It’s 1962 and in Tracy Turnblad’s Baltimore hometown, massive hairdos, dancing the twist and Corny Collins’ daytime dance show are the hottest tickets in teen culture. In some ways, life for this starry-eyed girl starts out as big and bright and breezy as a bubblegum balloon - but there’s trouble bubbling just beneath the surface. As Tracy grows up and wakes up to the everyday injustices in her neighbourhood, it looks as though her bubble might be set to burst.

Shimmying and shaking into Wolverhampton Grand this month (and Stoke’s Regent Theatre in the summer), much-loved musical Hairspray arrives against a backdrop of online echo chambers and political change that make its revelations - as well as its cheerily optimistic message of strength in unity - seem both more relevant and more appealing than ever. When Tracy gets the chance to audition for The Corny Collins Show, the harsh realities of prejudice and discrimination intrude on her rosy, cosy world, demanding to be confronted.

As she says herself in a line that might have been lifted from one of countless newspaper pieces over the last couple of years: “I think I’ve kind of been in a bubble… thinking that fairness was just gonna happen. It’s not. People like me are gonna have to get up off their father’s laps and fight for it.”
“It’s sad, but I don’t think things have really changed that much,” says Rebecca Mendoza, who makes her professional stage debut as the show’s plucky young protagonist. “We might not be doing the same things now as we were in the ’60s, but we’re still fighting the same problems, just in a different form.”
Much like her character, self-avowed Hairspray megafan Mendoza has had the chance to live out her dream on this tour by starring in her favourite show. 

“I knew it inside-out!” she laughs. “I’ve followed the show for years and years, and it’s been my dream role since I was tiny. The last time I saw it was in Liverpool when I went for four nights in the run, and interestingly, it worked out that the first night was exactly seven years ago to the day before our own opening night in Cardiff. We found out because my sister had a Facebook timehop message where I’d been talking about watching it and wanting to be part of it one day!”

But there are also more uncomfortable parallels. In the show, Tracy and her mother are mocked and taunted for their size, while in the racially segregated 1960s, black dancers like Tracy’s friend Seaweed can only perform on certain days, away from their white friends and peers. Today, such discrimination is illegal, yet even now, actors of colour regularly decry the relative lack of opportunities available in some areas of the industry.

“I kind of got lucky with my first role as a kid, so I haven’t really faced the same struggles that a lot of people do,” says Layton Williams, who plays Seaweed. “But even then, I remember people making a big deal about the fact that I was playing Billy Elliot, and not really understanding why at the time. Generally I feel that, as long as a role isn’t specific to a certain sex or race, then there’s no reason why you can’t have a whole range of different actors playing it.”

Elsewhere, the pressure on girls and women to look a certain way has, if anything, only increased. There’s still a profound lack of leading roles available to women who don’t fit a standard mould, particularly in musicals, which can make it hard for actors playing Tracy to progress in their careers.
“We see so much body shaming all the time now,” says Rebecca, “and all the airbrushing that’s happening on TV or in modelling. So I think it’s really important for young girls particularly to see things like this. As long as you’re fit and you can keep up and do the moves, there’s no reason why someone who’s a couple of sizes bigger can’t have a starring role in a musical. Also, I think it’s lovely that Tracy ends up with the good-looking guy - people need to see that if they like someone, it’s okay to go for it without belittling or trying to change themselves.” 

Luckily, Tracy is more than equal to the challenge of standing up for what’s right, willing to risk her reputation and even prison to support her friends. After all, it’s largely thanks to them that she was able to get her big break in the first place…

“Meeting Seaweed is a real turning point for Tracy,” says Layton. “He doesn’t judge her and encourages her to do the kinds of moves that get her onto The Corny Collins Show. He’s really supportive and helps to give her the confidence to go for it. Also, when he falls in love with Penny, having a mixed-race couple becomes a really central part of the show. Actually, when you think about it, the show is kind of all about me!” 

Yet what makes Hairspray such a delight is the fact that, as Rebecca Mendoza puts it, it’s told in such a fun, lighthearted way. There may be an important message at its core, but it’s so well wrapped up in a whirlwind of vibrant 1960s colour, witty dialogue, irresistible tunes and spectacular choreography, that it never once feels preachy, and is guaranteed to win over even those who aren’t already sold. 
“I was pretty much the exact opposite of Rebecca before I auditioned,” confesses Matt Rixon, who plays Tracy’s larger-than-life mother, Edna. “I was aware of the show, but I hardly knew anything about it. And it did surprise me. It’s so clever and well-written - really concise and comical. Also, structurally it’s genius. It’s designed to get you on your feet by the end, and it never fails to do so. I can start off in a terrible mood, but by the end of the show I always feel much better.”

Above all, the joy of experiencing Hairspray live is sharing in its warm, inclusive spirit: it’s like arriving at a massive party where everyone’s invited. In the end, it’s just the story of a bunch of kids who want to dance together - and before too long, you’re going to want to join in as well. 
“It’s about being allowed to be whoever you are,” says Matt, “whatever body shape or colour or anything else. We should all be allowed the freedom to just be ourselves, and in Hairspray, for two-and-a-half hours, everyone can be.”

Take note, Hollywood - in Tracy’s own words, “People who are different, their time is coming.”

Hairspray shows at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from Mon 26 February to Saturday 3 March, and at the Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, from Tues 12 - Sat 16 June.