Hairspray: A Toe-Tapping Good Time Guaranteed
Sometimes when you get to the end of a live show and it’s time for applause there is an awkwardness that can occur – was this performance good enough for a standing ovation??
I’m pretty picky with exactingly high standards, so I’m usually leaning towards no but there was absolutely no ambiguity at the end of the opening night of Hairspray – the audience was on their feet in rapturous appreciation before you could say “circle, circle, dot, dot, dot, now you got as cootie shot!”
There is so much to love about the Sydney season of Hairspray, which opened this week at the Sydney Lyric and the warm fuzzies you’re feeling as you walk out of the auditorium after the extended standing ovation is just the cherry on top!
A Fabulous Cast
This tight production comes to Sydney from a season in Melbourne and you can see how polished it is – from the flowing dialogue and snappy timing to the sharp, crisp choreography performed by the excellent cast – from the moment the retro curtain opens to reveal Tracy ‘lying’ in bed, the audience is right there with the cast and stays for the whole ride.
The cast is a fabulous mix of familiar Australian talent and some up-and-comers to keep an eye on – Rhonda Burchmore is as confident and supportive as you would expect her to be up there and you forgive her character’s hideous behaviour and racist one-liners because well, it’s Rhonda!
From Baltimore to Bondi… #HairsprayMusicalAU is here, Sydney ✨💗
New seats are now on presale at the @sydneylyric! Book your tickets to the hottest show in town now – https://t.co/jijCcrr2hr 🎫 #HairsprayMusicalAU pic.twitter.com/tKYavO65ub
— Hairspray The Musical (@Hairspray_AU) February 6, 2023
Making her professional musical theatre debut at the age of 23 and bringing the role of Tracy to life after also playing the lead in her high school production of Hairspray, Carmel Rodrigues, with her impressive vocals, comic timing and smooth Detroit moves makes her well placed for a long career treading the boards.
Special mention has to be made of Mackenzie Dunn in the role of Penny Pingleton – Dunn really makes this supporting role shine and I found my eye searching her out when Penny was on stage. Javon King, playing her love interest Seaweed J. Stubbs, a ring-in performer from NYC, is also impressive with a hypnotic booty.
I Know Where I’ve Been
Playing his “big, blonde and beautiful” mother, Asabi Goodman brings the house down with her performance of one of the most anticipated numbers of the show, “I Know Where I’ve Been” but you know you were in for a ride when Goodman sings her first phrase in “Big, Blonde & Beautiful” – the murmur that rippled through the audience was a harbinger of spine-tingling things to come!
And while this musical doesn’t have any overtly queer themes, one of the messages they’re serving up, is that of loving oneself and finding the power in that, plus the fact that the role of Edna Turnbald has been played by a man in drag since the original, non-musical Hairspray movie came out in 1988 when the role was played by Devine, still makes it feel like a queer tinted, glitter rainbow flavoured treat.
"You can't stop your feet in any song in Hairspray, to be honest… it's a hell of a ride!" @shanejacobson ✨💗
We can’t wait to welcome you to the 60’s, Sydney! Book your tickets now – https://t.co/CaIQSEp0aM 🎫 #HairsprayMusicalAU pic.twitter.com/3A7nUH5wEx
— Hairspray The Musical (@Hairspray_AU) February 1, 2023
Shane Jacobson Plays Edna With Aplomb
In the Australian production, the role of Edna is handled with unsurprising aplomb by Shane Jacobson, whose pleasingly gravelly singing voice matches his famous comic timing to create an Edna the audience was screaming for by the end.
Jacobson’s husband, Wilbur, is played by Australian musical theatre and entertainment royalty, Todd McKenny and the chemistry between these two performers is another reason to check out this show – in what could possibly have been an unscripted moment, these two cheeky monkeys dissolved into giggles at the end of their song, much to the delight of the audience with the naughty boys’ moment turning into a bit of a charming highlight of the show.
Sydney’s hottest couple heard my Titanic chat on @abcsydney .. I ❤️ the ❤️ of Todd McKenney and @ShaneJacobson in @Hairspray_AU great casting all round . pic.twitter.com/8yWbz8Zc0j
— Sarah Macdonald (@sarahvmac) February 10, 2023
‘Hairspray – The Musical’, is playing a limited season at the Sydney Lyric Theatre until March 26. Tickets here.
