Bath Operatic and Dramatic Society have chosen the ever popular musical Hairspray for their main production of 2015 and it doesn’t disappoint.

The show is directed by Juliette Coad with musical direction from Peter Blackwood.

Based on the 1988 John Waters film of Hairspray, rather than the 2007 version, the show is set in 1960s Baltimore and tells the story of Tracy Turnblad.

The teenager achieves her dream of performing on The Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance programme, and becomes a celebrity overnight.

She then meets a colourful array of characters and launches a campaign to racially integrate the show.

The musical involves lots of 60s-style dance numbers along with rhythm and blues music.

Apart from a few technical hitches, which disappointingly meant the first song on Tuesday night was inaudible, the show was performed brilliantly.

It had been well cast, with Sophie Louise Smith playing the lead role of Tracy. She gave a laughter-filled performance and her version of larger than life Tracy was very likeable.

I particularly liked the characters of Edna and Wilbur Turnblad, played by Tristan Carter and Rob Dallimore, as they had a great rapport and Carter’s version of Edna, traditionally played by a man, gave the audience a lot of laughs.

I also really enjoyed Hannah Long as Penny Pingleton, Tracy’s comic best friend, as she suited the part well and delivered some of the show’s best one-liners.

The costumes and set were also of a professional standard and made the 1960s Baltimore setting feel more authentic.

I had a great evening and look forward to watching future performances by the 120-year-old society who, after production costs, gives their remaining profits to charity.