For many of us, any mention of Grease conjures up happy memories of Olivia Newton-John’s ‘Sandy’ pairing up with John Travolta’s ‘Danny’ in sunny California.   However, in this production of Grease we find ourselves in in Chicago, the setting of the original 1971 stage musical.  Director Nikolai Foster has not revived that first show in its entirety which, as a programme note tells us, was ‘rough, aggressive, and purposely vulgar; full of cursing, sex and grit.’(!) This vibrant, fast-paced version is not quite as glossily sanitised as the 1978 movie, but it is family friendly, the emphasis being on song and dance, rather than on social realism. Yes, the greasers strut their stuff in their leather jackets, but though they are in a gang, they are a long way from being gangsters. Their macho posturing is largely comic, and carries no real threat. Foster has wisely included the big numbers that were written for the film, for though Grease Is The Word and Hopelessly Devoted To You may not be true to the doo-wop style of the late 1950s, they are darn good songs, and a contemporary audience would feel short-changed if not given the chance to join in the ‘ooh, ooh, oohs’ from You’re the One That I Want.

Making her professional debut in the role, last night’s Sandy was played by Ellie Kingdon.  She succeeded in conveying Sandy’s essential wholesomeness without being cloyingly sweet; she is no goody two- shoes, but rather a young woman with a strong moral sense and the capacity to assert herself when the need arises. And Kingdon has a singing voice that most certainly asserts itself; her passionate rendition of Hopelessly Devoted To You was impressive both for its emotional intensity and for its sheer volume.  She was partnered by Dan Partridge as Danny Zuko, the conflicted leader of the greaser gang, who is torn between his desire to sustain an uncompromising public image of toughness, and his private and much more tender feelings for Sandy. In the original show, Danny intends to become a major gangland figure, as glimpsed here in Partridge’s singing of How Big I’m Gonna Be, a number that inevitably did not feature in the movie version.

Among other roles I particularly liked Marianna Neofitou’s good-natured but somewhat dim Frenchy, a performance that contrasted neatly with Alishia-Marie Blake’s slinky, sharp-tongued Rizzo, an apparently hard-skinned and sophisticated member of the ‘Pink Ladies’, but one who is more vulnerable than she appears. And Josh Barnett and Maeve Byrne were splendidly goofy as the gauche pair Roger and Jan. They have great fun with two interpretations of the verb ‘mooning’, one rather rude, and the other more romantic.

However, the undoubted highlight of last night’s show was Peter Andre’s beautifully judged portrayal of Vince Fontaine, the epitome of a bequiffed crooner of the 1950s. With a nod and a wink in the direction of his own years as a teen heartthrob, he cleverly parodied the kind of singer who is all showbiz artifice, resplendent in a leopard skin jacket and throwing exaggerated frozen postures at every available moment.  Andre is a bona fide star, but he did not seek to upstage his fellow actors or milk the much-deserved applause that he received.  This was a generous and very funny performance.

Another strong feature of this show is Arlene Philips superb choreography.  While not slavishly adhering to the dance styles of the time, she has woven elements of jive, jitterbug and bop into ensemble numbers like We Go Together, Shakin’ At The High School Hop, and, of course, Hand Jive. These are performed with acrobatic skill by the young cast. It’s breathless stuff.

As with most modern musicals, everyone is miked up, and the volume control is frequently turned up very high.  Dialogue is occasionally lost in the noise, and the fast pace of the show gives little time for nuance or subtlety. Many roles are sketched in very broadly indeed, with, for example, the policeman Officer Maiale being positively cartoonish.  Anyone unfamiliar with the story might struggle to follow some plot and character details, which occasionally seem a little rushed.  For example, I would have liked more of Doody’s struggle to master four chords on his guitar, and greater attention could be given to Rizzo’s fear of an unwanted pregnancy. Even Sandy’s final transformation into a leather-clad greaser girl passes by rather too quickly. And a touch more of that original ‘grit’ would give this show a greater emotional depth.  But I cavil; Grease owes its huge popularity chiefly to the catchiness of its songs, and in this colourful, high-spirited show they are given out with gusto. Bravo!    ★★★★☆   Mike Whitton   23^rd September 2021