The touring musical Hairspray plays the Norwich Theatre Royal, with Neil Hurst reprising the role of Edna Turnblad.
Hairspray is coming to Norwich Theatre Royal from 17 to 22 January 2028, as part of its UK and Ireland tour. It's a musical comedy based on the 1988 John Waters film that starred Divine and Ricki Lake, with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan. The stage version opened on Broadway in 2002 and won eight Tony Awards, then opened in London at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 2007 and won four Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical. A film adaptation of the musical followed in 2007, starring John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer and James Marsden.
For this tour, Neil Hurst is reprising the role of Edna Turnblad, the mother of the story's lead. The show is a staple of the musical theatre repertoire, known for numbers like 'Welcome To The 60s', 'You Can't Stop The Beat' and 'Good Morning Baltimore', and it's as much about the music as it is about the story. It's a big, bright production that's travelled from Broadway to the West End and now to the touring circuit.
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It'll be at Norwich Theatre Royal for a short run, from 17 to 22 January 2028, so you'll have a few dates to choose from rather than just one night. If you've seen the film or the previous stage versions, you'll recognise the songs; if not, it's a good place to start with the show.
