'Feel-good' musical Hairspray returns to Northampton's Royal & Derngate theatre

The international smash hit musical Hairspray is returning to Northampton’s Royal & Derngate theatre this month, as part of a major UK tour.

It’s Baltimore 1962, where Tracy Turnblad, a girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, is on a mission to follow her dreams and dance her way onto national TV.

Tracy’s audition makes her a star and soon she is using her new-found fame to fight for equality, bagging local heartthrob Link Larkin along the way.

Starring West End favourite, Brenda Edwards, as Motormouth Maybelle and comedy legend, Norman Pace, as Wilbur Turnblad, this much-loved feel-good musical comedy features the hit songs Welcome to the 60s, Can’t Stop the Beat and The Nicest Kids in Town among many others.

The show is choreographed by Olivier Award-winning Drew McOnie with direction from Paul Kerryson.

Hairspray is a musical based on the 1988 film of the same name, which starred Divine and Ricki Lake, by cult filmmaker John Waters. With music and lyrics by Academy Award, Tony and Emmy-winning duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and a book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, Hairspray originally opened to rave reviews on Broadway in 2002 and subsequently won eight Tony Awards.

The production opened in London at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 2007 and won four Olivier Awards including 'Best New Musical.'

Following the musical’s phenomenal success on stage, a film of the musical was released in 2007 which starred John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer and James Marsden.

Hairspray bursts onto the Derngate stage from Monday, January 31 to Saturday, February 5, with performances at 7.30pm nightly and matinees at 2.30pm on Wednesday and Saturday.

Tickets are priced from £19 and can be booked by calling the Box Office on 01604 624811 or visiting www.royalandderngate.co.uk.