The Stage

Grease

Published Thursday 9 August 2007 at 13:20 by Paul Vale

In the US in the fifties, teenager Sandy Dumbrowski folds under peer pressure and decides that the only way to win back her boyfriend Danny is to dress like a slut. Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey’s affectionate pastiche on the wholesome beach movies of the period might not send out the best message, but it is done with such cracking musical numbers and a witty script that these things may be overlooked. The movie version of the stage show, with the introduction of new songs, has long been a classic and this production manages a neat hybrid of the two. Add to this heady mixture a reality TV search for a star and an enthusiastic young cast, and the result should be a familiar and fun night out at the theatre.

Sadly among all the hoopla, any hint of charm the original may have had is smothered by deafening orchestration, over-zealous direction, moments of toe-curling camp and a selection of accomplished but soulless karaoke tunes.

The performances here were bursting with enthusiasm and certainly for this production David Ian and the general public have made good choices in Danny Bayne and Susan McFadden as Danny and Sandy. Bayne moves expertly to Arlene Phillips’ tightly choreographed routines, and McFadden makes for a feisty Sandy, but neither appear to have been allowed to experiment with a tried and tested formula, resulting in numbers that sound great but achieve little else. Sean Mulligan makes for a strong and raunchy Kenickie opposite Jayde Westaby’s hard-nosed Rizzo. Peeking their heads above the melee are Laurie Scarth as a rather delightful Jan, Charlie Cameron, camping it up as the teenage vamp, Marty, and Lee Martin as the shy Doody. It was nice to see David Ian’s favourite Maria Von-Trapp, Siobhan Dillon, making a rather wonderful baton-twirling Patti Simcox, a much meatier role in the stage production.

There is an element of smug self-satisfaction about this production that seriously needs addressing, and it has nothing to do with the cast or reality television. By all means, give the West End new stars via an audience vote, but don’t drop them into overworked, second-hand shows like this.