HAIRSPRAY - REVIEW - KILWORTH HOUSE THEATRE

Hairspray is a feel-good musical with a lot of heart, and the production at Kilworth House Theatre is thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.

The set design, by Paul Farnsworth, for this open-air marquee theatre is stunning, with stylish pastels everywhere, retro signage, and cool polka dot-esque dividers that transition us through the daydreamy Baltimore of 1962. Chris Whybrow’s sound design is full and rich from the first number, and certainly impressive considering the band is hidden in a tent somewhere behind the marquee! The lighting design by Jason Taylor is subtle to work with the vibrancy of the set and costume while enhancing the mood of each number. It all looks beautiful.

Charlotte-Hannah Jones as Tracy Turnblad is sweet and endearing, with a wonderful powerhouse belt that makes easy work of the well-known score. She comes across as very genuine, a little naive, but full of heart as she should be.

The cast is fabulous and each one gets an opportunity to shine brightly and show off just how talented they all are, but standout performances come from Jenny Gayner as Velma Von Tussle and Nay-Nay as Seaweed J Stubbs. Both of their solo numbers feel fresh and exciting, and are sung with so much power and feeling, which induces goosebumps!

This should be a five-star review, and certainly, the cast deserves it. But unfortunately, some shocking and disappointing ableist language that just can’t be excused in 2023, prevents this. Words like sp*stic and ret*rd haven’t been acceptable for a very long time, and there were gasps of disgust from the audience when the characters said those lines. In a show about equality, it is simply wrong to have jokes that punch down at another marginalised group. The lines don’t land with the audience and add nothing to the story, instead, they just take away from its message.

All in all, this is a stellar piece of West End-quality theatre and a beautiful interpretation of a much-loved show. With plenty to make you laugh, cry, and cheer, this is a production that certainly shouldn’t be missed.

Hairspray runs at the Kilworth House Theatre until the 6th of August – find tickets and more info here!

{🎟 AD – PR invite – Tickets were gifted in exchange for an honest review}

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