Hairspray

Hairspray Cast Just Monkeeing Around

Hairspray sees some major cast changes from Tuesday 2 February 2010.

Micky Dolenz joins Hairspray in the role of Tracy’s dad Wilbur Turnblad

Brian Conley will return to the role of Wilber’s wife,Edna Turnblad, taking over from Phil Jupitus

Chloe Hart will remain as Tracy.

Conley played the role of Edna very successfully after Michael Ball left and it is interesting to see him return to it so soon. Of course some of us think that the lure of the big frocks will get the better of Michael Ball sooner or later and he’ll be back as Edna. Till then I’m sure Brian Conley will do a great job. The role does seem to be on which the men that take it on relish and Phil Jupitus was saying on the radio the other day that he has had a great time playing Edna.

Dolenz, actor, musician, writer, director is probably best remembered in the UK for his role in the first ‘made for TV’ pop band The Monkees. The show and the band were both a huge hit and (trust me on this one, I had the albums!) recorded hits like Hey Hey We’re the Monkees, I’m A Believer, Last Train To Clarksville and Daydream Believer.

Micky is quoted as saying of Hairspray:

“I remember going to the original premiere of the movie in the 80’s. I loved the piece then and I love it now. Having four daughters, I can certainly relate to Wilbur’s love and support for his little girl.”

(source)

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From October there will be 3 new cast members in Hairspray.
Phill Jupitus, (Never Mind the Buzzcocks), 80’s pop diva Belinda Carlisle and Sharon D Clarke will join the Hairspray cast on Nov 8th 2009 just as they start Sunday performances.
Jupitus will play Edna and it should be interesting to see how he copes with dragging up. Brian Conley has played the role since Michael Ball left and seems to have done well with it.

Here’s a fun clip of Phill that might just give a flavour of what’s to come!

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Brian Conley will take over as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray, currently running at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre, according today’s Daily Mail.

Conley will take over from Michael Ball on July 27 2009. Michael Ball says that the show

“has without doubt been one of the happiest and most fulfilling experiences of my professional life.”

Brian Conley started out at Pontin’s and used to be warm-up man for Terry Wogan, Noel Edmonds and Kenny Everett. Since then he’s gone on to have his own TV shows “Brian Conley: This Way Up” and “The Brian Conley Show,.
He’s probably best known for presenting The National Lottery Show Live. His West End credits include ‘Me and My Girl’ where he took the lead role of Bill Snibson in the Adelphi Theatre production. More recently he played Caractacus Potts in “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” at the London Palladium in 2005.

Speaking about the casting Brian Conley said “I’ve done a lot in my career, but wearing a dress and heels every night and being married to Nigel Planer weren’t things I was expecting to be doing all at the same time, and in front of thousands of people! I’m absolutely delighted to be back in the West End and joining one of the most uplifting, happy and, not to mention, successful shows in town. Being part of something that brings a smile to people’s faces, especially in these troubled times, is a real treat and I can’t wait to get on stage at the Shaftesbury.”

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Click here to view the embedded video.

I missed this wonderful extract from Hairspray when it was shown on Children in Need. It looks like it was a great night and it gives a real flavour of the show.

Hairspray starring Michael Ball playing Edna, with Ian Talbot as Wilbur Turnblad, Charlotte Riby as Tracy, Liz Robertson as Velma, Paul Manuel as Corny Collins, Elinor Collett as Penny, Ben James-Ellis as Link and Sandra Marvin as Motormouth Maybelle.

This performance was part of the BBC Children in Need Telethon broadcast Live on the 15th November 2008 – on the night over £20,000,000 was raised. You can still donate.

As the person who posted it says you can still donate to Children in Need!

Hairspray is still going strong in the West End and shows no sign of flagging. One of our clever readers bagged themselves a Hairspray Theatre Break for New Year’s Eve! Now that’s my idea of celebrating New Year in style! The show finishes in nice time to stroll down and see the fireworks, then off back to your hotel to finish celebrating. Perfect.

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** book London Hairspray Theatre Breaks**

Planning Hairspray Theatre Breaks

Theatre goers of all types looking forward to Hairspray- theatre breaks are expecting a really fun night out and won’t be dissapointed. Many of them have already seen the Hairspray The Musical film with John Travolta and are familiar with the story and the songs. Hairspray on stage is even livelier than the film version and the cast work really hard to give a hilarious, high energy performance. There’s often banter and ad lib asides to the audience so that the performances stay fresh. Many people have been more than once and Hairspray theatre breaks have become real favourites.

Hairspray Theatre Breaks in London

Hairspray is on at the Shaftesbury Theatre and runs for about 2 hours 40 minutes, including the interval. The last thing you want after a great evening like that is a long journey home, which is why Hairspray Theatre Breaks with inclusive overnight London hotel stays are usually the best way to plan and book tickets. When booking for whichever dates you have chosen, you will then be presented with the hotel options and here are some suggestions which may help with making that decision:

Hotels for Hairspray Theatre Breaks

* The Holiday Inn Bloomsbury – 4* modern hotel just a short walk from the West End on Russell Square.

* The Strand Palace – 3* hotel only 10 minutes or so from the theatre. Really handy for Covent Garden too!

Or really splash out with surprisingly affordable 5* luxury. For just a little extra outlay this can make a pleasant break into a really special occasion. Why not try the somewhere like:

*The InterContinental London Park Lane – further from the theatre but still less than a mile away, this gorgeous 5* hotel is close to some of London’s most fashionable shopping districts and it overlooks Hyde Park.

Of course you might decide to go for somewhere near you railway station. There are good hotels near all the major stations, including Euston and Kings Cross. That may be fine if you just want to get away back home the next morning but why not make a proper break out of it and stay in London for the day to see the sights. You could even stay an extra night or two as most hotels offer a very reasonable rate.

Hairspray Theatre Breaks for small groups

Last time I saw the audience coming out of Hairspray there were clearly a number of small groups, particularly families with older children or 2 or 3 couples, going out to the theatre together and obviously having a fantastic night out. With these kind of Hairspray theatre breaks, the excitement just builds with the numbers. For the hotel stay, any number can work with a combination of triple and twin bedded rooms. Six is a great number because then you can go for two triple rooms, but if you have two people under 15 in your party then you might be able to snag a family room (2 + 2) bargain.

Hairspray Video Clips

I’ve chosen a couple of video clips that try to catch the flavour of Hairspray and show why it is an ideal choice for theatre breaks.

** book London Hairspray Theatre Breaks **

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Hairspray star Michael Ball has gives really interesting interviews. I wrote about the one he did on Jonathan Ross a while ago (Michael Ball Gives Jonathan Ross Interview). Yesterday I read a new one that he’s done for The Scotsman. It’s an excellent read. He talks a bit about his personal life, including his relationship with Cathy McGowan (Yes, that one, Ready Steady Go etc!) . Usually he keeps very quiet about the personal stuff but this is a much more relaxed, happier Ball and he credits Hairspray with having done that for him:

I’m having a Ball – Michael Ball interview – The Scotsman
Ball is clear that a certain Mrs Turnblad transformed his career. If you were to ask what it takes to become a leading man in the West End you might be surprised to hear it involves high heels, a pair of 46EEE boobs and a wardrobe of frocks that would put the gaudiest drag queen to shame. But for Ball that’s what has worked. “When I was cast people said I wouldn’t pull it off and then when I did and I won the Olivier Award, I can’t tell you the satisfaction,” he says, still savouring the triumph. “Everyone says, ‘Oh, awards don’t matter.’ Rubbish! That one meant everything for me. It meant, ‘all right, you can be in our club.’ It was so satisfying. I took it into work the night after the ceremony and it appeared in every scene. When I burst out of the hairspray can at the end I was dusting it!

He says he used to have issues with his size and his self-image but he feels comfortable with himself these days. I suspect playing in a show like Hairspray and getting all those positive messages every night must have helped! He talks a bit about the past and the panic attacks that caused him to pull out of Les Miz when he was younger. That was a dark time for him and he was hardly able to leave his flat at the peak of it. He knows that he’s still vulnerable and says:

“I know the danger signs. And I know to talk about it,” he says. “Cathy knows the signs for me and she’s very clever at pulling me up and also knows when I just need a bit of stroking.”

The best news is that Michael Ball is staying in Hairspray till at least April! He says:

I don’t think it’s been announced yet, but I’m staying until next April. They’ve made me an offer I can’t refuse.

So book your Hairspray Theatre Break now and see one of the happiest men in one of the funniest shows in town!

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Exclusive Saturday night theatre tickets

A new offer from Superbreak gives you the chance to choose Saturday night tickets for one of a range of popular shows with two nights in a London hotel for a very reasonable price. There’s also a fantastic bonus pack but more about that later. The top London show Saturday night tickets for these particular dates can be hard to find which is part of what makes this exclusive theatre break deal particularly attractive. You can not only choose from a range of 3* and 4* hotels but also specify from a range of theatre ticket price bands.

For example, two could stay 2 nights in a 3* hotel and see Oliver! (with Jodie!) in January from as little as £252 ! Or go in November and see Lee Mead in Joseph before he finishes, 2 nights in a 3*hotel plus tickets for 2 from £262

Not only that you get a VIP Theatre Pack full of goodies including a special exclusive CD and loads of valuable discount vouchers. But just wait until you see which West End Musicals are included in this exclusive offer.

Want to be sure of getting tickets? Book now

Shows and Dates

The offer is for specific dates in the autumn and winter of 2008. You could even book more than one.

Dirty Dancing Saturday 18 October 2008

do I see a girls’ night out in your future? Plus these weekends in London would be perfect for anyone planning a Hen Night.

November

Feeling like a musical November to chase away the winter chills?

Grease – Saturday 08 November 2008

Is this the one that you want?

Dirty Dancing - Saturday 15 November 2008

Wedding not till November? No Problem!

Joseph – Saturday 22 November 2008

Yes, see Lee before it’s too late!

Hairspray – Saturday 29 November 2008

Top show, what can I say, these are class shows! check availability

December

What about a shopping break in London combined with a show?

Jersey Boys – Saturday 06 December 2008

Oh What A night!

Dirty Dancing – Saturday 13 December 2008

Aw, Xmas weddings are cute

January 2009

Oliver! – Saturday 24 January 2009

Oh yes, would you believe it? Tickets to see Jodie on a Saturday in January could be yours!

Act Fast – Book Now

You are going to have to act fast to grab these. It’s such a good offer the shows will book up fast.

So act now to book your Saturday Night Exclusive Theatre Break in London

What’s in the VIP Theatre Pack?

• An Exclusive Directors Choice CD
• A free subscription to Passport of the Arts (worth £20)
• A host of discount vouchers for London Attractions

Further details and check availability of tickets on the Exclusive Saturday Peformance Offer page

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Hairspray Theatre Breaks

Hairspray is the hilarious musical currently playing to packed houses in the West End, so last minute tickets are not always easy to get hold of, but at the moment there are some great deals on theatre breaks packages to see the show and stay in a top London hotel afterwards. Hairspray has become a huge hit, it’s won oodles of awards and was made into film with John Travolta as Edna, (the Mum).

**book Hairspray theatre breaks **

The Hairspray Story

Hairspray is based on an original 1988 John Walters film which starred Divine and Ricki Lake. It became a cult classic film, the musical version has been running on Broadway since 2002 and now it’s one of the most popular choices for theatre breaks in London. Don’t worry though, despite a cross dressing lead, hilariously played by Michael Ball, it’s a family show.

Here’s Michael playing Edna. You can see he’s not playing her as drag, he makes her come across as a real woman.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Hairspray is set in Baltimore in 1962. It’s the story of Tracy Turnblad, a fat but beautiful girl with really big hair . She wins a spot on a local TV dance programme becomes a teen icon. But will she be able to change the world and win the boy she loves?
What do you think?

The audience for Hairspray?

Who’s it for? Ideal for anyone who likes a laugh really! The music is very 60s and bubbly. It might not seem obviously romantic but trust me there’s nothing more intimate than laughing till you cry with someone
I also think Hairspray theatre breaks would be great for a ‘girls’ weekend. A relaxing train ride, hit the London shops, and a great, girly night out, hopefully with less of a hangover than the last girls’ weekend I went to! It really is better to book a whole package when you are organising London theatre breaks like this because it just makes life so much easier and it’s often cheaper too! Plus which there are some other great things you can book at the same time and save even more.

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Beware!! Touts about!

It seems that there are a number of ticket touts working around the Shaftesbury Theatre area selling tickets for the smash hit Hairspray.

One punter says they queued for day tickets for Hairspray last Saturday. They arrived at about 7:15 and were too late to get any tickets for the evening performance.Well der, this is the hottest show in the West End at the moment! Arriving at 7:15 does seem a tad optimistic They went on to say that the vast majority of the tickets were bought by people who they thought were obviously touts.

Someone else said that they had complained to the theatre, who, it seems, said that they were aware that the tickets were being sold to touts, but that they could do nothing about it! Hmm, I don’t suppose that was the official line, perhaps they just asked at the box office.

None of this is terribly surprising. The touts are out and about all over the West End, walk round near any theatre and people will approach you trying to either buy or sell tickets for the shows. The main thing is not to get caught by them. It’s just not worth it. You could end up with a totally worthless fake ticket or pay a stupid amount of money for terrible seats.

It’s just another reason for making sure you book in advance through a legitimate source, even better as part of a Hairspray theatre break. With something as popular as Hairspray your chances of getting day tickets are pretty minimal and they would be even if there were no touts. It is the hottest ticket in London at the moment, you simply are not going to get it for £10!

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** book Hairspray theatre breaks **

Here’s some good news for those of us planning theatre breaks in London. The Evening Standard London Theatre Award winners were announced last night. The awards, voted for by theatre critics, were presented by actor Richard Wilson at London’s Savoy Hotel. The panel of critics were: Nicholas de Jongh of the Evening Standard, Georgina Brown of the Mail On Sunday, Susanna Clapp of The Observer, Benedict Nightingale of The Times and Charles Spencer of the Daily Telegraph. Evening Standard editor Veronica Wadley said the awards

“recognise the huge reservoir of theatrical talent in London, in directing, writing and design and perhaps especially in acting”

The title of Best Musical Award has been changed in honour of the broadcaster, director and playwright Ned Sherrin who died recently. It was presented by Sheila Hancock,

The Ned Sherrin Award for Best Musical.
Hairspray won Best Musical. As well as strong performances from Michael Ball and Mel Smith, the musical boast a great find in newcomer Leanne Jones, She plays the female lead, Tracy Turnblad, an overweight American “trailer trash” girl once played by Rickie Lake. Hairspray, which transferred to London’s Shaftesbury Theatre from Broadway. It beat strong opposition from nominees including Fiddler On The Roof and Parade.

Best Actor
Patrick Stewart has been named Best Actor for his title role in Macbeth The production of the Shakespeare play, which transferred from Chichester to London’s Gielgud Theatre, won great reviews when it opened earlier this year. Macbeth also gained Rupert Goold the Sydney Edwards award for best director. Macbeth was shortlisted in the design category, the judges said

“raised goose-pimples with its evocation of a hell’s kitchen experience”

Stewart said:

“It’s wonderful, we’re all aglow. All of us who believe the best possible theatre should be in London are thrilled.”

Goold said :

“They said it was a great year and it really is. Look at all the amazing people on the shortlist.”

Best Actress
Anne-Marie Duff, perhaps more widely known for her TV role in Shameless, won Best Actress. Her powerful performance in the title role Joan Of Arc in the National Theatre’s production of George Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan has been very well received. Nicholas de Jongh described Duff ’s performance as

“one of the greatest performances I’ve ever seen – absolutely devastating”

Best Play
In a year that showed what the judges felt was a resurgence of serious theatre on the London stage A Disappearing Number by Simon McBurney and production company Complicite, a mathematical mystery, won best play. Other nominees included Rafta, Rafta and The Reporter.

Best Design
The Best Design prize went to the Rae Smith and the Handspring Puppet Company production of War Horse, with its huge horse puppets, at the Olivier.

Other Awards

The Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright
Polly Stenham – That Face (Royal Court Upstairs)

The Milton Shulman Award for Outstanding Newcomer
Stephen Wright – Dealer’s Choice/Don Juan in Soho (Menier Chocolate Factory/Donmar Warehouse)

Special Award
Stephen Tompkins for innovative theatre architecture

So there you are, a feast of serious and not so serious theatre breaks in London ideas, with something for everyone.

** book Hairspray theatre breaks **

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