Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman
Mark Goucher, Matthew Gale and Laurence Myers
Palace Theatre, Manchester
July 18-27, 2024; 2hrs 30 mins
(Also Liverpool Empire, August 19-24; Venue Cymru, Llandudno, April 7-12, 2025)
A brave move, reviving this 1980s take on 1960s entrenched prejudices. Racism, sizeism, ageism – you name it, US culture in 1962 had it, out and proud - as illustrated in creator John Waters’ view of his home town, Baltimore.
But Hairspray, through its various stage and film iterations, is an uncomfortably gentle critique of these horrors. I would like to think it could never be written now. Yes, it’s funny and loud, and singalong and dance-in-the-aisles infectious, and the segregation is in plain sight, reinforced by the excellent dancing and choreography of Drew McOnie.
But there are no sharp edges here, no sudden spikes of acknowledgement of the sheer disgrace of racism and cruelty of fat-shaming; little has been added to this production to recognise today’s sensitivities. Which is doubly surprising, given the background and experience of many of the team in and behind this show. If that in itself is the Waters-esque subversion, then it is just too subtle.
Hairspray is a period piece in every sense, and like its forbears Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (abduction, coercion) and Carousel (domestic abuse), doesn't bear too much scrutiny.
The plot centres on the “pleasantly plump” Tracy Turnblad (Alexander Emmerson-Kirby, making her professional debut) who dreams of dancing on the Corny Collins show, a (white) high school talent contest on the local TV station. Her solidly-lacquered hair earns her detentions, where she falls in with black students; together they plan to change the world, starting with the Corny Collins’ monthly “Negro Night”.
Tracy is encouraged by her mother, the agoraphobic Edna Turnblad (Neil Hurst), and supported by her best friend Penny (Freya McMahon) but runs up against a classic villain, the show’s producer, Velma von Tussle (Gina Murray, who cedes the role to Strictly’s Joanne Clifton later in the run) and her equally-classic blonde bimbo daughter Amber (Allana Taylor).
The music – a little samey in the first half, much stronger after the interval – showcases the talents of the whole cast, with its version of the Supremes showing everyone how it's done. They also provide one of the strongest challenges of the status quo in the show, facing down Velma and being sacked for their pains.
The standout musical performance as ever is Motormouth Maybelle, here played a little tentatively by Michelle Ndegwa. She is a seasoned vocalist and top-level backing singer who came through a 3,000-strong open audition to win her first stage role. A touch more diva would be good, and is sure to develop as the tour goes on.
Directors Brenda Edwards (a Loose Woman on ITV and herself a former Motormouth Maybelle) and Paul Kerryson (now CEO of Buxton Opera House, renowned for his musical over the years) follow the original’s trope of presenting Mrs Turnblad as a drag act. Performer Divine was a friend of Waters and a closeted gay drag artist – hence the characterisation – which in this production is pure pantomime dame. A duet between Mr (Dermot Canavan) and Mrs Turnblad is a highlight, and their ad-libbed quips will I’m sure become a mainstay.
The script is sharp, clever and smuttier than I recall – and no worse for that. Fabulous costumes too, filling the stage with colour and movement and making up for the fact that the set, which relies on back-projection most of the time, is a tad sparse.
We are living through a purple patch for musicals, both new and revivals; this one is cannily-timed and well received, but I’m not at all sure just how much it does for the causes it claims to espouse.
More info and tickets here
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