Hairspray, Shaftesbury Theatre London

I knew I was going to enjoy it, but I had no idea I’d love it as much as I did! It started with an upright bed where Tracey began the opening song. Then the coolest stage layout ever! All the women (except the main one 'Tracey') made the set by standing in their own circles at the back of the stage, all in different places, different levels, different positions, but the light made them all silhouettes. It was really effective, they used it a couple of times throughout the performance. They would be stood there frozen for so long I started to wonder whether they were paintings!

Hairspray is set in 1962 when white and coloured people wouldn’t have been seen together. It’s basically the story of a young girl whose dream is to be on a local TV dance programme ‘The Corny Collins Show’ which is run by Velma and her daughter who, of course, just happens to be the lead dancer on the show. One of the dancers goes on leave so Tracey decides to audition, but after getting turned down and being put into detention AGAIN for ‘inappropriate hair height’ Tracey meets the dancers from ‘Negro Day’ who teach her a brand new dance which gets her into the show. Tracey becomes the new ‘Corny Collins’ icon, which of course Amber and her ‘mother’ aren’t too happy about. They do everything they can to try and get Tracey off the show and off of Link - Ambers boyfriend. After many songs, lots of laughter and a protest, the Corny Collins show becomes integrated and of course Tracey gets her man!

The funniest parts were with Edna Turnblad (Michael Ball) and Wilbur Turnblad (Mel Smith) during a song called ‘Your timeless to me’ - the audience laughed so hard that the guy playing Wilbur found it hard to contain himself! They used the audience so much, a lot of dancing went on in the isles at the end. Police came in from all exits and one of the main parts came through down to the front and made the front row stand up so she could fit through shouting “Well this is what you get for sitting in the cheap seats!!”

I loved this show so much, I honestly never think I’ve laughed so hard! - Well seeing a guy dressed in a woman’s fat suit and talking about her daughter being a regular on TV:

"Imagine! My little girl... regular, at last”