Review: HAIRSPRAY at Gdynia Musical Theater

One of the most popular musical shows on the planet reminds you how important equality is and how energetic music can be. You will love every minute!

If you're ready to dive deep into the 60s and get lost in the music and the beat, this is the right show for you. From the first minutes, the singers and dancers take you to a different universe where problems are solved just with a song. The main character, the energetic Tracy Turnblad, Agata Walczak, with her joy, courage, faith in people and unexpected optimism takes a step into the future. She refuses to live it as tradition requires, which leads to social revolution. Accompanied by a mother (Rafal Ostrowski) who is also changing her life to become a more self-centered person, a trustworthy father (Mateusz Deskiewicz), who is so open-minded, dedicated, and supportive that we all wish we had him in our families and her best friend Penny (the brilliant Iga Radziszweska) who transforms from a neurotic submissive girl into a rebellious teenager who explores otherness and different skin colors (in practice I would say). Groups of mixed children mingle to finally discover what is most important in the world: dancing together.

There are love stories: superficial, self-centered Link (Pawel Czajka) who for some reason makes girls fall in love with him very easily, also changes to be brave enough to admit he loves Tracy. Surprisingly, I like this character a lot, maybe because of his clumsiness, constant losses, and mistakes. His goofy eyes are more than amazing and his intimate solo song about revealing his feelings is very touching. He's sweet like a puppy that destroyed your shoes. And after all, he recovers from the glamorous/devilish mother-daughter duo (Beata Kempa, Izabela Pawletko), in which the second is like Cruella de Vil with her incredible looks and her constant desire to get what she wants at all costs.

This show is not only about racial conflicts but about timeless disputes about the condition of young people and adults. It's about equality, about redefining reality and you'd watch it like eating a bag of chips, you can't get enough. The songs are changing dynamically, the vocals are amazing, the dance moves are precise and it all makes you want to get lost in the rhythm of the music. I buy all the songs, fast You Can't Stop the Beat, romantic (You're) Timeless to Me, grumpy Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now. The icing on the cake is Corny Collins (the great Krzysztof Dzwoniarski), an energetic TV host who adds even more flavor to the show.

It's joyful, fast, and very musical. The director, Bernard Szyc, would put everything in its place. It's big, colorful, and musically awesome. The costumes (by Renata Godlewska) are lively and crisp, the scenography (by Wojciech Stefaniak) is impressive as well as the prison and the giant can of hairspray. The duo Joanna Semenczuk and Michal Cyran made a choreography that vibrates like a sounding board resonating with millions of dance steps.

Another great thing about the show is that every character is different, every person (dancer or singer) on stage has their own impact and personality. The whole thing is not like a fusion formation but a distinctive and thoughtful collective of people, and whomever you look at is wonderful. There are no weak points and this show fulfills its purpose wonderfully. Great entertainment for big and smaller ones!

Show with English subtitles.

Photo: Gdynia Musical Theather

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