Hairspray The Musical At Milton Keynes Theatre Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Zoey Caldwell
I came to Milton Keynes theatre tonight with the notion that I was going to watch an upbeat and colourful musical in Hairspray. I had no idea what the storyline was, I haven’t watched the movie.
What I experienced was a high-end, high-energy extravaganza of fun. The show begins at the start of the 1960’s in Baltimore and follows the hopes and dreams of Tracy Turnblad played by Katie Brace- a young girl, with big dreams and big hair. Tracy faces the timeless struggles of a curvy girl, teased and bullied by the beautiful, skinny girls. Tracy dreams of being a dancer on the Corny Collins show, and the journey she faces to get there is one of fun, friendship, and an underlying message of hope to unite the white and negro population in a time where it just was not acceptable.
Katie plays Tracy brilliantly, her character is big, bold and lovable. She is feisty and not afraid to pursue the love of Link Larkin (Solomon Davy) a smooth, all-American heartthrob hoping to be the next Elvis. Solomon’s solo of It takes Two was authentic and real- I felt that I was transported back to the late 50’s early 60’s with the smoothness of his voice and the pizazz of the accompanying dance moves.
Amongst all the glitz and glam of the show there is a serious message of integration. The forward-thinking Corny Collins wants to embrace the culture and music of the segregated blacks, but Velma Von Tussle is a washed-up producer, living vicariously through her aesthetically beautiful daughter is a racist who will not allow it to happen.
Every cast member plays their part excellently-the show runs seamlessly from scene to scene and there are some amazing vocals- watch out for Motormouth Maybelle (Michelle Ndegwa) wow, just wow, the hairs stood up on my arms. Seaweed (Reece Richards) has a beautiful tone and range and reminded me of when I was a teenager listening to Motown tracks. Corny Collins (Declan Egan) is the epitome of an old school cheesy television presenter, and his voice and dance moves are spot on!
I cannot review the show without mentioning Tracy’s parents, Wilbur (Dermot Canavan) and Edna (Neil Hurst) who were phenomenal! These two had such a rapport and comedic timing it made the show for me. Edna starts as a downtrodden washer woman with twangs of Widow Twanky but my goodness does she blossom. Their duet your timeless to me is just fabulous and I am not sure the onstage giggles and ad-lib were preplanned but my goodness it was brilliant. They were the ones that brought the audience to their feet at the end with the biggest cheer! Excellent.
The finale song You can’t stop the beat is just a flurry of dance and fun and smiles. I have no idea how the cast sing can move the way they do and still sing in tune- it is just so much fun to watch. I won’t spoil the ending but let’s just say that Tracy teaches a lot of people, including society a message and it is as relevant today as it was in the 1960’s. The musical is a wonderful evening out, and it so cleverly intertwines the reality of life for black people without making it political. There is a poignant reminder of the past when a backdrop of Martin Luther King Jnr appears with names of important figures that helped the removal of segregation.
You could go into the theatre after having a bad day and come out bopping and beaming- it is a spectacular production from the costumes and set design to the orchestra. A huge well done to the entire cast!
Rating: 5/5.
Tickets cost from £13 plus £3.95 transaction fee. Hairspray is at Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes from 2nd-7th September 2024 for more information or to book tickets visit: https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/hairspray-the-musical/milton-keynes-theatre/ or call the box office on 0333 0096690 Milton Keynes Theatre 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes. MK9 3MZ