Review: Cry-Baby The Musical, Arcola Theatre

Writer and director John Waters collaborated with Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan to adapt two of his films into stage productions: Hairspray (1988) and Cry-Baby (1990). While Hairspray is the more popular of the two, Cry-Baby is as equally comedic and entertaining. Opening on Broadway in 2008 and touring Australia and New Zealand in subsequent years, this long-awaited musical has now finally arrived in London at the Arcola Theatre. 

Set in Waters’ hometown of Baltimore, Cry-Baby the Musical remains faithful to the film’s plot, with only slight adjustments made due to the limitations of the stage. Taking place in the 1950s, it follows upper-class square Allison (Lulu-Mae Pears) falling for leather-clad rebel Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker (Adam Davidson). 

With seventeen cast members on the Arcola Theatre’s stage (a first in its history), the production delivers an upbeat, satirical spectacle. Each cast member is undeniably talented but special mention must go to Eleanor Walsh as Cry-Baby’s unhinged stalker, Lenora. Her physical comedic timing is unmatched and her vocals in ‘Screw Loose’ are outstanding. Equally impressive is Chad Saint Louis as the music bar maestro, Dupree W. Dupree, who I would have loved to have heard even more solos from. 

The musical is side-splittingly funny with hilarious moments such as when Allison insists she doesn’t know the words to ‘Baby Baby Baby Baby Baby (Baby Baby)’, despite the chorus repeating just that word. Highlighting the paranoia of McCarthyism and the Red Scare, in the country club, the Squares snobbishly tell the waiting staff that the emergency bunker is for paying members only. 

David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger’s songs propel the show forward, with standout numbers like ‘A Little Upset’, featuring an incredible, energetic Jailhouse Rock-style dance routine, choreographed by Chris Whittaker. The music reflects the 1950s era with a variety of barbershop quartets, slower blues numbers and lively rock n roll tracks. 

The comedy of the musical shines through in the songs as well. The girl gang (Laura Buhagiar, India Chadwick and Jazzy Phoenix) reminisce about past misdeeds in ‘A Whole Lot Worse’ with the line, “Never followed no rules, they kicked me out of nine nursery schools”. Their powerful voices complement each other perfectly, resulting in luscious harmonies. Additionally, the songs ‘I’m Infected’ and ‘Girl, Can I Kiss You With Tongue?’ hilariously capture the awkward yet endearing teenage angst of loving someone for the first time. 

As multiple cast members are on stage at once the set cannot be overly complicated, but Robert Innes Hopkins finds the perfect balance with a minimalist design. There’s a large American flag projected onto the back wall, reminiscent of the artist Jasper Johns. This prompts the audience to reflect on what the American flag represents to people and how its meaning may have changed from the 1950s to today. Signs and banners that lower down from the ceiling are used to indicate changes in location and a mini platform serves as a versatile stage. 

The show is exceptionally enjoyable but my only criticism is that the cast’s mics were left on when they left the stage, allowing us to overhear them chatting backstage. This was incredibly distracting, however, I’m sure this can be ironed out for the rest of the run.  

Cry-Baby embraces its own silliness, which is part of what makes it so addictive. It’s satirical, ridiculous and lots of fun. It acknowledges potential plot holes with humour and wit, so, for instance, you don’t mind how absurd it is that a guitar is given as an apology for causing a death. This musical invites the audience to share in the joke, laughing with it rather than laughing at it. 

Book by: Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan
Songs by: David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger
Directed by: Mehmet Ergen
Set and Costume Design by: Robert Innes Hopkins
Choreographed by: Chris Whittaker
Lighting Design by: David Howe

Cry-Baby the Musical plays until Saturday 12 April at the Arcola Theatre.