Grease, The Little Theatre.

It’s 1959 and the Burger Palace Boys and Pink Ladies return to Rydell High School in this production of Grease at The Little Theatre in Leicester. The Wigston Amateur Operatic Society has produced an incredible show that is an absolute must-watch.

Grease is so iconic a musical, it really needs no introduction. It tells the story of Danny and Sandy who spent summer break together. But will their summer lovin’ survive the cliques of high school?

The live orchestra is a welcome addition to the show. I especially enjoy seeing the orchestra above the stage at several points during the show. Under the musical direction of Katie Bale, they deliver a wonderful sound that keeps the show moving.

Jenna Leigh and Gaz Hunt are strong in the lead roles of Sandy and Danny. They command attention when required, but also allow the rest of the stellar cast and ensemble to shine.

Leigh’s vocal control is immaculate, with perfect articulation and intonation even for the highest notes. Her solo performance of ‘Hopelessly Devoted To You’ is stunning with wonderful emotional depth.

Hunt is a very convincing Danny and, like Leigh, showcases his ability to expose the emotional core of a song in his performance of ‘Sandy’. Hunt portrays Danny’s multi-faceted personality well, smoothly transitioning from putting on a hardman front to showing his softer side in scenes with just Sandy. Hunt’s and Leigh’s voices pair well together in their duet of ‘You’re the One That I Want’.

The remaining members of both the Burger Palace Boys and the Pink Ladies are also very strong.

On the Boy’s side are Kenickie (Nick Wilkins), Sonny (Jay Kenney), Roger (Jacob Bale), and Doody (Zach Varnam) who all embody their characters superbly. Together, they present a fun and energetic performance of ‘Greased Lightning’ led by Wilkins (with a car centre stage, of course).

Varnam has wonderfully smooth vocals throughout, with his rendition of ‘Those Magic Changes’ being a vocal highlight. He also captures the awkward energy of his character with the right level of humour whilst still being endearing. His duet of ‘Rock and Roll Party Queen’ with Bale is surprisingly touching, with both of their voices working well together.

In the Ladies are Rizzo (Katie Wilson), Marty (Katie Proctor), Jan (Lucy Foreman) and Frenchy (Emily Woodall). Again, all are excellent singers and performers and each deliver strong personalities to their respective characters. Foreman and Proctor, in particular, nailed the accents bringing to mind the characters in the 1978 film adaptation of the musical. Wilson smashes her performance of ‘There Are Worse Things I Could Do’. She delivers the song with beautiful vocals whilst bringing her character’s emotional struggle to the fore.

The chemistry between Bale and Foreman is particularly enjoyable to watch, with ‘Mooning’ being especially fun, helped by Bale’s strong charisma.

Outside of the gangs, David Jackson is joyous as the Teen Angel in Beauty School Dropout, resplendent in pink jewelled waistcoat and angel wings he revels in the fun of the song. Ben Bromley and Sophie Brown are great fun as Eugene and Patty, with Bromley fully leaning into the comic side of his role.

When the cast have fun, the audience has fun. It is clear how much everyone enjoyed being on the stage and that rubs off on the audience.

Sarah Varnam’s direction is slick with a strong sense of momentum throughout. The choreography by Lyd Rushton is energetic and matches the pace of the show. It is cleverly done to allow the whole cast and ensemble to be a part of the dance routines whilst allowing stronger dancers the opportunity to show off their talents.

Joe Roberts’ projection design neatly expands the set and is used to great effect in ‘Hopelessly Devoted To You’, adding just the right amount of melodrama to the number.

Seeing The Little Theatre full to the rafters warms the heart as it is a great theatre that puts on a strong variety of shows. The WAOS’ Grease is on for the rest of the week but is pretty much sold out every night, so be sure to contact the box office to check if any tickets are available.

This is community theatre at its best: a brilliant cast and crew, live music, and a sold-out auditorium. Grease by the WAOS fully deserves its opening night standing ovation.