HAIRSPRAY

(Pic: Kirsten Dey plays the spunky heroine, Tracey Turnblad)

Stand by, Durban theatregoers – here comes Kirsten Dey! (Review by Caroline Smart)

If her performance tonight at the opening of the musical Hairspray, the tenth annual Rainbow Young Performers Project, is anything to go by, Durban theatregoers have a blazing star on the ascendance with Kirsten Dey.

Playing the role of chubby Tracey Turnblad who enters a television talent show because she’s a huge fan of the star and goes on to use her energies and passion for equal rights to turn the staid racist Baltimore community around, the diminutive Dey won the audience’s heart from the start. Including mine. From there on, I couldn’t fault her professionalism, vocal pitch (never mind, vocal strength!), musical phrasing, diction, footwork and – something which will make her invaluable to South Africa’s comedy-loving audiences – a fine and well-controlled sense of comedy timing.

Now run by the KZN branch of the Performing Arts Network of SA (PANSA) and supported by Rainbow Chicken, the Young Performers Project celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and the line-up of the schools represented by the youthful cast shows the current impressive reach of the project. Another indication of its success is that a record 650 youngsters turned up for the auditions this year for the 50 roles available.

The 2002 Broadway musical Hairspray, which won eight Tony awards including Best Musical in 2003, was adapted from a cult classic 1988 comedy film taken from the book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, with music by Marc Shaiman who co-wrote the lyrics with Scott Willman. A new film version in 2007 starred John Travolta; Michelle Pfeiffer and Queen Latifah.

Themi Venturas, who has directed most of the Young Performers shows , now teams as co-director with vocal coach Charon Williams Ros. Daisy Spencer is the choreographer and all credit to her and the cast for their disciplined movement. Professional performers for this year’s production are the irrepressible Peter Court who plays Tracey’s feisty mother and Simo Dlamini (a previous Young Performer) as Seaweed J Stubbs. Delwin van Jaarsveld as Wilbur Turnblad is to be commended for holding his own against Peter Court, with his considerable years of experience.

There are good performances all round but those deserving mention are Kerryn Beattie as the ditsy gum-chewing Penny; Lucy Colepeper as the vain wannabee recording star Amber, and Olivia Edkins as her bitchy controlling mother, a former Miss Baltimore Crabs – and don’t anyone forget it! Also Blessing Xaba as the larger than life Motormouth Maybelle, Preven Reddy as the nicely-underplayed camp designer Mr Pinky, and Joel Shepherd as Link Larkin. The Dynamites – Samantha Sterling Court, Sinenhlanhla Seloana and Mpho Hlongwa - are a delight and Valentine Sterling Court was a spunky Inez Stubbs.

The live musical backing is provided by Solid Gold– usually seen at the Upper Deck at uShaka Marine World - with Shem Mahabeer as Musical Director. There were times when the band overshadowed some of the cast but I am sure this will be corrected. The show has some great musical numbers such as Good Morning, Baltimore; I Can Hear the Bells; Mama I’m a Big Girl Now; You’re Timeless to Me and You Can’t Stop the Beat. All credit to Shekinah Donnell for handling I know Where I’ve Been with all the power and pathos it demands.

Hairspray certainly showcases some of the most exciting upcoming talent to be seen for a long time. Sometimes enthusiasm overshadows accurate musical pitch but, bear with it, it’s a reminder that these are all still youngsters despite the highly professional standard of the show.

Hairspray runs at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre from July 2 to 18. Booking is at Computicket. – Caroline Smart