Summer’s over and Danny Zuko, a boy “as cute as can be” brags to his gang a couple of summer time fling that “don’t mean a thing” with a lady known as Sandy Dumbrowski. So begins Grease, one of many world’s best-loved musicals. But the lady he thought he’d liked and left behind instantly arrives at his highschool. With his status as the good man on the town in danger, peer stress on his shoulders however love on his thoughts, can he re-kindle the romance and convey a couple of glad ending to his ultimate 12 months at Rydell High School?
Nikolai Foster and his staff at Leicester’s Curve have revived the acquainted story for the twenty first Century. Foster has reverted to the grittier, 1971 stage model, initially a portrayal of working class (primarily Polish immigrant) children from Chicago, and re-instated Danny’s gang’s identify to the Burger Palace Boys and Sandy’s surname from Olsson again to Dumbrowski. Foster has managed to strip away a lot of the sanitisation the present has gone by way of in its journey to international acclaim (although grittier, it stays secure sufficient for a household viewers).
The quantity is firmly at 11 all through and the stay band within the pit are on advantageous kind. When singing as an organization the manufacturing soars. Unfortunately, that isn’t true of a number of the particular person performances the place the vocals are less than the calls for of the rating. That stated, a number of the songs have undergone new preparations by the hands of Sarah Travis and whereas bringing one thing new, in songs so acquainted to the viewers, they will register as a bit jarring.
Colin Richmond’s set is intelligent and purposeful and transforms merely however successfully from scene to scene. Of be aware although is Ben Cracknell’s lighting design which provides wealthy and moody tones to the motion. Cracknell is a grasp of his craft.
With the present working late to begin and a stage filled with stand ins, the solid cope remarkably nicely. The vitality ranges and enthusiasm are unmatched and so they execute Dame Arlene Phillips athletic choreography with razor sharp precision. Phillip’s choreo has nods to the 50s however has been introduced bang updated. The ensemble are the stand-outs and every is given their probability to shine. As for the leads: Danny Zuko (Ben Middleton) is okay voiced however the actor’s portrayal must be a bit rougher spherical the sides. Less profitable is stand-in Sandy (India Chadwick) whose voice grates and whose vocal decisions at instances perplex as she struggles to advantageous the tune, her dancing expertise too are thrown into sharp distinction in addition to a knock-out ensemble. Disappointing, however comprehensible as they’ve been thrown collectively tonight, there’s a lack of chemistry between the pair and you actually don’t care whether or not there’s a contented ending for them each or not.
With songs so well-known, you’ll be able to neglect the story that weaves round them and that is the place the fabric is exhibiting its age. There are severe peaks and troughs to the motion and the ending when it comes appears to take action fairly abruptly. There are quite a few scenes the place the narrative lags and you may’t assist prepared away the dialogue to get to the following tune.
If the bought out, packed to the rafters viewers is something to go by then the urge for food for this tacky nostalgia-fest appears unabated. The songs are undeniably implausible and this band and firm definitely belt them out with gusto. If the solid isn’t topic to the large quantity of change that there was on this press night time, then I’m positive Grease will stay a agency favorite within the hearts of the theatre-going public.
Runs till 22 June 2024
