Grease

It has been quite a while since I saw this show and, since then, it has had a professional West End revival and a national tour. I was, therefore, expecting some changes.  Thankfully not enough to change the heart of the show.  I think I spotted a couple of new songs, and I am pretty sure that the script has been rearranged.  However, it would take someone with far more knowledge of the production to spot anything different. The show still has the feelgood factor and all the songs we remember are there.

The Creative team did a great job bringing the show to life and there was really only one point that I was unable to see the action.  This was in the bedroom scene when the girls were sitting on the floor.  Sitting towards the back of the auditorium I had to twist to look around the person in front to see it and I am sure that I must have irritated the person sitting behind me.  But this is always going to be a possibility when the majority of the audience are sitting on the flat!

But this is a minor criticism when the entire cast put so much into their performances.  Every member of the cast played their character well and although the stage was sometimes full, I could see everyone and loved their interactions.

The principals were all good, Alex Bracey played Danny Zuco.  It would be very easy to play this character over the top, but Alex pitched it perfectly.  Evie Forsdicke made a perfect Sandy with some lovely facial expressions. 

The Pink Ladies, Zoe North (Rizzo) Lily Bond (Jan) Jemma Wilson (Frenchy) and Marisa Hook (Marty) made a great team and produced excellent characterisations.  The boys were not called the T-Birds, I am not sure why and I noted a few comments in the audience when the backs of their jackets revealed a different name.  I assume it was something to do with the rewrite and really not important to the show!  Their performances were all good, Daniel Hughes (Kenickie) Simon Warren (Roger) Marshall Reeve (Doody) and Jamie Collins (Sonny) each had their own character and played them to great effect.  Each pair of Principals also had a good relationship and the whole group really made me feel they had been friends, at school, for years.

There are a lot of other Principals in the show, and I commend all of them for producing excellent characters, Jack Bloomfield (Eugene) was slightly over the top in his character, but it was very well done.  Macy Davies was very good as Patty, very irritating which is exactly what she should be!    Louise May (Miss Lynch) Jimmy Atkin (Vince Fontaine) Ian Bayton (Teen Angel) and Cerys Roscoe (Cha Cha) were all excellent.  Each grabbing at the opportunity to produce entertaining performances.

The members of the ensemble were all good and the dancing was well choreographed and also well executed.  The singing was strong especially from the Principals.

The costumes were excellent, as a costumier myself, I always pay attention to the detail, and the wardrobe team did a superb job.  There appeared to be some genuine period dresses and, even when they had been made, the styles were absolutely spot on.  It is such a pleasure to see a wardrobe team put so much effort into the costumes they produce.

The set was simple but very effective and the moveable staircase presented plenty of opportunities for changing the scene.  I particularly liked the scene changing, done by the cast, it was smooth and did not affect the pace of the show.    Lighting was superb, the attention to detail to produce the atmospheric effects was very much appreciated.

Overall, a feel-good show that left me singing the songs all the way home and reminiscing about my teenage years!

I must thank the Front of House team for making me feel so welcome and vice chair Deanna Dickson for looking after me so well. It is always a pleasure to visit the Lowestoft Players, and I look forward to the next production.

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