filed under

Bringing the Swinging ‘60s to Brighton, hit musical Hairspray opened last night at Theatre Royal.

The Broadway musical has had a long-running stint at the West End, and now embarks on a huge UK tour of smaller theatres across the country. The adaptation from much larger stages to that of the smaller venues such as Theatre Royal hasn’t meant that the spectacular choreography has been scaled down though – far from it.

With up to 18 performers dancing onstage at any time, the routines are full of energy with the aid of upbeat music and vibrant lighting, none of the larger-than-life interpretation of the ‘60s had been lost.

Despite the bright colours and joyful songs, the moral message of the musical is always central to the plot. Addressing and challenging the segregation faced by the black community in Baltimore, Hairspray focuses on the impact of music as a tool for uniting during this turbulent period of rife racism.

Challenging several social concepts of the period in parallel to the issue of race, such as beauty standards, the musical sees heroine Tracy Turnblad tirelessly try to audition for the fictional ‘Corny Collins Show’, which features the pretty, skinny, talented white kids of Baltimore.

Hairspray 2015

When Tracy finally gets her break she uses it as a platform to voice her opinions on the show, and effectively in society. Dealing with hard-hitting issues through music and dance gives a heart warming, joyous atmosphere that follows the audience home.

The incredibly talented cast includes a refreshing mix of new young faces in the chorus alongside theatre veterans. A regular on stage in the West End, featuring as Roxie Heart in Chicago and also staring in the award-winning musical adaptation of Legally Blonde, Claire Sweeney has great fun as the former ‘Miss Baltimore Crabs’.

Protagonist Tracy is played by Freya Sutton, who returns to the role after playing the same character in the previous UK tour, and does the character justice with her fun spirit, killer moves and strong voice.

However, arguably stealing the show is the hugely powerful voice of Brenda Edwards, who some may recognise from The X Factor back in 2005, playing Motormouth Maybelle.

Full of sequins and foot-tapping tunes, the musical’s opening night saw the incredibly enthusiastic cast received by an equally enthusiastic crowd, with audience members literally dancing in the aisles by the final rendition of ‘You Can’t Stop the Beat’.

5star

Performed on Monday 30 November 2015 at Theatre Royal in Brighton.

> Buy tickets at atgtickets.com/brighton or by phoning 0844 871 7650.

Are you going to see Hairspray on tour? Let us know below…

> Read more by reviewer Jade Bailey-Dowling on her blog.