All the elements are there, in bundles. There is no weak link in the performances either. The show weaves elements of gospel with cabaret, pantomime, musical hall comedy and classic West End show musicality. This runs its own risk of disharmony and entertainment overkill, but it unites those forms, excelling at them all.
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For all these splendid performances, the night needs a star in whom we can believe and we get one in Lizzie Bea. She gives us a Tracy Turnblad brimming with charm and wit, artless but bright, vulnerable but determined.
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It is hard to imagine a show more suited to ushering in a post-pandemic era of lavish crowd-pleasing theatre. Ultimately, you'd have to be a pretty miserable soul not to enjoy this uplifting belter of a musical. It's a little like being force fed vitamins. Truly life-enhancing: great fun but so much more.
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