‘Grease’
Dominion Theatre
6th August 2024
‘Grease’ is one of those shows that everyone knows, even people who don’t like musicals. Who among us hasn’t performed one half of the legendary megamix (badly) at a wedding or Christmas party? Steeped in kitsch 1950s nostalgia, the original “high school musical” premiered on stage in 1971 before being immortalised on film with the world’s tightest trousers in 1978, cementing the careers of John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Following a successful run at London’s Dominion Theatre in 2022, the show is back on the road, taking us back to Rydell High and the fallout between Danny (Marley Fenton) and Sandy (Hope Dawe) following their summer romance. Reimagined by Nikolai Foster (Leicester Curve’s resident Artistic Director), and featuring choreography by Arlene Phillips, ‘Grease’ is such a well-known and often-visited show, audiences may ask… Is ‘Grease’ still the word?
The answer is, mostly, a firm “yes”. With its iconic score by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey that everyone knows the words to, ‘Grease’ remains a really enjoyable night out, and Foster’s production has a lot going for it. The show soars during the most well-known songs (“Summer Nights”, “Greased Lightning”…), and also uses less famous songs to flesh out the peripheral characters and give them their own stories, to the point where Danny and Sandy actually become the least-interesting characters and the show becomes more of an ensemble piece. These interludes are mostly successful, although a couple do slow the pace (“Freddy My Love”, for example) and make the book feel a bit “flabby”.
The set continues Curve’s recent trend of wheeling minimalist scaffolding on and off stage in place of more permanent sets, which can feel a little underwhelming and offers some strange directional choices (e.g. having characters to walk up one set of steps, only to walk straight down another set). But the DJ booth for Vince Fontaine makes a great central backdrop, and the car set-pieces are impressively delivered. Lighting design is cleverly done, bright enough to make the colours pop but also often stark enough to remind the audience of the show’s darker elements.
Foster has assembled a talented and diverse cast to tell his story. Hope Dawe makes for a charming and likeable Sandy; it’s a shame that she feels almost forgotten until halfway through Act 2, but Dawe makes sure that you remember her with a stunning rendition of “Hopelessly Devoted To You”. She sounds flawless, belting like her life depends on it, and creates a real standout moment. She appears more slightly comfortable as the “Sweet Sandy” rather than the finale’s sultrier counterpart, but she does well throughout. Rebecca Stenhouse is also brilliant as the feisty Rizzo, giving sassy snark throughout and turns “There Are Worse Things I Could Do” into a surprisingly emotional highlight. Adam Davidson has recently stepped up into the role of Kenickie, and brings real swagger to it along with some great moves, and Kieran Lynch also stands out as the adorable Doody and has a real warmth and likeability to him. The ensemble perform Phillips’ moves with precision and style, keeping their energy levels mostly high during the dance sequences, although this isn’t always consistent (“You’re The One That I Want” in particular seems to take a while to get going and requires some tightening).
Marley Fenton is marginally less successful and doesn’t always convince as Danny. Although the vocals and dance skills are there in abundance, Fenton’s acting doesn’t feel a natural fit for the character, often coming across as more “arrogantly awkward” than the effortless cool needed for Zuko. Danny is meant to be the “alpha male” of the school, but Fenton is often “out-charisma’ed” by the other male leads (Davidson’s Kenickie in particular) and doesn’t quite pull off a true “leading man” performance for this iconic role. But his energy levels are great throughout and the vocals are strong, particularly in his “Sandy” solo where he shines.
It may be over half a century old, but this new production proves that ‘Grease’ still has groove and it still has meaning. Bright and vibrant while retaining the show’s often-forgotten grittiness, the show is a fun jolt of nostalgia certain to liven up your “Summer Nights” over the next few months.
‘Grease’ runs at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 10th August 2024 before continuing on its UK tour.
Performance runtime approximately 2 hours 30 minutes including interval
