Review: Hairspray at Liverpool Empire *****

Traditionally summer was a time when theatres closed their doors with their audiences lured away to seaside resorts or sunnier climes.

But when you’re presented with something as joyously sunny and singularly exuberant as Hairspray, why would you want to be anywhere else?

And it seems Empire audiences agree – with this week’s visit by the current touring production of the musical, based on John Waters’ 1988 film, enjoying busy houses all the way through to Saturday night.

Set in the racially-segregated Baltimore of 1962, Waters’ tale (adapted for the stage by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan) explores serious themes - of discrimination and acceptance, freedom of expression and the power of collective change – but wears them lightly, and arguably all the more persuasively for it.

Chubby teen Tracy Turnblad has ambitions of becoming a dancer on the popular Corny Collins’ TV show and winning the love of its clean-cut, all-American heartthrob Link Larkin (Solomon Davy), even if she’s left in no doubt by the show's scheming producer Velma (Gina Murray) that her face and her figure don’t fit its narrowly acceptable image.

Alexandra Emmerson-Kirby, making her professional debut in this touring production, is hugely impressive as the irrepressible Baltimore schoolgirl with the big heart, big hair and big dreams who can’t see why everyone, whatever they look like and wherever they are from, can’t come along equally for the ride – and is willing to put her own future on the line to make it happen.

A glowing Emmerson-Kirby has natural stage presence and delivers a powerful performance in the central role.

Meanwhile Hairspray is also the stage debut for soul and gospel Michelle Ndegwa who forged her career singing with people like Gregory Porter, Rita Ora, Becky Hill and Lizzo.

Ndegwa brings big, beautiful soul vocals to Motormouth Maybelle, whose record store is where the cool kids – including her son Seaweed Stubbs (Reece Richards) - who perform on the station’s grudging, once-a-month ‘Negro Day’ hang out, and from where Tracy plots her dance revolution.

Above: Tracy (Alexandra Emmerson-Kirby) and Edna Turnblad (Neil Hurst). Top: You Can't Stop the Beat. Photos by Ellie Kurttz

Back in 2018, Brenda Edwards played Maybelle on the Empire stage. This time the actress and Loose Women panellist take on directorial duties and she keeps the show rolling firmly and colourfully along.

She’s aided and abetted by a bright young cast of other triple threat talents, while Neil Hurst and Dermot Canavan are utterly charming as Tracy’s parents Edna and Wilbur Turnblad.

The Empire has seen a few different Turnblad double acts over the years – including Mickey Starke and Les Dennis back in 2010, and, more recently by Matt Rixon and Norman Pace.

Hurst and Canavan bring a gentle pathos and poignancy to the partnership, as well as lovely comic timing and, in Hurst’s case, judicious use of a rumbling baritone when required.

Their Flanagan and Allen-style duet You’re Timeless to Me is an absolute delight, right down to the mischievous moments of (believable, even if it’s carefully calculated) corpsing which the Empire crowd is more than happy to indulge. And indeed fuel.

Both Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman’s sizzling early 60s soundtrack and Drew McOnie’s dynamic choreography are delivered in robust and enjoyably energetic fashion by the cast who are buoyed by the irresistible beat from the eight-strong band perched upstage.

More than 20 years after its Broadway debut, and nearly two decades on from its first West End run, it seems you really can’t stop the Hairspray beat. And hurrah for that.