Yes

Nicky..... Baltimore reprise is also the highlight of Leannes performance of Tracy for me too..... I am going to make a fool of myself during that song when it is her last night (please god never!!! Leanne cannot leave ever!!)

can't remember if this was ever posted, Gaydar review - must admit 1st time I read it as "He does pull off the worst shorts!" and thought ...damn missed that

http://www.rainbownetwork.com/UserPortal/Article/Detail.aspx?ID=19701&sid=53

Jo review less enthusiastic

Late reply to Lisa - think I would cry too at that, the pathos she puts into it

Show 26/11
Jaqui was on for inez (gah I love her but wanted to see new girl) Tim frater and Michael Vinsen were also off

One of the biggest midweek crowds seen in a while - was pretty much full, several coach parties.

Like new Velma, shes quite regal, new Amber is a bit Sharpay school musical jazz hands rather then bitchy beauty queen - though shes really pretty.
They both have great voices and work together really well.

New shelly costume dosent fit for GMB, new Lou anne
I liked the new IQ but the other nicest boys will take some getting used to.

The nicest kids stuff has all been mixed up a bit and am sure some things will come with time, welcome to the 60s and I can hear the bells worked well
but some other parts not so much, the stage seemed too crowded at times and there was a lot of bumping in to people tonight.
Jennii and Zara really do shine as nicest kids now, as per reports elsewhere, being very shallow helps that they are very pretty compared to the new girls

The new motormouth boys are ace even the swing/understudy missed terel because he's terel and him but they actually worked really well and the photographers dance was excellent.

The new dynamites, 2 were clearly struggling, one had almost no voice and not sure if 1 or 2 didnt come back on in second half, the one who did stay on was brill, really lively and big voice (think nadine higgin). Sandra stepped up with the others to sing in YCSTB and was of course brill.

So really I need to go again when everyones on and healthy.

MB was very funny tonight TTM was mixd up a bit again, also one weird thing was he said I dont like them/ still dont like them rather than care for them and it didnt sound as good dunno if its changed for good.

Ellie was marvelous and Adrian excellent he just lifts it higher everytime, though he and ben seemed not happy after their jump at end of tell that.

Leanne seemed extra bubbly and cheeky tonight, she also stood out as being the only one whose wig/hair was in good shape, the wigs were a right mess tonight. Some of the new guys need more gel or less hair and he girls

Ben was bouncy and sweaty and sounded great but maybe a bit tired.

Thanks Lips

But they've changed Nicest Kids.... why change what don't need fixing?!

thanks Lip for such a detailed review - maybe a bug going round I month in and I would have thought they would have settled in but maybe if there was illness. Think I must go again soon, I need cheering up!

And agree Nicky why change NKIT?

Opps didnt mean the song just what the nicest kids do throughout is a bit different (it often changed here and there before) their stuff with velma is quite different and just where they are on stage seems to have changed a bit.

Thanks Lips. I really need to go before I move to the frozen north.

Mr S still saying he will get ticks but think I need to do that myself if we ever to get there!

Show last Tuesday (16th December 08 )

My first every Hairspray!

Arrived at the theatre after having pizza in Pizza Express close by and we had brilliant seats! (I went with my dad) We were in N13 and N14. I like the announcement about mobiles, thought it was very clever The show started and I thought it was a bit weird having Tracy standing up but 'lying' in her bed to begin with but now looking back on it it was a good idea

First view of Ben Thought he looked smashing

I really liked 'Mama I'm a big girl now' thought it was very well done.

'I can hear the bells' brilliant! I love the way then ended up back where they were to begin with but I stupidly watched Penny wandering around listening to things for a while instead of watching Ben

The gym scene I really liked that scene for obvious reasons Thought it was clever the way Penny and Ben (I think of Ben as Ben rather than Link ) got 'changed' on stage.

'It Takes Two' At the end of that I sooooo wanted to be Tracy so I could drool over Ben and not to mention the kiss at the end

Thought 'Welcome to the 60s' was good

Act 2
Loved 'Good Morning Baltimore' and Tracy and Ben trying to kiss through the bars although I didnt really see why they didnt kiss through the larger gaps

'Timeless to me' The audience were laughing to much that we made Wilber and Edna laugh then of course we laughed more Eventually they got it together

'Without love' Love it! Penny being tied up in bed

'You Can't Stop the Beat' wow! How do they dance with that much energy and sing at the same time? well beyond me! Love the dancing in it and can still picture the bit from 'You can't stop the motion of the ocean' in my head with Ben dancing of course The end came to early and the cast got a standing ovation (which I am proud to say I got up earlyish in) and I was clapping so hard my hands were tingling a lot afterwards

After the show we bought some souvenirs including the Hairspray CD which I have been listening to almost nonstop since I got home oh and I was incredibly (still am ) I really want to go again but have no idea whether I'll be able to or not

First time I saw Hairspray just after Ben got changed we realised he had a hole in his trousers...right on his crotch, couldnt stop laughing.......and then Ben found the hole Priceless!!

I agree his trousers are quite tight and think there's been a few incidents (BTW MV were quite baggy but tbh that was a good thing)

thanks DB for review - you know I have always thought the same - kiss through the wider bits but as Edna says "Boys aren't the brightest things!"

They seemed to 'bang' their noses on the bar anyway

Perhaps there are only the big holes so we can see Tracy Still it was very amusing

I agree, very funny - also love Adrian (seeweed) and Elinor (penny) in it. Maybe my favourite song apart from the dance break in YCSTB (I get exhausted just watching and ) - Ben's mum posted a while ago that Ben had to run off in the gap in NKIT because guess what! trousers split - guess its an occupational hazard

I dont know how they keep singing and dancing in YCSTB! I guess they have lots of adrenalin pumping around and have super large lungs and are incredibly fit

occupational hazard indeed

Yes I think they're very fit but Ben said in an interview that the breaths are almost choreographied - interesting

Sounds sensible I guess the cast need to know when to breathe so they can keep singing and dancing. It's a bit like playing a wind instrument and having certain set times when you breathe

I can see why in the industry they nicname it *you can't stop to breathe*

I like that!!!

Indeed!

I've just got back from Hairspray and thought I would write a review of this afternoon's matinee (18 April).

Booked the tickets for today back in November when I thought Ben was leaving on 25 April and I've been hoping for weeks that Ben would be on today. When I got to the theatre it seemed to be surrounded by people and a long queue for returns. Once inside I wanted to look at the understudies list - but I didn't Eventually I force myself to look and there is no mention of Link - I check again - no definitely no mention of Link. - understudies were Jeni for Penny and Stevie for Corny. can relax now and enjoy the show.


Theatre is completely full including the boxes. I had not seen any of the new cast before and thought Nigel (Wilbur) and Raquel (Inez) were both particularly good. Was a bit disappointed not to see Verity today.

The show was as usual great - I think I love it more every time I see it. Michael and Leanne always so fab and then, of course, Ben - wow - his performance today was absolutely fantastic ITT and Without Love especially brill and dancing as bouncy and full of energy as ever - if not more so. His stage presence seems to get stronger and stronger and it is just impossible to take your eyes off him when he's on stage.


I especially loved a bit in the dodgeball game when Ben is in the background - he kept twirling the ball balancing it on the top of his finger - it looked like new skill he's learned to entertain himself - he was really good at it!


The audience were very up for the show, particularly in the second half - clapping along and YCSTB was, of course, fantastic, I especially love the dance break!! Half way through YCSTB people started to get to their feet - I noticed I was the first in my row but soon everyone was up singing and dancing.


All the cast were cheered at the end and there was a noticeably big cheer for Ben which was great. It made me realise that, now time is running out (until 25 July ) that it is a real priveledge to see him perform and I am sure he will be very much missed when the day finally comes for him to leave.

ETA - almost forgot - Went to the stage door afterwards and it was not too busy at the beginning - quite a lot of small children with programmes waiting to be signed - Ben came out very quickly and one little girl shouted "there's Link" and went running over to him - he bent down to sign her programme. He was in a bit of a rush and so was only at the stage door for a very short time, just time enough to sign the children's programmes and for me to get a few piccies!

All in all a fantastic show again and I really want to make sure I see it again before the 25 July.

Thanks Linda, sounds a brill day

Thanks Linda....good to hear bens still going strong

thanks Linda - I love your reviews as you are so enthusiastic. I am so looking forward to next Saturday and it will be sad after 25th July with no more Ben and Michael or Leanne but time for them to move on

April 25th Nobodies leaving day (or rehearsal for leaving day as Adrian called it).

Found my seat, front row dress circle - prime stretching spotting location
2 empty seats next to me it’s okay they turned up later.
Forgot to check the notice for understudies expected Tim to be off resting before the marathon, Michael Peters was also off as were Verity and a Nadine (? a dynamite anyway),
so we had Jennii for penny, Emma Dodd(?I get so confused when under wigs) for Brenda
Jacqui as a dynamite, an extra Curtis (soooooooo cute ) Motor mouth boy and Dom swung in for some of Tims bits.

The good stuff

GMB was excellent, Leannes vocal is so effortless these days.

All the nicest kids seemed super bouncy and Mr Vinsen has found some extra rubber
to challenge ben on some jumps.

I thought Jennii was Terrific in Mama I'm a big girl now and in without love,
to me she seemed to have some extra spark this week and I really like seeing her,
which is a total turnaround for me.

Also find the chemistry between Zoe and Liz has stepped up a notch as the von tussles.
Love how velma treats the boys.

Ben seemed very comfortable tonight since the cast change he's let go a bit and
without love is a real joy. It takes two was smokin'.

Adrian seemed on super form - again, adding things all over the shop.
Run and Tell that was a super journey and I really wish he had another number,
could listen to him all night.

The grumpy bit

I just dont like Nigel Planer as Wilber, it too me an age to get used to Ian
but I did(and i totally fell in love with him at the 10k) and although Adam Price has been my fave Wilbur so far I appreciated the
chemistry Ian and Michael had,
I just dont see Wilbur as one of the family, and found timeless to me to be quite
flat.

Also the dynamites are still just not good enough, Jacqui has been on the last 2 times I've been
and she has sass and a magic voice and lifts it but the end of welcome to the 60s used to be a showstopper now its an irritation.


The I have got to go back again stuff

Sandra, Sandra as Motor mouth, it’s so hard to put into words just how great she is,
she’s truly THE star of the show, every time she gets better, the first time I saw her it was the
sassiness of the acting that drew me in, that still there and she’s great as
Seaweed and Inez’s mother. Her vocal though, it just blows me away, and the way
she seems to just play with it. Paul did allow the applause a moments extra before pushing on,
I felt far more like jumping to my feet then than at the end