For years, Hairspray was the theatre juggernaut that you could certainly get enough of. Like Grease and possibly to a lesser extent, Les Miserables, it perhaps became a victim of its own success with its catchy tunes moving from bliss to annoyance as the show moved from the stage to the screen to nationwide tours all around the world. 

But as the hype has faded and other musicals have taken the spotlight, audiences are coming back to Hairspray with fresh eyes. Indeed, director Matt Lenz has taken quite a traditional approach to this production, sticking very true to the original script. Given the strength of the music and the story, this feels like a wise choice as it allows the music and the cast to shine. 

Speaking of the cast, this company was particularly star-studded. Shane Jacobson, Rhonda Burchmore, Todd McKenney and Bobby Fox were all front and centre which is an obscene amount of Australian theatre royalty for one show. Jacobson (who I did not know had such a strong singing voice) in particular shone in the very difficult role of Edna Turnblad, perfectly balancing his comic sensibilities with the demanding singing requirements of the role. Burchmore also starred, giving off the perfect amount of cabaret-style sly villainy in her role as Velma Von Tussle. Asabi Goldman also shone in her ‘bring-down-the-house’ performance of “I Know Where I’ve Been”. 

For all the incredible stars in the show, it was some of the lesser-known cast members who really stole the show. Carmel Rodrigues was superb as Tracy Turnblad, performing the role with a doe-eyed enthusiasm and of course, an extremely powerful voice. 

But Javon King, performing as Seaweed was the one who truly owned the performance. Everything from his voice to his presence to his incredible dancing was absolutely out of this world. His vocals were silky smooth and were delivered with incredible range and charisma while his dancing was so polished that it often looked like he was working through ten steps while other members of the cast were managing one. I don’t think it would be too bombastic to say it was peak-Billy Porter-esque, which is the highest compliment I can give. King was that good and I cannot wait to see what he does next. 

The crowd was a little sparse on the Thursday night which I attended, but this did not phase the performers one bit, who performed with an incredible and sustained energy. This meant that there were highlights throughout the whole show. “Mama I’m a Big Girl Now” was absolutely fabulous, both in its comedic charm and its strong vocals. “Without Love” showed off four of the strongest members of the cast, with absolutely exceptional vocals and harmonies while “You Can’t Stop The Beat” was about as high energy as you could get. 

The staging was traditional but fun, with 60s style cartoon props (definitely what the show called for). The orchestra was fabulous and the choreography was excellent (although missing sharpness in a few areas – the movement in “I Can Hear The Bells” took the spark out of the freeze effect a little). While racial diversity was a focus and indeed, core element of the show and the show certainly maintained the requisite level of diversity to convey the story, I do wonder if there was perhaps room to showcase more diversity in parts of the story. That said, overall, the show was absolutely exceptional and well worth an outing for anyone looking for a very fun time at the theatre. One thing is for certain: Hairspray fever is well and truly back!

Hairspray plays at the Lyric Theatre until April 2^nd. Get your tickets here.

Rating: ★★★★