Grease

From the opening on the company in triangle formation proudly singing that “Grease is the word” in unison, sounding glorious, led by Rizzo of course, with perfectly timed and executed appropriate choreography, we all know we are in for a good show. COS mounted an ambitious production presenting the full version of “Grease” with full company, choreography, live orchestra and cast with radio mics for singing.

The set was a frame at the back, with spiral stairs either side allowing a walkway on the top between the stairs. The front allows for metal framed raked seating to be pulled out for the large company numbers or action which is very effective. The sign for Rydell High was flown up out of view and replaced for other scenes – it all worked seamlessly and smoothly. There are other pieces of set that are brought on for various scenes, creating the bedroom for the pyjama party worked really well including the window which Rizzo climbed out of to go and see the T Birds. The car: “Greased Lightning”, was absolutely brilliant, or rather different versions and aspects of the car in different scenes. It was an incredible set overall, although some of the blackouts and physical scene changes could have been shorter. The vinyl records and the record players were a lovely added detail, plus the 50’s style microphones on stands for the prom: props were of the period and helped to create the overall 1950’s feel.

The opening and performance of “Grease” was absolutely stunning. The choreography was so tight and the shapes and even between-beats movements were superb. It was a professional standard opening and wowed the audience. The costumes and looks for the characters were exactly right: Rizzo’s hair and style and gorgeous red shoes, Danny’s greased hair and quiff, T bird jackets and Pink Lady jackets, 50’s skirts and hair bands, short socks and pumps, Frenchy’s bubblegum pink hair. All the characters looked like we have expected them to look since the film “Grease” burst into cultural consciousness in 1978, all except Sandy who had brown hair. Everyone else in the cast looked exactly like the characters they have always looked like so Sandy with brown hair took a moment of getting used to – which is fine – however, the makeover at the end of the show for the classic end scene is supposed to be all over makeover, not just clothes. This was an opportunity for a wig with curls (which could have been brown or blonde) which is the usual choice, but it wasn’t taken, from the neck up Sandy looked more or less the same.

‘Grease’ is of course so incredibly well known that audience members do have expectations of exactly who the characters are and how they are meant to look. The detail in the costumes here was exactly right, Sandy being poured into the costume for the end scene for example. The script for the show is slightly different to the film but the change in the script for the end scene where Sandy punches Patty came out of nowhere and was incredibly jarring to the rest of the show and completely out of character for Sandy who has had a makeover and is trying desperately to fit in and be accepted and be the girl that is cool enough for Danny, but she hasn’t had a personality transplant. A choice could have been made to omit this even if it’s in the script. Sandy’s adorableness comes from the innocence and purity, as quoted in the lyrics for the reprise the “Sandra Dee” yet this Sandy seemed a bit feisty, pushing Rizzo in a previous scene for example.

After the fabulous show opening something did seem to go awry with the sound for the second song: “Summer Nights”, the actors were all slightly ahead of the music and not quite at the right notes, as if they couldn’t hear the music. Diction at this point could also have been clearer. It was still entertaining and fun but it lacked the beauty of the opening. The actors did seem to settle and find themselves after that song but there continued to be the occasional blip with sound such as individual radio mics not working throughout the show. There were some parts of the dialogue within the show that were missed due to this sound issue but in the main the cast didn’t let it affect them: they carried on regardless which was very professional in attitude.

The group numbers were well rehearsed and visually balanced and bright, and there were two outstanding individual vocal performances. Lillie Shelley as Marty singing “Freddie my Love” was next level professional and pitch perfect. The fun she made of herself in character as well as adding a touch of vulnerability and fragility was gorgeous. The second was Lee Durnford as Teen Angel performing “Beauty School Dropout” with the highest purest falsetto singing voice I have ever heard on an amateur stage. Again, pitch perfect and a vocal range an entire choir could be envious of: utterly gorgeous. The staging, backing vocals and dancing in both of these were superb. The emotion that all the performers put into their singing and performance of the songs was absolutely amazing, such a refreshing change from good singers just going through the motions, and the staging particularly of group numbers was tight and drilled. These actors also looked and performed as if they genuinely cared, which of course you need to really feel as the audience.

There were so many actors in this production and everyone was putting so much energy into it. Dean Garnham as Danny added some lovely details to his performance: the cigarette packet in the shorts and the way he ran when he was in the track team was incredibly laugh-out-loud funny. He also copied the John Travolta laugh, and greasing his hand over his hair to get his ring off his finger: lovely homages to the original film and the actor who made this role iconic. He certainly was a lovely Danny for Sandy to fall in love with. Lois Capel was super as Rizzo putting so much emotion into “There are worse things I could do”; Chris Powell as Roger and Chelsea Love as Jan with their romance through the whole show was so sweet, with lovely innocent chemistry, and really stood out, as did their performance of “Mooning” which was cute and funny in equal measure and pitch perfect.

There are so many things to love about this production and you can tell everyone worked so hard on it and enjoyed every second of being on stage. The connections between the characters was gorgeous, the attention to detail in Direction by John Harries-Rees and Musical Direction by Andrew Payne is to be respected: it’s no mean achievement to direct something on this scale. Choreographer Lindsay Marie Swift did an outstanding and next level job on the tight and drilled choreography and all the interesting shapes. Congratulations to everyone involved for a fantastically fabulous show.

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