Hairspray

Glorious 60s retro is the only way to describe PRIMA’s production of Hairspray. Beehive hairdos, pedal-pushers, wacky dance styles, and loads of energy from the mainly youthful cast made Melanie Evans’ production fire on every level. The infectious joy bursting over the footlights was palpable.

As the ‘big’ girl who sees her big dreams come true, Alicia Poulter had the voice to do the Tracy Turnblad role justice. Time and time again she nailed the songs in an impressive belt.  Opposite her as her teen heartthrob Link, the Justin Beiber look-a-like Adam Goodall, did not put a foot wrong. Brooding, narcissistic, but charming underneath his teenage swagger, it was a terrific performance. Together he and Poulter brought magic to their duets, “It Takes Two” and “Without Love”. Stacie Hobbs was a powerhouse as super-bitch Amber Von Tussle, while Katherine Vacca also brought fun and a big voice to Tracy’s dorky girlfriend Penny. The three girls (with their mothers) ate up the trio “Mama I’m a Big Girl Now”. Unlike the original movie on which the musical is based, the stage role of Tracy’s mum, housewife Edna Turnblad, was not written for a drag-queen but written for a man to play in a dress, and if his delivery was basso-profondo, all the better. The roots of the role are in vaudeville. Ethan Watson’s performance as Edna, whilst good on many levels just had a little too much female and not enough man in it, which resulted in the second-act showstopper “You’re Timeless To Me” not working as well as it should. But Colin Rhys-Jones as Edna’s better-half Wilbur was spot-on, as was Melissa Beilby’s “Miss Baltimore Crabs” Velma. Other who did good work were Mal Christian (Corny Collins), Asabi Goodman (Motormouth Maybelle), William Motunuu (Seaweed) and Michelle “Rebel” Murenec (Little Inez).

Maureen Bowra obviously had enormous fun recreating all the wacky sixties dance crazes like “The Madison” which the chorus delivered breathlessly, while Mark Beilby’s 11-piece group amped up the sound to an irresistible high. Although the year is only half over I’m going out on a limb and saying when it comes to “Best Of” awards for 2014 this production would have to be one of the front runners.

Peter Pinne

Image: Dreamcoat Photography