Grease

Performed at Palace Theatre Thursday 9th May 2024 at 7:30pm                    

We all know and love the cult classic Grease but admittedly I have never been a huge fan of the stage show. The script is, in all honesty, a bit naff and it's not enough to simply rely on the classic hits, which is where a lot of amateur productions fall short.

Congratulations LTC. This show is outstanding.

I must apologise that it's impossible for me to name every cast and creative, as I am limited on word count but I'd like to express how expertly cast this show is. If I do not name you individually, or give direct praise, please know that this show was a huge success because every cast member brought their character to life.

The direction from husband and wife duo, Darren and Laura Harper was quite frankly, elite. They made the decision to put the movie on stage instead of putting a new spin on a classic and it paid off. 

They squeezed every ounce of comedy out of the script, added so many extra comedic moments and leant into the cheesiness of the show with multiple dream sequences and plenty of moonies! So much so that it didn't feel cheesy to watch, at all.

The leads Danny, played by Seb Poskitt-Richardson and Sandy played by Heather Smith were perfection. It was just as though John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John had walked onto the Palace Theatre Stage. Heather's vocals are impeccable and Seb has the most incredible comedic timing. They had undeniable chemistry from the start and had the audience fully invested in their story.

If we are going to address the chemistry on stage, we need to talk about Kenickie, played by Sean Hynes and Betty Rizzo, played by Katie Russo. Talk about electrifying! The on-stage relationship was believable in every aspect. I even felt a punch to the gut when Riz told Kenickie the baby wasn't his.

What impressed me the most about the Pink Ladies and Burger Palace Boys (T Birds as we know them) was how the conversations flowed. It didn't feel like stage acting - you were watching a movie. Brilliantly executed in every scene. 

A stand-out performance from the Pink Ladies is Jan, played by Charley Sutton. Loveable, funny, strong comedic timing and great vocals. 

Doody played by Lewis Carlisle also stood out for his vocals and characterisation. Strangely Doody has never been a character I remember from Grease but Lewis made him memorable. 

All of the Pink Ladies and Burger Palace Boys stayed in character throughout and are no doubt, skilled actors and vocalists. 

The show-stealer of the night has to be Eugene, played by Jack Crone. If Eugene was on stage, he held my attention. I absolutely loved the direction of adding him into most scenes to boost the comedy, he is such a talent!

The choreography by Laura Gabbitus and Paige Williamson was exceptional. “Born to Hand Jive" being a particular favourite of mine. 

Mark Smith surpassed himself with the lighting design and Glenn Oxenbury for the sound. The impeccable timing of the car lights coming at the same time as the thunder in the movie theatre was impressive and there are multiple other times, I found myself appreciating the hard work that went into those cues.

It is a shame there was some crackling of mics but overall, everyone sounded wonderful.

Hats off to Paul Day for his Musical Direction. “Grease is the Word” was an absolute belter of an opening number and set the tone for the harmonies throughout the show.

Costumes were outstanding, as always. My only gripe is there was an ensemble costume that seemed out of place in the last number but that's nit picking!

The pace of the show was great and the scene changes were expertly done, especially the change from the drive in movie theatre to the house party. Timed to perfection and really showed how possible it is to make a not so seamless transition, seamless!

There is so much more I'd love to comment on but unfortunately have ran out of space so all that's left for me to do is thank LTC for their hospitality and congratulate you all on a fantastic production.

Natalie Hills

District 10

NODA East

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