Any recollection I had of the plot of Hairspray originates from the 2007 film version—and my memories were probably just of a vaguely pleasant musical comedy. But I was inadvertently doing the show a disservice before the curtain went up, because there’s so much more going on beneath the surface.
Set in Baltimore, Maryland in 1962, the plot follows our ‘unlikely’ teen hero Tracy Turnblad (Alexandra Emerson Kirby making her professional debut)—she’s not like the other, skinnier girls whom she admires so much on her favourite TV programme, The Corny Collins Show. As a curvier girl, she’s the butt of everyone’s jokes, but Tracey doesn’t care. Despite her agoraphobic mother Edna’s (Neil Hurst) protestations, she remains undeterred, and it’s her infectious enthusiasm that sees her secure her dream role—and man, Link Larkin (the talented Solomon Davy).
However, there’s a more serious message here, as the story focuses on ‘otherness’ in terms of segregation and the drive for social change. Under careful direction from ITV 'Loose Woman' and previous cast member Brenda Edwards and Paul Kerryson (Chief Executive at Buxton Opera House), there are subtle tweaks, ad-libs and digs which breathe new life into this version. You can’t help but be swept up in the toe-tapping, feel-good energy of it all, but also feel as though you’ve received an all too topical reminder about the importance of calling out discrimination of any kind.
A hard nod of approval here for the absolute powerhouse that’s Michelle Ndegwas as Motormouth Maybelle, who ran the risk of displacing the most firmly held wigs with her faultlessly rich voice during "Big, Blonde and Beautiful".
I also thoroughly enjoyed Neil Hurst’s Edna’s interactions with pint-sized husband Wilbur (Dermot Canavan) where, at one point, they both dissolved into giggles, much to the delight of the audience.
The entire cast give it their all throughout—including in the epic finale of "You Can’t Stop the Beat", and the result is flawless. I very much suspect that we’ll be seeing a lot more of our Tracy (Alexandra Emerson-Kirby) in the future—the standing ovation at the curtain call was well deserved.
Hairspray is at the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham until 17 August before the tour moves on to the Liverpool Empire Theatre.