Monthly media and arts column

My niece turned ten last month and my sister decided to take her for a surprise trip from Sheffield down to London to see Hairspray, the film of which she had seen the requisite 100s of times.

I was a little suspicious of the enterprise. I had done absolutely nil research and let my suppositions be ruled by the only thing I knew about it which was that one of the main characters was played by a male actor in drag.

I set off with stereotypical attitudes firmly in place, expecting some sort of a cross between the Rocky Horror Picture Show and Mother Goose. Predictably, I was wrong and spent a very pleasant couple of hours watching my guesswork being merrily blown out of the water.

The setting of Hairspray is Baltimore, Maryland in 1962; time of racial segregation in many US states and time of the emergence of the teenager as a powerful force for marketing. In steps Tracy Turnblad, a big girl in search of fame. She lives for her daily fix of the Corney Collins show and her dreams look as though they might come true when they announce auditions for new dancers. The bickering and narrow-minded producers deem Tracy to be too fat, but they also show ratings-grabbing prejudice by refusing to have black dancers on the show.

Unlikely heroine

As the story unfolds, Tracy becomes the unlikely heroine. In detention at school one day, she makes friends with the black student Seaweed, who teaches her some rhythm and blues moves. This leads to her getting a place as a dancer on the show when Corney Collins spots her new dance moves at the school hop. Buoyed up by her new-found fame, she expresses her frustration at the marginalisation of the black dancers and finds herself so devoted to the cause that she demonstrates with them, is abandoned by Link because he can’t take the heat, and is then arrested. Inevitably, the happy-ever-after resolution involves freedom, acclaim, successful reuniting with love interest and full honour given as dancer on Corney Collins show, all accompanied by fabulous dancing and memorable musical numbers.

Social justice theme

The theme of social justice in a historical context is an interesting form of edutainment for a new generation. For my niece, born in 1999 and so only just scraping the end of the 20th century, the 60s must seem a distant idea that jostles for chronology with two world wars and the birth of motorised transport.

Other merits of the show include the strength of family love and loyalty. There is a symmetry brought to the characters in four mother-daughter relationships that span the social divides but which are uncannily similar in character. The generations are frustrated with one another but support each other nonetheless. Having said that, the fathers are a little absent. Perhaps it is meant to be a sign of the changing times that the 60s brought a weakened masculinity — after keeping the country running during the 40s, women were bringing their girls up to believe that they could make a good deal more of themselves if they put their minds to it.

The contemporary emergence of feminism isn’t really mentioned in Hairspray, but the strength of the female characters and the absence of any strong male characters suggests that it lurks in the background. Tracy’s father spoils his girls, Link is initially an unthinking puppet being pulled around by hairheaded girlfriend Amber, and Corney Collins schmoozes media glamour and false smiles. It is up to the girls to push through any social reform that needs demonstrating for.

A telling sign

The enduring and highly appealing conclusion of the show is that social prejudice can be overcome. The main issue of fat-ism is dealt with so convincingly that whatever your size, upbeat Tracy will teach you that you can achieve anything you like, even a dreamy boyfriend.

If you are feeling depressed about your looks, your age or maybe even your marriage, Hairspray is probably not going to help those who want to follow Jesus. There are passages in it that encourage fantasy and even though they are not adulterous within the story, unhappily married older women may be encouraged to hark back to their non-wizened days and let their minds wander. I found it interesting and saddening that there were dozens of cards advertising toy boy escorts stuck into the poster hoardings outside the theatre. It may be a telling sign of where the fantasies may sometimes lead.

I guess that there are obvious Bible-rooted things to say here about identity and satisfaction. Jesus tells his listeners in Matthew 6.31-34 that their Father in heaven already knows what they need. When it comes to thinking about what we eat and obsessing about what we wear, non-believers can get into a right tangle, running all around after things that they think will make them happy.

Tracy is desperate for fame through her dancing and audiences may crave the social success that she enjoys despite being a large woman. Jesus seeks to calm and reassure us in any anxiety we have. He reminds us that, in seeking his kingdom and his righteousness, we can trust him for food, clothes and anything else that we desire, since our Father knows what we need and will give them to us at the right time.

Eleanor Margesson

© Evangelicals Now - July 2009
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