Get out your Hairspray!

First and foremost, the aspect of this reinvented musical that first succeeded in capturing my attention was the costume design. Bright, bold and everything that I'd ever envisioned the 60s to be. Adam Shankman, director and choreographer of the 2007 version of the Broadway hit, delivers a colourful and upbeat production, promoting the theme of diversity in all its different forms.

The movie is set in Baltimore, Maryland in 1962 and follows plus-sized teenager Tracy Turnblad (played by Nikki Blonsky) on her quest to become a dancer on her favourite TV show, the Corny Collins Show, whilst also fighting for intergration amongst different races. Along for the trip is her best friend, pig-tailed Penny Pingleton (Amanda Bynes), Tracy’s crush, Link Larkin (Zac Efron, of High School Musical) and stunning dancer and the object of Penny's affections, Seaweed (Elijah Kelley).

Some familiar faces include Queen Latifah as Seaweed's mother, John Travolta (dressed in drag) as Tracy's laundress mother, Edna, and Christopher Walken as Tracey's father, Wilbur.

The main antagonists in this swirl of colour are Tracy's rival and Link’s bitchy girlfriend, Amber von Tussle (Brittany Snow) and her mother Velma (Michelle Pfeiffer), who strive to bring the cheerful teen down. However, Tracy and her friends win the fight to make the Corny Collins Show integrated whilst gaining some new friends along the way and encouraging Edna to come out of her shell.

Memorable numbers include Tracy's daydream sequence "I Can Hear the Bells" and the powerful ending number "You Can't Stop the Beat" in which most of the main characters have input.

I truly believe that this musical should be heralded the Grease of our time, because its characters are just as lovable, the costumes are just as colourful and the musical numbers are just as catchy.

However, Hairspray also deals with the serious issues of discrimination and religion whilst managing to be entertaining and funny. Penny is oppressed by her religious mother, Prudy (Allison Janney); at one point during the movie, her mother ties her to her bed and proclaims that she is a “devil child.” However, Penny fights back and appears on the Corny Collins Show with Seaweed, much to the aptly-named Prudy’s horror.

The movie succeeds in showing us that love can occur between anyone, no matter what race (as shown by Penny and Seaweed) and no matter what size (shown by Tracy and Link, and Edna and Wilbur).
Hairspray is truly heart-warming and will leave you feeling cheerful. It is a must-see, even for those musical-sceptics.