HAIRSPRAY,

the musical starring Michael Ball and Les dennis (below), had a rodent problem during its first preview at the English National opera on Monday night. during the Good Morning Baltimore number, Lizzie Bea, playing Tracy, daughter of Ball’s character Edna Turnblad, sings of the ‘rats on my street / all dance at my feet.’ at that moment a mechanical furry rat was supposed to scurry across the stage but it got stuck in the wings. ‘I noticed it wasn’t there,’ said Jerry Mitchell, show choreographer, ‘ but we just carried on.’ The audience did not notice the mishap. They lapped up the musical, and stopped the show when Marisha Wallace sang the anthem-like I Know Where I’ve Been. The cast won a prolonged standing ovation at the curtain call.