Blackpool Opera House is situated in the heart of the seaside town with a welcoming feel from the second you enter the building. With its friendly staff and grand looking restaurants, it’s a place that makes a mid-week night out seem worth it.
Hairspray is one of those shows I know back to front but, somehow, had never seen live. When this tour was announced, I was determined to finally see this iconic show. After last night I am so glad I did.
The love and passion the cast have for this show was clear from the opening number, where Rebecca Mendoza drew the audience in with her beautiful vocals and stellar acting, which went from strength to strength as the show progressed. It is hard to believe, with such confidence and stage presence, that this is Mendoza’s stage debut. Her depth and understanding of a role that means she is rarely off the stage, she lead the audience on a journey of young love and standing up for what is right. Her rendition of I Can Hear The Bells had the audience laughing heartily, making you love and relate to this young character early on in the first act. It is safe to say Mendoza has a long and prosperous career ahead of her, one I cannot wait to see unfold.
Always one to love an understudy, I was excited to see that Ben Darcy (Mamma Mia) would be performing the role of Corny Collins. His stage presence was captivating from his opening song The Nicest Kids In Town, and his acting choices throughout the show ensured the character was truly his own, a role he slipped into flawlessly. With great vocals and strong acting skills, Darcy had the audience captivated as the rebel television show host and I look forward to seeing him in other roles in the future.
Matt Rixon (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Producers) and Norman Pace (Chicago) were utterly phenomenal in their portrayal of Tracy’s parents, Edna and Wilbur. Their comedic timing and on-stage chemistry had the audience practically rolling in the aisles during You’re Timeless To Me, their jokes and innuendos making everyone present smile. Their vocals worked together brilliantly and you couldn’t help but love this unusual couple with big dreams and even bigger hearts.
Link Larkin is a role every young girl is in love with, and it is a role that Edward Chitticks (Mamma Mia) fits into effortlessly. His dancing was impressive and his vocals during It Takes Two were perfect. His on stage chemistry with Mendoza was strong, ensuring the audience believed their love story and rooted for them both throughout the show. His charm and character is undeniable from anywhere in the theatre and I feel this is a role that will shape Chitticks towards more roles as his career continues.
Motormouth Maybelle joins the show late in act one, but one that is no doubt crucial to the story. Brenda Edwards (We Will Rock You, Hairspray) was absolutely mind-blowing in her rendition of I Know Where I’ve Been, stunning the audience into silent reverie by her powerful vocals and beautiful acting choices. There are very few moments in theatre that get better than this, and I can truly say that all I wanted was to rewind and hear that sung again. The passion and belief in every word was undeniable and it will be one of the key things that draws me back to this show again at a later date.
Gina Murray (Chicago) and Aimee Moore deserve a mention for their portrayal of the shows villains the Von Tussle’s, their acting and vocals brilliant throughout. Their portrayals were so convincing they both received panto-style responses at curtain call with boos from some of the younger audience members. Murray’s interaction with the audience at the closing stages of act two were a stroke of genius, solidifying her character in a unique way with all ages of the audience and making sure every person felt like they were a member of the show.
Layton Williams (Billy Elliot, Rent) and Annalise Liard-Bailey had the audience laughing and smiling in their roles as Seaweed and Penny Pingleton. Penny’s naivety and innocence were a beautiful contrast to some of the shows deeper issues and Liard-Bailey delivered all that and more beautifully. Williams amazed with his exceptional dancing ability and confident vocals, leaving the crowd more than impressed on several occasions.
The ensemble for this show were exceptional, wowing and amazing the audience with their energetic dancing in every scene. The staging is sleek and clever, using a projection backdrop to change the scenes place and time where needed. As mentioned before, interacting with the audience towards the closing of the show was a nice touch, used by numerous characters within the scene. It was a clever way to ensure that the audience truly felt a part of the show. The audience were in the cast’s hands from the opening number and the electricity from them was amazing, I am sure feeding into the amazing performances and effort given by each and every person on that stage.
There were a few moments throughout the show where diction was lost in the pace of a fast song, meaning some members of the audience not familiar with the show may have had issues. However, overall any issues are minor, meaning it is safe to say this show is one not to be missed by anyone with a love of theatre or looking for toe-tapping evening appropriate for all the family.
You can catch this show as it continues its tour across the country throughout the rest of 2017, finishing off in Cheltenham in June 2018.
Hairspray is one of those shows I know back to front but, somehow, had never seen live. When this tour was announced, I was determined to finally see this iconic show. After last night I am so glad I did.
The love and passion the cast have for this show was clear from the opening number, where Rebecca Mendoza drew the audience in with her beautiful vocals and stellar acting, which went from strength to strength as the show progressed. It is hard to believe, with such confidence and stage presence, that this is Mendoza’s stage debut. Her depth and understanding of a role that means she is rarely off the stage, she lead the audience on a journey of young love and standing up for what is right. Her rendition of I Can Hear The Bells had the audience laughing heartily, making you love and relate to this young character early on in the first act. It is safe to say Mendoza has a long and prosperous career ahead of her, one I cannot wait to see unfold.
Always one to love an understudy, I was excited to see that Ben Darcy (Mamma Mia) would be performing the role of Corny Collins. His stage presence was captivating from his opening song The Nicest Kids In Town, and his acting choices throughout the show ensured the character was truly his own, a role he slipped into flawlessly. With great vocals and strong acting skills, Darcy had the audience captivated as the rebel television show host and I look forward to seeing him in other roles in the future.
Matt Rixon (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Producers) and Norman Pace (Chicago) were utterly phenomenal in their portrayal of Tracy’s parents, Edna and Wilbur. Their comedic timing and on-stage chemistry had the audience practically rolling in the aisles during You’re Timeless To Me, their jokes and innuendos making everyone present smile. Their vocals worked together brilliantly and you couldn’t help but love this unusual couple with big dreams and even bigger hearts.
Link Larkin is a role every young girl is in love with, and it is a role that Edward Chitticks (Mamma Mia) fits into effortlessly. His dancing was impressive and his vocals during It Takes Two were perfect. His on stage chemistry with Mendoza was strong, ensuring the audience believed their love story and rooted for them both throughout the show. His charm and character is undeniable from anywhere in the theatre and I feel this is a role that will shape Chitticks towards more roles as his career continues.
Motormouth Maybelle joins the show late in act one, but one that is no doubt crucial to the story. Brenda Edwards (We Will Rock You, Hairspray) was absolutely mind-blowing in her rendition of I Know Where I’ve Been, stunning the audience into silent reverie by her powerful vocals and beautiful acting choices. There are very few moments in theatre that get better than this, and I can truly say that all I wanted was to rewind and hear that sung again. The passion and belief in every word was undeniable and it will be one of the key things that draws me back to this show again at a later date.
Gina Murray (Chicago) and Aimee Moore deserve a mention for their portrayal of the shows villains the Von Tussle’s, their acting and vocals brilliant throughout. Their portrayals were so convincing they both received panto-style responses at curtain call with boos from some of the younger audience members. Murray’s interaction with the audience at the closing stages of act two were a stroke of genius, solidifying her character in a unique way with all ages of the audience and making sure every person felt like they were a member of the show.
Layton Williams (Billy Elliot, Rent) and Annalise Liard-Bailey had the audience laughing and smiling in their roles as Seaweed and Penny Pingleton. Penny’s naivety and innocence were a beautiful contrast to some of the shows deeper issues and Liard-Bailey delivered all that and more beautifully. Williams amazed with his exceptional dancing ability and confident vocals, leaving the crowd more than impressed on several occasions.
The ensemble for this show were exceptional, wowing and amazing the audience with their energetic dancing in every scene. The staging is sleek and clever, using a projection backdrop to change the scenes place and time where needed. As mentioned before, interacting with the audience towards the closing of the show was a nice touch, used by numerous characters within the scene. It was a clever way to ensure that the audience truly felt a part of the show. The audience were in the cast’s hands from the opening number and the electricity from them was amazing, I am sure feeding into the amazing performances and effort given by each and every person on that stage.
There were a few moments throughout the show where diction was lost in the pace of a fast song, meaning some members of the audience not familiar with the show may have had issues. However, overall any issues are minor, meaning it is safe to say this show is one not to be missed by anyone with a love of theatre or looking for toe-tapping evening appropriate for all the family.
You can catch this show as it continues its tour across the country throughout the rest of 2017, finishing off in Cheltenham in June 2018.