Hairspray Confirmed to Open in the West End in October

Stage Entertainment hs confirmed that the production following their limited season return of Fame will be the big Broadway tuner, Hairspray.

Hairspray is set to open at London's Shaftesbury Theatres at a date TBA in October. Hairspray's journey to London has been long and turbulent. The show was first announced to open in London back in 2002 after its Tony triumph, the plan was to open at The Victoria Palace Theatre towards the end of Spring 2003, it was even expected that Barry Humphries would place Edna. That plan was put on hold and then scrapped. It was then revealed back in 2004 that the production would follow Jerry Springer, after a limited season of a London return of Cats with its original cast (which also never happened), into The Cambridge Theatre. The opening date was set for October 2005 and casting even began for the production, but in the Spring of 2005 the London premiere was again put on hold. It seemed Hairspray would never welcome London to the 60's. Now our hopes are raised once again and prey its third time lucky and that Hairspray will finally open in London!

Current production at The Shaftesbury Theatre, Fame, will close on the 1st September 2007.

Casting for Hairspray is yet to be announced but a host of West End talent is said to be in talks for the London premiere, they include Little Britains' Matt Lucas as Edna.