|
|
|
|
|
Katie Brace as Tracy Turnblad. Pictures: Pamela Raith Hairspray Malvern Theatres ***** An explosion of colour, rock and roll music and movement greets the audience at Malvern this week: Hairspray is vibrant, energetic and a sensory avalanche. In the era of American Bandstand and The Buddy Deane Show, Tracey Turnblad wants to join the young teens dancing to the latest music on the Real Corny Collins Show, two hours a day, six days a week on TV. This feel-good musical explores the themes of racial integration and sizeism; the older generation opposed the integration of the black and white teenagers on the show. The success of the film clearly helped to fill the theatre with enthusiastic fans which itself creates a wonderful and celebratory atmosphere. As one of the performers on the Real Corny Collins Show has to take a break for 9 months (!), Tracey takes full advantage of the open auditions to burst into the show. There is romance, comedy and well-known songs to enjoy.
Michelle Ndegwa as Motormouth Maybell Picture: EllieKurttz Neil Hurst plays Edna Turnblad, Tracey’s Mum, the pantomime dame in effect, and provides great humour, especially with Wilbur (Dermot Canavan). Their rendering of You’re timeless to me brought the house down in the second act. Tracey Turnblad sings the touching song I can hear the bells with a combination of tenderness and humour. Michelle Ndegwa plays Motormouth Maybelle and sings with impressive power; her rendering of I know where I’ve been was fantastic. Takis is the brilliant designer of the set and the costumes. Visually this show combines with the excellent choreography (Drew McOnie) and the lighting (Philip Gladwell) to provide a wonderful spectacle. The prison scene at the beginning of Act Two was in striking contrast to so much colour in most of the scenes. The songs were so powerful with the excellent musicians led by Richard Atkinson. Hairspray is running in Malvern till Saturday 8th March and is touring the country in the coming months. Tim Crow 04-03-25 |
|
|
|
%20-%20Credit%20Pamela%20Raith.jpg)
%20-%20Credit%20©EllieKurttz.JPG)