You'll be hopelessly devoted to this touring production of Grease. Cheesy, I know, but it's true. The much-loved 1978 film is ingrained in so many of our minds, that the stage version is always up against it to banish thoughts of Travolta strutting and Newton-John catsuiting.
This show - directed in effervescent fashion by Nikolai Foster, celebrated artistic director of Leicester's Curve theatre - banishes with aplomb thanks to a talented young cast who make the most of the rawer, original stage hit from 1971 (with the favourite songs which were added to the movie version, such as You're The One That I Want). It's a rip-roaring affair with super-slick, rocking DJ Vince Fontaine acting as our host; a brilliant turn by Joe Gash, especially when he comes down from the overheard record booth and judges the high school dance competition (Hand Jive). Joe also camps it up as Teen Angel for a glorious Beauty School Dropout.
It's all about Danny and Sandy, of course. Marley Fenton is great as the bad boy trying best to hide his sensitive side from his gang, the Burger Palace Boys. There's a lovely rendition of Sandy and he's particularly good during How Big I'm Gonna Be, which never made the film.
Hope Dawe, in her professional debut, makes a fantastic Sandy Dumbrowski - demure and buttoned-up, but with an absolutely killer voice. Her Hopelessly Devoted To You is stunning, giving an extra emotional resonance missing from Newton-John's well-known version. The ensemble cast are all great - Rebecca Stenhouse is a standout as Rizzo, all comedic in Sandra Dee and heartbreaking in There Are Worse Things I Could Do, while Adam Davidson as Kenickie (a brilliant Greased Lightning with, yes, a real car and naughtier lyrics), Lauren Kate Hampton as Marty - both stepping up to the roles in from smaller parts - Kieran Lynch as Doody and Alicia Belgarde as Frenchy were all fantastic.
The musicians in the pit are sublime too. For those who've never seen the stage show before, like me, there are plenty of surprises - a whole host of songs which never made the big screen. They're all great, from Marty's Freddy My Love to Doody's Those Magic Changes and Roger (Lewis Day) and Jan's (Emerald B) Mooning (a love song built around baring your bottom in public).
I must admit, I thought I was all Grease'd out. I've lost track of how many times I've seen the film, especially reliving it again and again through daughters who love it, so I wasn't too bothered about seeing the show when I went along with one of them. I'm glad I did - it's a total joy.
Grease is indeed the word..
