Hairspray

Amazing production with the most talented cast for an amateur musical.Standing ovations every night of the run speak volumes for the quality of this show.

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• 4 votes

I have seen a lot of musical theatre in my time. Sometimes I find myself counting down the minutes until I get to leave the theatre again, or conciously critiqueing performances and production. My experience at Harispray on Friday night was different. The way this show has been put together drags the audience in, makes you feel a part of it - so that you don't have time to think about what is good and what is bad, you're too busy just enjoying it.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying this was a flawless production. There were missed cues, cast who fumbled lines, some voices not quite up to the task and a few dome operators who probably copped an earful after the show from the director - but this after all amateur theatre! All of that was irrelevant. PLOS got it 100% right where it counted.

The casting of Ashlee Zaharin as Tracey Turnblad was perfect. She oozed the energy and possessed exactly the right concept of the comedy of the role to have the audience enthralled from start to finish. Whilst I personally felt that Edna Turnblad looked to much like a man wearing a dress, rather than being a believavle character, the second half won me over - in particular 'Timeless to me' which was a real show stealer.

The real star of this show though was the production design. Projected scenery is a risk for any company, and the way the physical sets, projections and lighting design flowed was the perfect canvas upon which the cast could create 1960's Baltimore.

There was always going to be a difficulty casting this show, and it would be ridiculous to suggest that the 'black' cast was not noticably lacking in skin colour. Ashley Roussety had the moves and enough tan to be a believable (and very humoourous) Seaweed, but the script has so much reference to "Negro" and "Black" that it is impossible not to notice the irony. However, that being said I'm not sure how any company in Melbourne could do it better - community theatre in Melbourne just doesn't have the demographic.

All in all, I don't think I have seen a community theatre show which has combined all of the elements together as well as PLOS's Hairspray did when I saw it on Friday night. The feeling in the audience at the end of opening night was electric with even me (who is not a standing ovation kinda guy) being forced out of my seat because the rows in front of me were on there feet clapping and cheering. My advice is if you can make the drive and spare the cash get along to see what is sure to be one of the standout shows of 2012.

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• 9 votes

Loved it!!! Well worth the trip to go and see it, one of the best shows I have seen in a while!!!

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• 11 votes