Hairspray is a musical with great tunes, fantastic performances and a satirical bite that cuts through the faux sixties schmaltz. It satisfies those familiar with John Waters’ original movie, the recent film of the Broadway show and those coming to it afresh.

Tracy Turnblad dreams of joining the dancers on The Corny Collins TV show. Unfortunately, she’s not your usual teen idol fodder - she’s a big girl you see. But when a vacancy becomes available, Tracy goes for it and her cool moves (learnt during detention) win her a place on the team. Sadly he dream turns sour when her wish to make every day Negro Day scandalises the producers and falls on deaf ears.

Can she get the equality she yearns for? Can she prove that big is beautiful and win the heart of the show’s resident stud muffin? Of course she can, but it’s not the destination that’s important here, dear theatregoer, but the journey.

Hairspray is an affectionate parody of 1960s teen movies and pop culture with its musical numbers (‘You Can’t Stop The Beat’, ‘Good Morning Baltimore’, ‘I Can Hear The Bells’ and ‘Mama I’m A Big Girl Now’) faithfully recreating the sound of the era. What’s more, they just keep on coming! Plus there’s a cracking cast that engage, entrance and make you care.

Newcomer Leanne Jones is the star of the show. She's everything Tracey should be; sassy, sexy and ballsy with a voice that's all three and is as big as her backcombed-to-within-an-inch-of-its-life hair ‘do’.

Running close second is Michael Ball. To put it simply, he’s having a ball. You can almost believe the stories in the press that his fans (Ballites as they're comically known) have asked for their money back due to his apparent no show - he's simply unrecognisable as Edna Turnblad, Tracy's mother.

We know Michael has a great voice, but here he's larger than life, hilarious and damn sexy. Expect an Olivier and many other awards to be winging its way to Michael next year.

Ball’s interaction with Mel Smith is also a delight, with the couple proving a great double act and a believable couple. Their performances not only make the audience laugh, but the two of them nearly make each other corpse on occasion as well.

Ben James-Ellis, TV's Any Dream Will Do semi finalist, demonstrates not that he was robbed, but that he had a lucky escape - for the role of Link Larkin is far and away more ‘cool’ and fun than that of Joseph, and one that ably demonstrates his all-round talent. Nerves meant he didn't have the strongest voice on press night, but boy can he dance. It's just a shame the West End has been denied the site of him in a loincloth! But he does carry off wearing the worsbrt pair of shorts imaginable.

Special mention should also go to Adrian Hansell as Seaweed, Elinor Collet as Penny Pingleton and the ever dependable Tracie Bennett as the showbiz mother and TV producer from hell. There’s not one dud performance or bum note amongst the cast. Its songs, story and staging may mean that Hairspray is almost cast proof, but here a fine cast raise it from being just a good musical to being an excellent one.

After a run of duds, The Shaftesbury has a hit at last. Go see, now!

Hairspray, by Marc Shaiman, Sott Wittman and Marc Shaiman
Shaftesbury Theatre
210 Shaftesbury Avenue
London, WC2H 8DP
020 7379 5399

Opened 30 October 2007 and currently booking until 15 August 2008

Want more but can’t make it to the theatre? Then get the original DVD of Divine’s Hairspray and tempt yourself to the new motion picture soundtrack recording.