Review: Hairspray at Milton Keynes Theatre is the ultimate feelgood musical

The energy in this show, which arrived at Milton Keynes Theatre last night, is off the scale and the fact that the entire audience was off their feet at the end in recognition of the cast’s efforts said it all.

You’ll have countless songs swirling around in your head long after you’ve left the auditorium.

It’s off to an impressive start with ‘Good Morning Baltimore’ as we’re introduced to our heroine Tracy Turnblad and her best friend Penny Pingleton.

Tracy has big hair, a big heart, and big dreams of dancing her way into the national TV spotlight by earning a place on the Corny Collins show, and into the heart of its star performer Link Larkin. With the help of some nifty moves picked up from African-American students during a school detention, she audtitions and her dream comes true.

She uses her newfound fame to fight for tolerance and interracial unity in Baltimore. She questions the segregation that exists in 1960s America and demands to know why black and white people can’t dance together on TV.

Katie Brice was great as Tracy. It must be exhausting playing a character whose excitement levels are in overdrive for the entire show. She’s mostly a high-pitched bundle of singing energy but occasionally slips into a deep forceful voice when she wants to get her point across.

Someone else with a rather deep voice is Tracy’s mum Edna – played by the exceptional Neil Hurst. Edna provides much of the show’s humour, from silly enormous underpants in her ironing pile to brilliant one-liners and innuendos.

One of the many highlights of the night was the duet ‘You’re Timeless To Me’ performed with her stage husband Wilbur (Dermot Canavan) which was comedy gold, but also rather touching.

The show rattles along towards its conclusion – that being the 1962 Miss Teenage Hairspray contest where we get an integrated performance and the important message of breaking down barriers of prejudice is pressed home.

As for ‘You Can’t Stop The Beat’ well, wow, what a song to finish the night with.

Hairspray runs until Saturday (September 7). Book your tickets now at ATGTICKETS.COM/MiltonKeynes.