Grease is the Word!

Grease

Grease, the musical now being staged at the Lyric Theatre in Sydney, and soon to move to Melbourne, is being advertised as "The No. 1 Party Musical!". After going along to see Grease at the weekend I can understand why it is being advertised that way. People go to a party to have fun and enjoy themselves. That is what I, and the full theatre of party goers, did at Grease. We had fun and enjoyed ourselves.

Most people are familiar with Grease from the 1978 movie starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. I remember being a Council Youth Worker back in 1978 with the task of organizing a two week school holiday program for teenagers. The most popular activities in this holiday program were the bus trips to see Grease at a movie theatre in a nearby city. Grease actually started out as a stage musical on Broadway in 1971 prior to the movie.

Sandy - Gretel Scarlett

There have been plenty of Grease stage productions over the years. Our local amateur theatre company performed Grease 6 years ago, and our local Catholic high school put it on 2 years ago. What struck me most about this current Sydney show is the amount of energy displayed on stage in all the movements of the singers, actors and dancers. There was never a dull moment in it. In some ways the show moved too quickly, with not enough time between songs to build up the unique personalities of each of the characters.

The two lead roles of Danny and Sandy are played by Rob Mills and Gretel Scarlett, who have both starred in previous stage productions. They were excellent choices as they portrayed the personalities and emotions of Danny and Sandy so well that they made me forget about comparing them to John and Olivia from the movie version.

Danny - Rob Mills

Two other stars of the show were unfortunately not available for the performance I saw. Anthony Callea, who plays Johnny Casino, was sick, and Todd McKenney, who plays Teen Angel was away recording Dancing With the Stars. I have heard from others who have seen them in these roles that they are stand-outs  and make the show. It would have been good to see them on stage, as I am familiar with them from their television appearances. However, the two people who took their places were great and did not detract from the show. In some ways I feel that this may have been better, as I think a performance is based on what is happening on stage in front of your eyes now rather than on an actors past record.

Grease is set in 1959 in the American Rydell High School, whose Principal Miss Lynch is played by Val Lehman. Val is best known for being Queen Bea Smith in the Australian TV show Prisoner. Val takes on her Principal role with all the sternness that is required but intermingled with kindness and humour.

DJ Vince Fontaine is played by the ever popular Bert Newton. His sparkle and vibrancy added to the show and he was a good contrast to the other youthful cast members.

In the 1950's it was cool to be in special clique groups at high school, as it is now. The guys who made up the T-Birds (Kenickie, Doody, Sonny, and Putzie) were a convincing set of young guys who depicted one of the many types of groups that were popular in a 50's high school. They danced and sang well as individuals and as a group. The Pink Ladies (Rizzo, Frenchy, Marty, and Jan) were excellent in displaying the togetherness and bitchiness of close knit bunch of young ladies at high school. Lucy Maunder is exceptional as Rizzo, the leader of the Pink Ladies and her singing of There Are Worse Things I Could Do is   impressive. The Pink Ladies bedroom pyjama party scene was particularly effective.

Lyric Theatre

All the elements of the show - from the sets, lighting, cars, hairdo's and clothes worn - captured the spirit of the 1950's rock ‘n’ roll era. The sets were simple and more symbolic than overwhelming. The lighting pulsed with the mood of the songs and dances. The car used in the Greased Lightnin’ song was a highlight. The slicked up and back hairdos of the guys and the styled hairdos of the girls transported us back in time. The T-Birds leather jackets looked cool, the guys' T-shirts and jeans made them look younger and the ladies' costumes were bold and bright, and just the right length, fullness and swishiness, to recreate the rock ‘n’ roll era.

It is the combination of singing and dancing that makes Grease. The songs from Grease are all well known - Summer Nights, Hopelessly Devoted to You, You’re The One That I Want, Greased Lightnin’, and Grease is the Word. All were sung with gusto with perfect pitch and timing. The music was provided by a six-piece band elevated at the back of the stage, sometimes in view and sometimes hidden. The music played for the ballad numbers was clear and precise and complemented the singers. I felt with some of the louder numbers the volume level more suited to an arena rather than a theatre.

Vince - Bert Newton

The dancing was polished and energetic. It was amazing that no-one bumped into each other or fell off the stage. Andrea Arena, who played the feisty Cha Cha, was a standout wowing the audience with her aggressive and passionate dancing.

When I was at uni my drama lecturer always emphasized the importance of audience participation. This production of Grease does this brilliantly even before the show starts with the appearance of DJ Vince Fontaine (Bert Newton) and Principal Miss Lynch (Val Lehman) pointing out the school rules and leading the school sing-along.

I must not forget the comedy that makes Grease such fun to see. The one-liners, movements and gestures all lightened up the deeper themes of friendship, love, loyalty, jealousy, rebellion, growing up and fitting in that are the essential components of Grease.

Grease will appeal to young and old. It was good to see the wide ranges of ages enjoying the show I attended in the packed theatre. The children, teenagers, young adults and older adults in the audience were all bopping along with the music. Some were even dressed up as characters from Grease.

Due to its popularity there are only limited tickets available for the Sydney season before it moves on to Melbourne. You will need to get in quickly to book your seats to see Grease otherwise you might miss out on seeing this remarkable show.

To sum up this amazing production of Grease - it’s got groove, it’s got meaning, it's truly electrifyin’!

For more information visit greaseistheword.com.au  
Facebook:  facebook.com/GreaseOzTour  
When: Sydney until 22 December 2013. Tues – 7pm,Wed – 1pm & 8pm, Thurs – 8pm, Fri – 8pm, Sat – 2pm & 8pm, Sun – 3pm
            - Opening in Melbourne on 2 January 2014.
Tickets: $64.90-$149.90 can be purchased online, or by phone 1300 723 038, or at various outlets in person (see website for locations)