Hairspray
Kilworth House Theatre
4th July 2023
“Why have they turned that into a musical?” is a question that gets asked a lot these days, but when it’s done right, it can transform something good into something truly fantastic. While there may be a lot of misfire adaptations, ‘Hairspray’ remains the definitive example of how to do it right. Taking the 1988 John Waters film of the same name and filling it with one of the catchiest scores of the last 25 years, the show captured Broadway’s heart in the early 2000s and quickly became a hit on this side of the pond too. A perennial favourite with audiences for its big hair, big personality and big heart, ‘Hairspray’s popularity shows no sign of waning as it celebrates its 21st birthday, and is set to entertain Leicestershire audiences this summer at Kilworth House Theatre.
In 1950s Baltimore, Tracy Turnblad (played by Charlotte-Hannah Jones) dreams of being a dancer on The Corny Collins Show, a talent search broadcast on a local TV network and produced by the ruthless Velma Von Tussle (Jenny Gayner). Going against the wishes of her mother Edna (Michael J Batchelor), Tracy auditions for the show, but discovers she doesn’t fit the station’s narrow view of how its dancers should look, with Velma manipulating the show to put her daughter Amber (Holly Willock) front and centre. Undeterred, Tracy doesn’t give up, and while in detention, finds herself befriending a group of black students who are facing their own form of oppression and segregation. What starts out as a mission to dance together ends up being a fight for tolerance, acceptance and self-belief, as America says “Welcome To The 60s” and goodbye to outdated prejudices.
Kilworth House Theatre has a fantastic reputation for putting on West-End-quality productions, and they’ve done it again with ‘Hairspray’. Director Lee Proud perfectly captures the exuberant joy of the musical, filling it with infectious positivity that radiates off the stage in waves. Confidently delivered with an assured slickness and dynamic choreography (also by Proud), Kilworth’s production has a boundless energy and warmth that never lets up. Scene transitions aren’t perhaps as smooth as a standard touring or residential show, but given the limitations of working with an outdoor space, it’s a minor quibble and the space is used well. The show also looks great with an inventive quirky set (designed by Paul Farnsworth) and costumes with plenty of eye-catching colour.
The score (music & lyrics by Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman) still sounds fantastic, with toe-tapping 1960s rhythm & blues influences guaranteed to get toes tapping. Shaiman and Wittman have written some fantastic stuff in their careers (‘Catch Me If You Can’, ‘Charlie & The Chocolate Factory’ and the ‘Bombshell’ musical for the TV series ‘Smash’), but ‘Hairspray’ remains their peak and may perhaps never be bettered by the talented pair. Most musicals have a few skippable duff songs, but ‘Hairspray’ is pure gold from start to finish. Mark O’Donnell & Thomas Meehan’s book is also packed with humour (mostly coming from the irrepressible Edna and awkward teen Penny), but is also far deeper than its initial “bubblegum” surface suggests, and looking past the big hair and big smiles to explore the need for equality that these characters are searching for.
The cast are top-notch and all do a brilliant job, bringing masses of personality to their roles. Charlotte-Hannah Jones leads the show fantastically as Tracy and has a huge likeability to her performance, singing and dancing up a storm.
Michael J Batchelor shows his years of experience as panto dames and is great fun as Edna, also having great chemistry with Steven Serlin’s Wilbur. Jenny Gayner gives a delicious wickedness to her Velma, and Alex Lodge and Liam Doyle also stand out as Link Larkin and Corny Collins respectively, really showing off what great dancers they are as well as confident leading men.
Kilworth House Theatre’s ‘Hairspray’ is a high-haired huge-hearted hit and is a must-see this summer. With its important story, loveable characters and fabulous score that absolutely proves “you can’t stop the beat”, ‘Hairspray’ is an absolute tonic, and Kilworth’s production shines.
‘Hairspray’ runs at the Kilworth House Theatre until 6th August 2023
Performance runtime 2 hours 30 minutes including interval
