Hairspray

Theatre Royal Brighton, New Road, Monday, November 30, to Saturday, December 12

AS Mary Poppins once said a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.

And when the medicine at the heart of Hairspray is as serious as civil rights and the importance of believing in yourself, the sugar comes through a set of songs by Marc Shaiman and Scott Whitman that are modern day Broadway classics.

It is that contrast which attracted director Paul Kerryson to come back to the touring production for the second year.

“I have directed lots of shows and I adore musicals,” says the former artistic director of Leicester’s Curve Theatre. “But Hairspray is right at the top of my absolute favourites.

“It has wonderful music, such a witty script and lyrics, and there’s no slack. I have directed so many musicals where the book is weak, or there are a couple of songs that don’t push the action forward, but in Hairspray everything counts. Audience members can come in cynical, but then get swept away by it.

“There are a couple of moments when the comedy stops for something very serious to happen. In those moments you can hear a pin drop.”

The original 1988 John Waters movie was inspired by the real Baltimore teen dance television show The Buddy Deane Show, which featured young teenagers dancing to rock and roll bands and hosted the first live performance of Bill Haley’s world-changing Rock Around The Clock.

The cult favourite was turned into a Broadway musical in 2002, and then later another film of the stage show starring John Travolta and Michelle Pfeiffer, in 2007.

“The 1980s film has its own style,” says Kerryson. “This musical version is telling the same story, but has another set of weapons, which is the power of the musical comedy.”

In Hairspray overweight teenager Tracy Turnblad is desperate to show off her dance moves on the The Corny Collins Show.

When she becomes one of the most popular stars of the show she starts a battle both for the crown of Miss Teenage Hairspray in the show’s annual pageant and racial integration in her hometown.

Taking on the role of Tracy – played by Rikki Lake in Waters’s original film – is Freya Sutton, who is returning to the part for the second year.

She is joined by a cast of almost 30 singers and dancers, including Blue Peter’s Peter Duncan as her joke-shop owning father Wilbur, Chicago and We Will Rock You star Brenda Edwards as DJ Motormouth Maybelle, Claire Sweeney as the racist former beauty queen Velma von Tussle and Miss Saigon’s Ashley Gilmour as Corny Collins’ dreamboat lead dancer Link Larkin.

“It’s a huge cast, because it’s about two sides of the community,” says Kerryson. “You have to have a big company, otherwise it’s impossible to do the show.

“The audition process is a joy – we had lots of people applying to be part of it of all shapes and sizes.”

Benidorm’s Tony Maudsley dons a dress as Tracy’s agoraphobic mother Edna, in a role originally played by drag queen Divine in Waters’ film.

He follows in a long tradition of men taking on the role, including Travolta on film, and Michael Ball, Brian Conley and Phill Jupitus on the UK stage.

“I adore his performance,” says Kerryson of Maudsley's Edna. “He plays the part as a mother – there’s no sense of tripping over into the world of pantomime. It comes from the original concept of Divine playing the role – that this is a real person – although having a big woman played by a man with a deep voice adds a humorous aspect.”

Kerryson has renewed the choreography with Drew McOnie, adding some extra full-on energy.

And he has added his own urban feel to the production – including projections of original 1950s and 1960s scenes of racial tension and leaders like Martin Luther King.

Although the action of the musical shows how far equality has come – with the scrapping of segregated swimming pools and public transport – Kerryson says audiences shouldn’t come out of the show feeling that everything is fixed.

“In other normal circumstances you wouldn’t get a girl of a larger size like Tracy Turnblad leading a show,” he points out.

“If you do get a girl it’s usually a Naomi Campbell size model.

“The show is saying you should be able to get on – no matter what you look like.”

Starts 7.45pm, 2.30pm matinees Thurs and Sat (no show Sun), tickets from £11.50. Call 08448 717650.