Review: Hairspray at Crown Theatre

Hairspray at Crown Theatre
Sunday, September 8, 2024

You can’t stop the beat!

Acceptance—whether it is of colour, size, gender identity, or self—is a message we all need to hear again and again.

Thankfully, you can be reminded to accept yourself and others while also being entertained, as Hairspray the Musical opened in Perth at the Crown Theatre this week. Hairspray is an absolute delight from start to finish, blending heartfelt messages with vibrant energy, colour-coordinated costumes, lively choreography, and a toe-tapping score. At the heart of Hairspray is an uplifting message of acceptance and the fight against prejudice. The storyline centres around Tracy Turnblad’s journey to challenge societal norms on a popular dance show and is handled with both humour and sincerity.

There are some exceptional performers in this cast, particularly Paula Parore as the inspiring leader Motormouth Maybelle (whose rendition of I Know Where I’ve Been will give you goosebumps), Chelsea Plumley as the wicked Velma Von Tussle, and Paige Fallu as our heroine Tracy Turnblad.

While all the cast were excellent vocalists and dancers, these three were standout character portrayals, bringing their roles to life with charm and authenticity. Special mention to Marlee Nzima, who shone in her debut role of Little Inez, and ‘celebrity’ cast member Rob Palmer as Tracy’s mother, Edna Turnblad. Sometimes the ‘celebrity’ performers in musicals can be a hindrance; however, TV builder and radio host Palmer can sing well and put in a fabulous comical performance. The chemistry between the ‘couples’ is minimal, yet this is not a huge concern or central theme of the show. Hairspray is a protest song, not a love song.

The choreography (by Thern Reynolds) was well thought through, with distinct stylistic differences between the rigidity and box steps of the ‘accepted popular kids’ and the groove, flow, and hip-hop of the African American students. Additionally, the dancing of Linc as a Ken Doll in Tracy’s dreamscene was hilarious and inspired choreography, well executed by John Berry as Linc Larkin. The clever and catchy tunes like Good Morning Baltimore and You Can’t Stop the Beat are well interspersed throughout the plot without slowing it down.

For those who know the 1988 or 2007 movies well, there is sufficient new content in the live production, particularly the clever reworking of Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now into a mother-daughter argument (with a clever Brady Bunch reference on the cyc screen), an additional number The Big Doll House, and a more significant role for Corny Collins. If you are wondering about the appropriateness for children, it is 95% fine—a few dirty jokes that will go over most little heads.

Unfortunately, opening night was let down by sound issues, with microphones cutting in and out, opening lines of songs being missed, and an occasionally inaudible ensemble. Hopefully these technical glitches will be smoothed away before the next show. Be aware this is a local production company, so don’t go expecting all the technical wizardry of an international touring production; however, this is also a reason why you absolutely should go—supporting WA-made theatre now encourages more delightful productions like this in the future.

MELISSA MANN