Hairspray (musical) encourages individuality, acceptance and freedom. It is a musical that can be applied to any social context and time, as it highlights ongoing issues such as fat-shaming, racism and discrimination. It also explores femininity in terms of the female characters. Notably, Tracy’s mother, Edna Turnblad, is performed in drag during the shows. Allowing a drag role for Edna adds a queerness to the musical as it does not include any gay characters. Edna is considered to be the non-racialised other that is part of the story in Hairspray. The musical also challenges the societal norms of a female. The body
West End theatre "The Phantom of the Opera", "Lion King" and Willy Russell's "Blood Brothers" which have also subsequently overtaken "Cats". However the non-musical Agatha Christie play "The Mousetrap" is the longest-running production in the world, and has been performed continuously since 1952. The following have been announced as future West End productions. The theatre in which they will run is either not yet known or currently occupied by another show. The term "West End theatre" is generally used to refer specifically to commercial productions in Theatreland. However, the leading non-commercial theatres in London enjoy great artistic prestige. These include the Royal National