Hairspray by Mark O’Donnell & Thomas Meehan, music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman & Marc Shaiman
Directed & choreographed by Lee Proud
Produced by Celia Mackay
At Kilworth House Theatre until 6th August 2023
“a luscious production in a fairytale venue”
For some reason I have never been to Kilworth House Theatre. Oh boy, what have I missed?
Kilworth House is a big country house situated just outside Lutterworth. Set in beautiful grounds it is the musical theatre equivalent of Glyndebourne. Once you have parked in the ample grounds you are directed towards the woodland and your fairytale journey begins. Just past the ticket office, sympathetically styled as a woodland hide, you are guided along a walkway festooned with coloured lights. This opens out to a clearing where there is a bar, suitably warmed for chilly evenings. Round the corner, across more wooden walkways, you suddenly come upon the theatre space. Nestled in the trees the stage and auditorium are a marvel of engineering with a huge canvas-like roof covering the raked seating.
Taking our seats we have a perfect unobstructed view of the amazing set designed by Paul Farnsworth, a bright, highly coloured collection of signs and very sixties shapes. And so the fun begins.
An eight piece orchestra, hidden in an adjoining marquee, gives the whole production a spontaneous and full sound.
Paul Farnsworth also designed all the costumes and putting the male dancers in coordinated pastel suits is very effective while he is able to give full reign to his imagination with full 50’s style skirts and tops for the girls. Altogether a hugely colourful feast for the eyes.
Of course all these visual treats would not be enough without a great cast and director Lee Proud has assembled some of the best ‘unknown’ musical performers around.
Tracy Turnblad (Charlotte-Hannah Jones) is in just about every scene and has the voice of an angel. As her mother, Edna, renowned panto dame Michael J Batchelor hits just the right note playing it straight rather than as a man in a frock. Edna’s husband and Tracy’s doting father Wilbur (Steven Serlin), physically over-shadowed by the two women he adores, has great fun as the lynchpin of the family. Tracy’s dream heartthrob, Link Larkin (Alex Lodge) is torn between furthering his career with Amber Von Tussle (a wonderfully petulant Holly Willock) and her monstrous mother Velma (Jenny Gayner) or following his heart with Tracy. Tracy’s ‘partner in crime’ is Penny Pingleton (Biancha Szynal) who is desperate to escape the clutches of her God fearing mother. Much to her mother’s horror Penny falls for the son of Motormouth Maybelle (Ayesha Maynard), Seaweed J Stubbs (Ashford Campbell), both stalwarts of the black music scene of Baltimore.
A lot of the action is set around the studios of The Corny Collins Show (Liam Doyle) and Tracy’s insistence that the show should be integrated rather than segregated.
Every one of the cast sings, dances and acts beautifully but especial mention has to be made for Ayesha Maynard’s Motormouth’s rendition of Big, Blonde and Beautiful. A showstopper if ever there was one. Also of note has to be Edna and Wilbur’s love song, You’re Timeless To Me. They had the audience in stitches with their ‘ad libs’. Absolutely joyous.
I know I am supposed to just review the action on the stage but the entire experience from the venue layout to the way they handled the unseasonal rain made this one of the most unexpectedly wonderful theatre experiences. Don’t be like me and miss out on this fairytale venue for so long. Book a ticket. Hairspray runs til Sunday 6th August
www.kilworthhouse.co.uk/kilworth-house-theatre/
Came to the Sunday matinee and had a fab-u-lous time. As we had lived through the 60s we enjoyed the sheer exuberance and vitality of the cast and OF COURSE the MUSIC? I defy anyone to sit through this performance and not find your feet dancing and your body wanting to jive. What a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon!
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