Hairspray Playhouse Theatre Edinburgh 7th October 2024 Review
Hairspray the musical is at the Playhouse Theatre Edinburgh this week (ends Saturday 12th October), and if you want a trip back in time to Baltimore in 1962 plus music that captures that period perfectly, then this is probably the show for you.
Hairspray the stage musical is an adaptation of the original film from 1988 starring drag artist Divine in the role of Tracy’s mother Edna Turnblad, and from its initial performances in 2002 this show has been a hit with audiences. The film itself was remade in 2007 with John Travolta taking the role of Edna Turnblad.
This show, which follows the story of Tracy Turnblad, a teenager who loves music, dance and fashion can be taken at one level as little more than a simple teen musical, but is actually far more than that once you look at some of the layers of story underneath that. Tracy Turnblad, played by Alexandra Emmerson-Kirby, who is making her professional stage debut in this role, is a girl who simply does not fit into the then expected body size of what a young teenager should be or look like, and this dynamic, fuelled by Tracy’s absolute confidence in her own body, is what drives much of this story along. The sad fact is that 60 plus years after this story is set, many young girls, and boys, are still facing all of the problems that Tracy encounters in Hairspray.
Giving this show that extra edge is a gentle, but still powerful introduction to the Black Civil Rights movement as Tracy makes some new friends across a then strictly separated colour social divide; white or black they all share via dance and music so many things in common. One of those shared loves is the Corny Collins television music and dance show sponsored by Ultra Clutch Hairspray. Tracy and her friends follow every new song, dance and fashion and for Tracy and some of her friends, being on that show is their ultimate dream.
It is through music that the whole time period of this show is set, and the very experienced at their crafts, Marc Shaiman (composer/co lyricist) and Scott Wittman (lyrics) have done a fine job here of capturing the essence of early 1960s chart music in America. Yes, some of these songs do at times sound a little derivative and you often think that you know that song from the first few bars, but the truth is that, for the most part, so much popular music from this time period was written to a formula that people knew would sell records (nothing changes).
Tracy as a character is overall a fun one and Alexandra Emmerson-Kirby does get than fun feel to her role and this musical pretty much as it should be. All the moves are there and that naivety that Tracy has about crossing political and racial divides too. Giving an equally strong performance, both in dance and light humour was Shemar Jarrett as Seaweed. This show has more than its fair share of stereotype characters too, but they are all very often played very tongue-in-cheek by this cast and a lot of fun to watch.
Oddly for a musical, for me Tracy as the lead character, apart from “Good Morning Baltimore” often does not get the best of the songs in this show, and TV host/record shop owner, Motormouth Maybelle for me gets one of this show’s classic songs, the civil rights movement inspired “I Know Where I’ve Been”.
Tracy’s parents, Edna (Neil Hurst) and Wilbur (Dermot Canavan), with the right performers in these roles, always have the potential to steal this show with the duet “You’re Timeless to Me” and this is exactly what happened tonight. Tonight Neil and Dermot deserved all the applause that they got with this classic musical/variety theatre song and dance number. It was full of everything that the audience wanted, charm, warmth and a little bit of light comedy innuendo.
You can go to Hairspray and enjoy the show at whatever level you want to engage with it at. Oddly, although the nostalgia setting of this show has stopped it from dating much over the years, it has also become a very contemporary show too as if anything that need that many people feel to fit in is even more fuelled now by relentless requirements to conform to a format by YouTube, TikTok and other social media sites.
Review by Tom King © 2024
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
Hairspray the stage musical is an adaptation of the original film from 1988 starring drag artist Divine in the role of Tracy’s mother Edna Turnblad, and from its initial performances in 2002 this show has been a hit with audiences. The film itself was remade in 2007 with John Travolta taking the role of Edna Turnblad.
This show, which follows the story of Tracy Turnblad, a teenager who loves music, dance and fashion can be taken at one level as little more than a simple teen musical, but is actually far more than that once you look at some of the layers of story underneath that. Tracy Turnblad, played by Alexandra Emmerson-Kirby, who is making her professional stage debut in this role, is a girl who simply does not fit into the then expected body size of what a young teenager should be or look like, and this dynamic, fuelled by Tracy’s absolute confidence in her own body, is what drives much of this story along. The sad fact is that 60 plus years after this story is set, many young girls, and boys, are still facing all of the problems that Tracy encounters in Hairspray.
Giving this show that extra edge is a gentle, but still powerful introduction to the Black Civil Rights movement as Tracy makes some new friends across a then strictly separated colour social divide; white or black they all share via dance and music so many things in common. One of those shared loves is the Corny Collins television music and dance show sponsored by Ultra Clutch Hairspray. Tracy and her friends follow every new song, dance and fashion and for Tracy and some of her friends, being on that show is their ultimate dream.
It is through music that the whole time period of this show is set, and the very experienced at their crafts, Marc Shaiman (composer/co lyricist) and Scott Wittman (lyrics) have done a fine job here of capturing the essence of early 1960s chart music in America. Yes, some of these songs do at times sound a little derivative and you often think that you know that song from the first few bars, but the truth is that, for the most part, so much popular music from this time period was written to a formula that people knew would sell records (nothing changes).
Tracy as a character is overall a fun one and Alexandra Emmerson-Kirby does get than fun feel to her role and this musical pretty much as it should be. All the moves are there and that naivety that Tracy has about crossing political and racial divides too. Giving an equally strong performance, both in dance and light humour was Shemar Jarrett as Seaweed. This show has more than its fair share of stereotype characters too, but they are all very often played very tongue-in-cheek by this cast and a lot of fun to watch.
Oddly for a musical, for me Tracy as the lead character, apart from “Good Morning Baltimore” often does not get the best of the songs in this show, and TV host/record shop owner, Motormouth Maybelle for me gets one of this show’s classic songs, the civil rights movement inspired “I Know Where I’ve Been”.
Tracy’s parents, Edna (Neil Hurst) and Wilbur (Dermot Canavan), with the right performers in these roles, always have the potential to steal this show with the duet “You’re Timeless to Me” and this is exactly what happened tonight. Tonight Neil and Dermot deserved all the applause that they got with this classic musical/variety theatre song and dance number. It was full of everything that the audience wanted, charm, warmth and a little bit of light comedy innuendo.
You can go to Hairspray and enjoy the show at whatever level you want to engage with it at. Oddly, although the nostalgia setting of this show has stopped it from dating much over the years, it has also become a very contemporary show too as if anything that need that many people feel to fit in is even more fuelled now by relentless requirements to conform to a format by YouTube, TikTok and other social media sites.
Review by Tom King © 2024
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com