Cast of Hairspray say audiences are better the further north they go as musical arrives at Edinburgh Playhouse

Hairspray the Musical has been wowing crowds since it arrived in the Capital this week.

The show kicked off with big hair and even bigger dance numbers at the Edinburgh Playhouse on Monday, October 7.

Set in the 1960s, the musical tells the story of teenage girl Tracy Turnblad, whose dreams of becoming a famous dancer come true after winning a spot on the Corny Collins Show, becoming a celebrity overnight.

But the budding superstar learns important lessons along the way, battling alongside her friends against racism and segregation on the set.

This year the show stars Strictly Come Dancing’s Joanne Clifton as villainous TV producer Velma Von Tussle in the musical, all while filming Strictly’s behind-the-scenes documentary It Takes Two.

Joanne told STV News: “I am a little bit busy doing the show and doing It Takes Two with Strictly, but I’ve got the Sundays off for the most part. So I go home, I rewatch Strictly, I make my notes on it and then if I have to do It Takes Two I will take the Monday off.

“But on weeks that I don’t, I can just chill and enjoy watching Strictly on the Sunday and then I’m back being flung upside down on the Monday.”

Playing Tracy’s mum Edna Turnblad is theatre star Neil Hurst.

He said: “There’s no crowd better than a Scottish crowd. Especially here – when this place is full of people, it’s absolutely buzzing.

“We opened on Monday and it was absolutely wonderful here.

“I find the further north you go the audiences get better. I love it.”

Hairspray the Musical is on until Saturday October 12 and will return to Scotland in Glasgow at the end of January.