By Jayne Bennett

BIG hair, big dresses and big on style – Hairspray bounced back onto the Bristol Hippodrome stage last night with a real spring in its step.

Set in Baltimore against a backdrop of racial tension and political change, the story of Hairspray centres around Tracy Turnblad, a local teenager with a passion for dancing, and her desire to win a coveted spot as a regular dancer on the Corny Collins TV show.

It seems that all her dreams are coming true, despite the best efforts of TV producer Velma Von Tussle and her obnoxious dancer daughter Amber - but the social etiquette of racially segregated America may put paid to her ambitions.

However, Tracy and her new-found friends are determined to fight for the right to appear on the same show, whatever their size or colour of their skin.

The last time this musical came to Bristol it starred Michael Ball and Mickey Dolenz, so there were some huge shoes to fill, but the entire cast proved themselves more than capable of doing justice to such a monumental show - especially Freya Sutton who was making her professional debut in the role of Tracy.

A special mention for this production must also go to former EastEnder Lucy Benjamin as Velma Von Tussle, a caricature of middle-class America in the sixties.

For me, it is Lucy who steals the show in her role as ‘baddie’, making the most of her meaty role, as well as Lauren Hood who was superb as the dweeby Penny Pingleton. Sandra Marvin’s vocals as Motormouth Maybelle and Adrian Hansel’s dancing (Seaweed) must also be noted for their part in making this an exceptional touring production.

Extravagant costumes and set certainly make this a night to remember; there are no musicals more ‘feel good’ than Hairspray, which celebrates all things bright and beautiful whilst also tackling the difficult subject of racial segregation in 1960s America.

Hairspray is on at the Bristol Hippodrome until August 17. Visit www.bristolhippodrome.org.uk for more details.