Hairspray at the Little Theatre Review

The Little Theatre welcomes you to the ‘60s and transports you to Baltimore in all its technicolour glory (even if the tvs are black and white) for this spectacular production of Hairspray by the Knighton Park Amateur Operatic Society.

Tracy Turnblad (Ellie Barratt) dreams of performing on The Corny Collins Show, so when auditions are held it seems this could be her chance. But villainous producer Velma Von Tussle (Hannah McCourt) rejects Tracy for her weight.

But the dream is not lost. After befriending Seaweed (Lewis Shaw)—a black performer on the show—and learning some new moves, Tracy impresses Corny Collins (Conor Izzard) himself at a school dance and secures her place on the show.

Tracy’s presence draws the ire of performer Amber Von Tussle (Rosie Chalmers) when it’s clear she is falling for her boyfriend, the teenage heartthrob Link Larkin (Jude Major). Though someone like Link would never fall for someone like Tracy, right?

The Corny Collins show is racially segregated, with black performers limited to appearing only once a month on “Negro Day” hosted by Motormouth Maybelle (Jade Afflick-Goodall). Tracy quickly develops a strong sense of social justice and vows to integrate the show, despite the risk to her newfound fame.

Hairspray is an energetic, charged show that takes on a range of topics from racism and discrimination, to self-acceptance and freedom-of-expression. Credit must be given to director Joshua Taylor-Williams for translating these messages so effectively in this production. Taylor-Williams’ direction tackles these themes with both gravitas and humour, never taking the themes lightly but also not being weighed down by them.

Helping to bring high energy to the show is Jade Afflick-Goodall’s choreography. A highlight of this is the tap number at the start of act two (The Big Dollhouse), which impresses not only through the skill of all the performers but in how Afflick-Goodall’s choreography gives everyone in the large ensemble their moment to shine.

There is no weak-link in the cast. And though the whole cast have strong vocals, particular mention must be given to Natasha Ann Carr (playing Penny), Shaw and Afflick-Goodall whose voices are simply sublime. Afflick-Goodall brought the house down with her emotionally charged, passionate performance of I Know Where I’ve Been—goosebumps!

Barratt is an excellent lead, carrying the show through her endearing energy and excellent voice. Barratt charismatically bounces off the whole cast, making the relationships, whether friendship, familial, or romantic, all the more believable.

Carr’s Penny Pingleton is the awkward best friend of Tracey, and their friendship is joyously believable. Carr not only has a great voice, but also a brilliant control over physicality and facial expressions to both embody Penny’s character and bring a comedic sense to the role.

Carr’s vocals get the chance to shine in Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now, alongside those of Barratt and Chalmers as well as their characters’ respective mothers Prudy Pingleton (Lucy Vickery), Edna Turnblad (Matt Brown), and McCourt’s Velma. All six voices pair well together, and I really enjoyed the staging of this particular number.

Brown’s Edna is a delight. He plays the character with honest sincerity but isn’t afraid to lean into the humour as well. The relationship between Edna and husband Wilbur (Alex Thompson) is heartwarming, with their song You’re Timeless To Me being one of many highlights in the show.

Major brings smooth vocals and charm to the role of Link Larkin. Shaw delivers excellent vocals and equally excellent dance moves as Seaweed. Both are captivatingly charismatic, making them perfect love interests.

Sophie Pirie plays Little Inez with a cheeky attitude and powerful set of lungs! Pirie shares the role of Little Inez with Yvae Rawle.

Under the musical direction of Reece Crane, the twelve-piece orchestra provides punchy and lively music. At times, the volume levels of the vocals struggled to compete with the volume of the music.

Cara Gibson’s costumes elevate the show through their vibrant colours and 1960s aesthetics, shining bright in Andy Crooks’ lighting design.

KPAOS has achieved something extraordinary with its production of Hairspray, an energetically joyful production from start-to-finish. A must see.

Photography by Poyner & Mee