THERE'S one really easy way to tell what an audience thought of a theatre performance - the number of people on their feet at the end of the show.

And it's fair to say that not a single person was left in their seat by the end of last night's performance of Hairspray at Malvern Theatre.

Set against the backdrop of the American civil rights movement of the 1960s, Hairspray tells the story of plucky Tracy Turnblad - a big girl with big hair - who dreams of dancing on the Corny Collins show and winning the heart of smooth-talking Link Larkin.

At an audition for the show, Tracy's told she won't.quite.make.the.cut but when she's given detention - AGAIN - she picks up some smooth mooves from Seaweed and his gang and soon catches Corny's eye, bagging herself a place on his show alongside the Nicest Kids in Town.

But soon there's a bigger dream on the table. She's done with segregation and can't understand why she can't dance with her friends in public so she leads a protest calling for integration.

A short-time-in-jail and whole-lot-of-drama-and-fun later, Tracy's got herself a man, a whole new group of friends and has proven there is more to a person than colour or size.

From the moment she wakes up and kicks things off with her rendition of Good Morning Baltimore, we're rooting for big-hearted Tracy and Freya Sutton plays the character faultlessly throughout the subsequent two hours (ish).

Claire Sweeney is outstanding as colour prejudiced studio manager Velma Von Tussle while Lauren Stroud is perfect as her beautiful but judgemental daughter Amber.

Ashley Gilmour has honed his Elvis Presley-esque moves and is charming and charismatic as Link Larkin while Dex Lee is a star as Seaweed and Jon Tsouras effortlessly cool as Corny Collins.

Tony Maudsley is warm and likeable as larger-than-life Edna Turnblad while Peter Duncan plays up to the role of supportive dad and husband Wilbur Turnblad.

As Motormouth Maybelle, former X Factor contestant Brenda Edwards is breathtaking and as she belts out I Know Where I’ve Been television screens surrounding the stage show real photographs and footage from the civil rights movement.

Producer Mark Goucher writes in the show programme's foreword that he believes theatre has an obligation to both educate and entertain.

Hairspray is an example of a show that effortlessly weaves the core messages of inclusion and acceptance with a bucket load of laughs - and maybe a few tears - and you’ll leave the theatre feeling warm inside.

Hairspray is at Malvern Theatre until Saturday (October 10).