Hairspray
Grand Theatre, Swansea
Tue 24-Sat 28 July
This classic feelgood musical, based on the John Waters film, is guaranteed to make you want to be join the “Nicest Kids in Town!”. The story follows Tracy Turnblad, a dancing queen with big hair and even bigger dreams as she sets out to dance her way onto national TV on The Corny Collins Show. Tracy’s audition manages to bag her a coveted place on the show and soon she is using her new-found fame to strive for desegregation with her best friend Penny, before meeting heartthrob superstar Link Larkin.
Hailed for dealing with issues such as racism and prejudice, Hairspray is coming to Swansea as part of a new UK tour. The original movie’s success has ensured it’s been remade and readapted many times – including the 2007 film version, starring Zac Efron and John Travolta, and NBC’s Hairspray Live, starring Jennifer Hudson and Ariana Grande, to the point where you’re never more than two miles from a Hairspray production.
With plenty of memorable tunes, you can grab a can of something flammable, put on your best dancing shoes and say “Good morning Baltimore!” without a second thought! Until, of course, you remember that Hairspray originates from the same mind as that which filmed a singing asshole in Pink Flamingos.
Tickets: £25.50-£40.50. Info: 01792475715 / www.swansea.gov.uk (SB)