Teased to perfection

Current hit Hairspray comes to Beijing dressed for success with outlandish characters, big dance numbers and sky-high 'dos

With Nederlander’s, Littlestar and Cameron McIntosh production companies all vying for turf in potentially the world’s largest theatre market, Beijingers can expect a steady stream of quality musicals. Hairspray, however, is in a class by itself. "It’s the first show to be playing on Broadway, the West End, Shanghai and Beijing at the same time," says Simone Genatt of Broadway Asia, the largest producing and touring company for Broadway musicals throughout the continent. "It’s the most current successful musical that will come to China." Winner of eight Tony Awards (theatre Oscars), Hairspray is bright, loud, colourful and filled with loveable oddball characters, including a now famous tubby teen and a shy, plus-size mother played by a man in drag. "The characters have a sense of humour about themselves," says Marc Shaiman (music and lyrics). "The villains are the only ones who can’t laugh at themselves.

The show’s promotional material emphasises elaborate, gravity-defying hairdos, but the story is better – even weightier – than the marketers would have us believe. Set in Baltimore in the segregated 1960s, the self-proclaimed "pleasingly plump" Tracy Turnblad has big hair and bigger dreams, namely appearing on the local teen dance programme, The Corny Collins Show. After her first weight-related rejection, her daring ‘do lands her in detention, where black students teach her some funky new moves, and she adds achieving racial harmony to her wish list – or at least, legalising interracial dating, a crusade that lands her in jail. But good triumphs over superficiality; Tracy soundly defeats the skinny blonde competition to win the Miss Teenage Hairspray Contest, racially integrates The Corny Collins Show, finds the man of her dreams, encourages her reclusive mother to rejoin society and becomes a plus-size model.

Clearly, Hairspray is a plot-structure cut above the usual musical storyline, hailing as it does from John Waters’ 1988 film of the same name. "Only in Waters’ world would the chubby girl be the star of the musical," says Scott Wittman, the show’s lyrics-writer. While movie source material is increasingly finding its way onto the stage, Hairspray follows an unusual path from cult classic to Broadway smash, to a second Hollywood success in 2007, and then on to the West End in time to win the 2008-09 Olivier Award for Best Musical. "It’s very attractive to mainstream audiences, you can bring your children and your grandparents," says Genatt. "It has something for everyone."

As winners of both Tonys and a Grammy for Hairspray, musical collaborators (and life partners) Shaiman and Wittman claimed that writing this show was the easiest part of their relationship. "We think alike," says Shaiman. "When you’re writing lyrics, that old cliché of finishing other people’s sentences, that really works." Shaiman spent decades scoring films, including Southpark: Bigger, Longer and Uncut, proving to Hairspray producers that he could do an "insane, but joyful musical." "What I like about Tracy is that she shows an audience how easy it is to do the right thing," he says of the lead character. "It doesn’t have to be a long, drawn out inner battle, you can simply follow your conscience. And you can do it wearing fabulous clothes and singing great songs."

However, even with Hairspray’s comparatively complex subject matter and groaning mantle of honours, it’s missing a certain staying power. The award-winning choreography and songs work brilliantly with the story, but lack the universality of equivalents from, say, Chicago or Sweet Charity, shows both originally eclipsed by their music. Hairspray is thoroughly enjoyable but somewhat forgettable; much like the product it champions, it makes for a perfect night out, but the next morning, it may have drifted away. See it anyway. We could all use a perfect night out.

Beijing Exhibition Theatre
7.30pm, Fri July 25-Wed July 30 July. 80-880RMB 135 Xizhimenwai Dajie, Xicheng district (6835 4455). 北展剧场, 西城区西直门外大街135号

Nancy Pellegrini