Geoff Billingsley has a (Michael) Ball watching Hairspray at the West End

Hairspray — which recently celebrated a year’s run at the Shaftesbury Theatre — is set in 1962 Baltimore where Tracy Turnblad lives with her parents, Edna and Wilbur. Tracy is played by Leanne Jones and she is a triumph. She auditions to replace one of the presenters on Corny Collins TV show on WZZT and comes up against some prejudice of sorts relating to her size. OK, so she’s a little plump but she has a heart of gold and gains popularity beyond her wildest dreams when she gets the job on the show Mum Edna is played by Michael ‘Love Changes Everything’ Ball — yes, the same Michael Ball I listen to each Sunday on his Radio 2 brunch show but it’s easier to recognise him on the old wireless than here.

Ball is excellent as Tracy’s mum, who has been working hard taking in washing for the past 20 years. But when Tracy hits the big time things really take a turn for the better for ‘her’.

Although this show deals with the thorny subject of racism, it’s cleverly written and cannot offend.

Song highlights include Tracy singing I Can Hear the Bells, Welcome to the 1960s (performed by Tracy, Edna and The Dynamites) and Timeless To Me which was sung by Edna and Wilbur, who in this performance was played by the excellent Adam Price. Really, really funny.