Hairspray the Musical has announced new West End dates, with its plans for a run which begins with social distancing in order to comply with any potential extension to government Covid-19 guidance. The show will run from 22 June to 29 September 2021, with the first four weeks playing with social distancing.

The musical is based on the 1988 film of the same name, which starred Divine and Ricki Lake. It originally opened in New York in 2002 on Broadway, and won eight Tony Awards, with songs such as "You Can't Stop the Beat", "Big, Blonde and Beautiful" and "Good Morning Baltimore". The original London production opened in the West End in 2008, and went on to win four Olivier Awards. The show is a huge fan favourite, returning to the capital after a substantial break from playing.

Leading the 2021 London run will be Michael Ball as Edna Turnblad, Lizzie Bea as Tracy Turnblad and Marisha Wallace as Motormouth Maybelle. Also appearing in the show will be Paul Merton as Wilbur Turnblad, Rita Simons (EastEnders) as Velma von Tussle, Ashley Samuels as Seaweed Stubbs and Jonny Amies (Sex Education) as Link Larkin. This all star cast looks to delight audiences as theatres open their doors once more, putting safety at the forefront of their activity.

Jack O'Brien will direct this year’s West End run, with its book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman, choreography by Jerry Mitchell, costumes by William Ivey Long, set by David Rockwell and casting by Jill Green.

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