Hairspray The Musical – London Coliseum Theatre – 28th September
Hey StageSide, welcome to the 60’s woah, oh, oh, oh, ooooh. Today we are reviewing Hairspray the Musical, brought to you by Ultra Clutch Hairspray. So slick back your hair, tease your bangs and learn to Jive because Corny Collins is about to take roll call!
This musical, performed at the London Coliseum Theatre on the 28th was the only one from my trip to London that I was not particularly excited for. Not because there is anything wrong with the show, but because I was so excited to see the other shows. BUT! I was pleasantly surprised with this one.
With all of the classic Hairspray tunes, this musical had a good vibe and I may have been tapping my feet to the beat a few times. This musical has some rather infectious tunes. I was so surprised that I had enjoyed it so much.
The Cast!
Michael Ball was rather interesting, in a nice way. With some great musical moments, and some rather out there improvised moments, this is one talented actor. Perhaps one that I was a little apprehensive about, having seen his touring concert, I was unsure as to how he would fit into this performance. However, Edna Turnblad squeezed right into this musical with ease.
Les Dennis was unfortunately not performing on the day I attended, and there were no posters or notices about who the alternate casting was, and so I am unaware of who was performing, but the role of Tracy’s father Wilbur was done so perfectly. Equally wacky and tamed, this character stood out and stole the show, as well as providing a platform for other characters to interact with.
She can hear the bells!
Lizzie Bea was a perfect Tracy. With those first few lines starting the performance, Lizzie had people whooping and cheering from the end of Good Morning Baltimore. Right through to you can’t stop the beat, Lizzie hit every note and every step as and when she should. The choreography, thought a little lacking for some of the other cast, was done so with a clear passion for what Lizzie enjoyed doing.
The same can’t be said for other cast members who put little effort into the dancing and singing, sometimes doing the bare minimum and choosing not to jump, step or even use their arms in some sequences.
The Dynamites, coming to life after being store window mannequins, provided some jaw dropping vocal moments. Their harmonies were gorgeous to listen to and their solo stand out moments were equal as impressive without being too much of a wail. Holly Liburd, Mireia Mambo and Robyn Rose smashed the role of The Dynamites.
Michael Vinsen plays Corny very well. The Nicest Kids in Town provided that jolt of energy needed to keep the piece going and Vinsen stepped up that energy.
Jonny Amies was a brilliant Link with moments that wowed. His vocals in Without Love were amazing, his dancing throughout was spot on. The only thing I wish I had more of, was an attitude. With a lack of ego, Link came across quite timid and unsure. This ego really drives the character, and I found myself questioning whether Link was actually Link.
The whole cast were incredible and as mentioned before this was the show I was least looking forward to, and I left with a smile on my face and instantly told my friends that it was a great time.
Standout Star!
A stand out has to be Kimani Arthur who played the role of Inez. Their ability to harmonize, riff, run and do all sorts of vocal acrobatics was amazing. Providing some great comedy, some really emotional scenes as well as those great vocals, Arthur really did stand out for all the right reasons.
Sadly, I attended quite near the end of its run, with only a few days left. With the tour currently making its way round the UK, I will be sure to catch it again. This time at a local touring theatre, I will be looking to see if there is much of a difference.
Some of the costuming left me wanting more. From a show that brags about being so fabulous, I felt a little disappointed visually. However I appreciated the show nonetheless. I acknowledge that the performance was more than enough to be entertaining.
The Rating!
For a show that I was not particularly looking forward to, and yet leaving happy and entertained, I give this show four stars out of five. I still feel like the costuming was a bit basic for the show’s fabulousness. I also feel like some of the cast blatantly putting in minimum effort, leading to me losing focus and just cringing. However, those that did put in the effort and had the passion for it, more than made up for those that didn’t seem to. The music was good, the acting was good and the dancing was good.
Have your say!
Have you seen Hairspray the musical? What did you think? Are you wanting to be welcomed to the 60’s, or do you think the crown for Miss Teenage Hairspray should go to another show? Let me know in the comments and let’s get a discussion going.
As always, please be respectful of each other’s opinions and be kind to each other. I completely respect and value everyone that worked on this show. We need to remember that these are people with feelings. Let’s treat them with respect. Bullying will not be tolerated and harmful language will be removed.
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Images were taken from the London Coliseum Website here