EVER since John Water’s 1988 film, everyone has fallen in love with Hairspray, writes Times theatre critic Kerry Black.

On Thursday and Friday, Lochgelly Centre was fortunate enough to host the youth production of this famous musical, with the first ever show from the newly formed Lochgelly Youth Theatre.

The company was set up by Ballingry lad Liam Nardone, who many may have seen as the dame in last year’s Lochgelly High School Panto!

Not only did Liam found the company, he also directed it, choreographed it and even played the lead role of Link Larkin too!

Following on the heels of the recent Broadway and Brass show, it was exciting to see the Centre packed to the rafters with an appreciative audience. The show truly proved that Lochgelly Has Talent!

Everyone knows the story of Hairspray. Tracy Turnblad (the endearing Lucie Eaglesham) and her best pal Penny Pingleton (a suitably chakkit Courtney Bryson), live in Baltimore in the early 1960s in an era of big hair and big skirts!

The highlight of their lives is watching local teenage pop sensation, The Corny Collins Show on TV each week as they dream of appearing on it as dancers! Corny (the handsome Conor Dickson) fronts the show, but ageing beauty queen Velma Von Tussle (the ever bossy Leah Reekie) pulls all the strings to ensure that her ghastly daughter Amber rules the roost.

Amber (portrayed by the petulant Freya Riley), appears in a blonde Sandra Dee beehive sashaying across the stage in a succession of sugary sweet, chiffon frocks!

Portrayed as the leader of The Nicest Kids in Town, Amber, aided and abetted by her mother will do anything they can to keep the show exactly as they want, which includes barring anyone they dislike, particularly SeeWeed (Jamie-Lee Davie), his fabulously blowsy mother, Motermouth Mabel (the potent Arianna De Melo who belted out “Big, Blonde and Beautiful”) and their friend Little Inez (the totally cute Ines Patterson) -based on the colour of their skin!

In the programme notes, the creators of Hairspray, ask us to suspend our disbelief that not everyone is the right skin colour or gender for the part!

Tracy’s mother Edna is generally portrayed by a man (think John Travolta with boobs!), however, here the wonderfully comical Rebecca McCourt played the part with great gusto, transforming from a dishevelled, downtrodden housewife in a dressing gown and rollers to a sequinned diva, thanks to the wonderful Mrs Pinkie (Emily Dryburgh).

There can’t be many musicals where the mother gets to threaten folk with her baffies- especially baffies with giant furry swans!

Emily also doubled brilliantly as Penny’s battleaxe mother Purdy, with a wardrobe which was surely culled from Norah Batty! One of my favourite numbers in the entire show was “Mama I’m A Big Girl Now” as the three main characters and their mothers battle to assert their independence!

There was some lovely choreography in the show and it was great to see the entire exuberant young cast being involved. The lovely costumes were supplied by Thespis Costumiers, while the scenery came from John Urquhart and Border Studios, with Lucie and Arianna as Music Directors (the show was performed to backing tracks).

Due to the fact this was an abridged youth version, this made it a quick night as the cast danced from song to song.

At the interval, Liam and Leah held an auction, while there was also a tombola in the lobby. One of the funniest moments occurred as their auction helper’s skirt fell off as she took a prize into the audience-she was last seen fleeing through the curtains clutching her net petticoat!

At the jubilant finale, Liam appeared and thanked everyone for all their support: the families, friends, local businesses and schools who had supported them so strongly both financially and practically. He then gave out some bouquets!

After a well deserved standing ovation, the audience left to the thrilling news that they are already planning next year’s show of “Fame”!