Hairspray At Lyceum Theatre Sheffield Review
THE REVIEWER AND GUEST WERE GIFTED TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING A REVIEW.
Reviewed by Louise Edwards
The Lyceum in Sheffield was last night transported back to Baltimore in 1962 for the performance of west end hit musical Hairspray on its UK tour. The show was the perfect antidote as the theatre opens its doors for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic forced them shut in March 2021.
Hairspray, a comedy musical based on the 1980s film of the same name, tells the story of young and curvaceous Tracy Turnblad, played by Katie Brace, who has a crush on Link Larkin (played by Ross Clifton) a dancer on the Corny Collins TV show which is sponsored by Swoon hairspray looking for their next face. Tracy and her friend Penny Pingleton (played by Rebecca Jayne-Davies) race home to watch the tv show after school. Her dream comes true when she gets the opportunity to star in the show and meet her idol. Swoon!
Tracy’s mum, laundry queen, Edna Turnblad, played by the incredible Alex Bourne and dad, joke shop inventor, Wilbur, played by Norman Pace, are the perfect comedy duo and there are plenty of laugh out loud moments throughout the show featuring them.
The villains of the piece come in the form of mother and daughter Velma and Amber von Tussle (played by Rebecca Thornhill and Jessica Croll respectively) who are stick thin and poison throughout. Velma is determined that Amber will win the hairspray completion and Amber is determined she will win the heart of Link Larkin!
Tracy, armed with youthful exuberance and a desire for equality is offended by the racial inequalities she sees, when she meets Seaweed and he shows her dance moves, and sets out on a mission to enable the black dancers of racially-segregated 1960s Baltimore, to get on TV.
The incredible voice of Seaweed’s momma, Motormouth Maybelle, played by the supremely talented Brenda Edwards (Loose Woman and XFactor finalist) really does blow your socks off. Her mesmerising range and stage presence has the wow factor as well as the glittery outfits and the most amazing sparkly leopard print jumpsuit!
All of the cast are fantastic and to go through the last 18 months and survive and thrive as they have shows amazing strength and determination.
The message of the show is inclusivity and acceptance and looking deeper than the shallow exterior which is as relevant today as it was 50 years ago. Contemporary issues such as body image and the black lives matter movement are sadly as topical today as they were then. The show very much focuses on how “Girth equals worth” and no matter your size and colour if your skin you have an important place.
By the end of the show you will find it very hard not to be up on your feet dancing and in Sheffield the whole theatre was rocking by the end. A brilliant evening and a fantastic way to open up the theatre doors again – catch this sell out show whilst you still can! A perfect summer holiday treat!
Hairspray runs at the Sheffield Lyceum until Saturday 21 August and tickets are available from £15 to £55 https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/hairspray
It then continues on its tour of the UK https://www.hairsprayuktour.com/tour-dates/