Watch Out For

Michael Ball and Leanne Jones, who are the star turns in the musical Hairspray at the Shaftesbury Theatre. I said last week that Ms Jones would be declared a star on opening night (October 30). Now that I have seen the show all the way through, I realised that not only is Ms Jones going to emerge as a star, but this London production is better than when I saw it three or more times on Broadway. Every number hit home — and that wasn't always the case in New York. The cast works very well, including Mel Smith, Ben James-Ellis, Tracie Bennett, Johnnie Fiori, Adrian Hansel, Paul Manuel and the rest. Sell your cat, dog, Aunt Fanny and your Aga to get a ticket.