Rebecca Mendoza and Edward Chitticks in Hairspray at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff and Touring. Pictures: Darren Bell
Hairspray was reviewed at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff; the tour then continues until 3 June 2018.
Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩
Off to a head start (if you’ll forgive the pun) in the Donald Gordon Theatre at Wales Millennium Centre, this brand new touring production of Hairspray ticks most of the boxes.
Indeed, with packed audiences in holiday mood it could hardly fail to succeed. Jet-propelled and energetic from start to finish it certainly is, and therein the danger lies, for there is a tendency to go into overload at times.
In saying this, one might be suspected of nit-picking by much of the audience, and fair enough, for Hairspray, based on 1988 film, is overall a feel-good show.
Set in Baltimore in the early 1960s, the story is, of course, based on the career of teenager Tracy Turnblad who, despite being derided by her schoolmates because of her size, is determined to become a dancer on national television.
In pursuit of her dream, she makes a whole host of new friends (including Brenda Edwards’ Motormouth Maybelle), joining them in campaigning against racial segregation. In view of the recent events in Charlottesville, this storyline remains, sadly, relevant today.
Norman Pace and Matt Rixon in Hairspray
Rebecca Mendoza makes her professional debut as Tracy and rises to the challenge admirably with nifty dance steps and strong vocals, plus seemingly boundless verve and enthusiasm.
She is backed up skilfully by opposite number and romantic interest Link Larkin – a role sung melodically and performed sympathetically by Edward Chitticks – and Jon Tsouras as Corny Collins.
The character of Velma Von Tussle, determined to outwit Tracy and do her down by every underhand means at her disposal, produces a great portrayal from Gina Murray.
In the hands of two old pros, the comedy roless of Tracy’s parents are guaranteed success and don’t disappoint. Norman Pace is great as Wilbur Turnblad, demonstrating fine comic timing as one might expect from such an experienced comedy performer, but it is Matt Rixon as Edna Turnblad who really takes the cake as Tracy’s mother.
Displaying a heart of gold, Rixon is superb, gaining laughter and the odd tear too.
Mention must also be made Paul Kerryson’s direction and Drew McOnie’s brilliant choreography of the fast-moving numbers familiar to many of us and performed at high speed by a great team, with Layton Williams’ Seaweed worthy of special mention, and an excellent ensemble.
As for those songs – they don’t change and a good thing too, with foot-tapping numbers such as the opening ‘Good Morning Baltimore’ , ‘Big, Blonde and Beautiful’ , ‘The Big Doll House’ (for Doll, read jail) and the poignant ‘You’re Timeless to Me’, backed up by an onstage band of musicians and a clever set with video footage.
Go and let your hair down.
Barbara Michaels
SHARE THIS POST:
Comments are closed.