The sensational Cry-Baby: The Musical [Charlie Flint]

THE Arcola celebrates its 25th anniversary with this thrilling production of Cry-Baby: The Musical, set in 1954 Baltimore. The 17-strong ensemble is the largest ever seen on its stage.

Playing on the popular tropes of musicals like Grease, we follow the cultural battle of two groups of teenagers and the Romeo and Juliet-style romance of their lead protagonists. Allison (Lulu-Mae Pears), friends with a group of privileged young men known as the “squares”, causes ripples when she falls for “Cry-Baby” (Adam Davidson), leader of the rebellious, working-class gang, the ‘drapes’.

Cry-Baby’s followers include his sister Pepper (Jazzy Phoenix), a teenage single mother; tough girl Mona (Kingsley Morton); and Wanda (India Chadwick). His friend Dupree W. Dupree (Chad Saint Louis) and Lenora Frigid (Eleanor Walsh) complete the posse and deliver two stonking solos.

Allison’s grandmother (Shirley Jameson) is dismayed when Allison abandons her square boyfriend, Baldwin Blandish (Elliot Allinson) for Cry-Baby. Meanwhile, the gang rivalries culminate with an arson attack. Cry-Baby and his followers are blamed and incarcerated. Will they be exonerated and does he keep his girl?

Based on John Waters’ 1990 film, and first staged on Broadway in 2008, this musical comedy is surprisingly resonant: from the opening polio inoculation picnic and the class politics that drive the plot, to the scapegoating of the drapes for daring to be different.

Mehmet Ergen’s buoyant production of is a joy from start to finish, and features an array of toe-tapping numbers (book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, songs by David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger).

Accompanied by a cracking live band, the songs propel the story. The lyrics are funny and the vocals are terrific, while Chris Whittaker’s inventive choreography fizzes with feel-good energy.

Sensational.

Until April 12
arcolatheatre.com/