Hairspray The Musical

Hairspray The Musical comes to Theatre Royal in Nottingham from 31 January to 5 February 2028. It's a short run, just a few days, so if you're planning to go, you'll want to pick your date early rather than late.

For those who haven't seen it, the story is set in 1960s Baltimore and follows Tracy Turnblad, a teenager whose dream of dancing on The Corny Collins Show leads her to challenge racial segregation and fight for equality, all while she pursues her crush, Link Larkin. It started as John Waters' 1988 film, then became a stage musical that opened on Broadway in 2002 and won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It made its West End debut at London's Shaftesbury Theatre in 2007, where it picked up four Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical. The score is by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, with a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, and the show still carries its message of tolerance and the fight against racism.

This production puts Katie Brace as Tracy Turnblad and Neil Hurst as Edna Turnblad, with Paul Kerryson and Brenda Edwards directing and Drew McOnie on choreography. It's a big, ensemble-led show, so the dancing and the music are as much a part of it as the story. The run is short—31 January to 5 February—so you've only got a few days to catch it at Theatre Royal.