Review of HAIRSPRAY

9th June 2018

Hairspray

Date 8th April 2017

Society Footloose Musicals

Venue Ellesmere Port Civic Hall

Type of Production Musical

Director Liz Ledgterton

Musical Director Craig Price

Choreographer Sue Hickman-German

Report Author: Budge Grounsell

HAIRSPRAY 8TH April 2017

This was indeed a fine show and I would go as far as to say the best of their offerings that I have seen. Much praise must be given to Liz Legerton the Director,Choreographer Sue Hickman-Germon and Musical Director Craig Price for combining to bring us sparkling entertainment through the medium of a talented mainly youth cast. Beth Cox(Tracy) gave a strong interpretation of the main part singing and moving well in the Dance numbers. Her sidekick Amelia Douggle( Penny) was splendid as her sidekick, in character the whole time and lighting up the stage with her antics.

There has to be a baddie and Clara Evans was absolutely believable as Amber as was her mother Velma played by Isobel Johnson. I particularly liked the “Mama I’m a big girl now” number. The ladies were well supported by Joe Mears(Link) and Jack Parry as Seaweed as the male love interest Doing drag is not for the faint hearted : Rob Stevens (Edna) Tracy’s “mother” is certainly not that and carried it off extremely well. The Duet with Damian Riverol who played Wilbur, Edna’s husband “You’re timeless to me” was one of the high spots of the show. Both Rob and Damian might not quite have exactly qualified as youth but their enthusiasm and flair were very much in tandem with the younger element.Clara Evans looked right and delivered her role as Motormouth in good style and strong contributions came from Kyle Hickmon-Germon (Corny).

Megan Brocklehurst ( Prudy) good makeup here, Sam Dawson (Spritzer), Ted Howarth (Mr Pinky) and Sofia Hewit (Little Inez). Sophia Bunning ,Elisha Royle and Telgan Elsdon Combined as “Dynamite” to make an effective trio.

To the above we can add a large supporting cast who with their dancing and singing added considerably to creating a great evenings entertainment. Footloose have powerful back-stage support who provide a whole range of services to their playing colleagues and although unseen provide the backbone of the society; to coin a phrase “didn’t they do well”. Budge