It may have been raining outside, but Hairspray burst on stage in glorious technicolour at Curve last night bringing a ray of sunshine into our lives. The audience was determined to have a good time, too, with lots of cheers and whoops coming from the auditorium, which I’m sure bouyed up the cast.
For the uninitiated, Hairspray is an American musical set in the 1960s. Tracy Turnblad and her friend Penny Pingleton love to watch the Corny Collins show and Tracy’s dream is to dance on the show. When Tracy wins a slot in the show, it brings out the best (and worst) in people.
This show has everything – on the surface, it has great humour, dancing, and singing – it’s the perfect example of a real feel-good musical. Scratch a little deeper and you’ll see Tracy striving for racial integration and proving that not only is different good, it brings about positive change.
Alexandra Emmerson-Kirby makes her professional debut as Tracy Turnblad and she is excellent in the role, kicking off the show with a talented rendition of Good Morning Baltimore. I Can Hear The Bells is another of my favourites from the show, with Emmerson-Kirby proving she can deliver.
Freya McMahon is equally as entertaining in the role of Penny Pingleton as her character develops throughout the show. McMahon and Emmerson-Kirby work really well together, portraying their roles as excitable teens with huge dreams perfectly.
Solomon Davy really nailed the character of Link Larkin, he is a real presence on the stage with a great singing voice. Reece Richards in the role of Seaweed, really shines in the role too.
The highlight of the evening for me is when Edna Turnblad, played by Neil Hurst and Wilbur Turnblad, played by Dermot Canavan, sing You’re Timeless to Me – this duet has everything – it’s poignant, silly, sad, and downright hilarious in parts. These actors just carry this performance to another level.
Katlo, who plays little Inez is a real talent, bursting on the stage with so much energy, and a great voice. And Michelle Ndegwa as Motormouth Maybelle gives an incredibly powerful performance.
Joanne Clifton as Velma Von Tussle and her daughter Amber Von Tussle played by Allana Taylor give equally strong performances. In fact, every one of this cast, including Corny Collins himself, is worthy of a mention, as they carry each scene with a burst of colour and choreography as the performance delivers.
The show’s finale had everyone up on their feet to show their appreciation – You Can’t Stop The Beat!
★★★★
