Grease – REVIEW

The brand new, Australian production of Grease makes the most of its songbook of infectious, popular tunes and the fizzy feel of its 1950s high school setting. It’s a fun and energetic show, and the sing-and-dance-a-long medley at the end should ensure audience members leave on a high. If only the script didn’t feel bubble-gum that had been chewed beyond all flavour. 

While this remounting of Grease incorporates songs that had been added for the film adaptation, it is pretty much based on the original 1972 Broadway stage version of the show created by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. A lot has changed since then, but alas, the script hasn’t caught up. 

In fact, it’s probably not a brilliant script to begin with. The plot is flimsy as tissue paper and quite messy. The characters have as much depth and emotional appeal as stick figures etched into a school desk. Some jokes land, but much of the humour ranges from infantile and crass to tone-deaf and offensive.  

There are quite long (or, at least, they feel that way) spoken scenes between the musical numbers, and they highlight just how clunky and dated the dialogue is. 

However…

The musical numbers are terrific, with a nice variety of ballads, rock tunes, and novelty songs, and a couple of outstanding vocal performances. Be warned: if you’re holding a drink when the opening chords of “Grease Is The Word” blast out, you may end up wearing it. 

“Summer Loving” looks very similar to the way it was choreographed for the film, making use of two large side-by-side bleachers that dominate the stage and spin on a revolve to effect later scene changes. 

“Born To Hand Jive”, sung by Jay Laga’aia, who hams it up as Vince Fontaine, is an exciting, frenetic number with opportunity to spotlight individual dancers. “Greased Lightning” is undoubtedly a high point, with great lighting, stage design, and choreography and very clever car transformation sequence. This is Keanu Gonzalez’s moment and he seizes it with sweat and testosterone. 

“Beauty School Drop-out” is arguably the most impressive number of the show. Staged like an early Hollywood Busby Berkley style routine, it, of course, features the truly heavenly Marcia Hines as Teen Angel. Hines has the audience eating out of her hand as soon as she revolves into view. Put a gospel/funk spin on the song towards the end is a stroke of genius. 

But, the unexpected show-stopper is inarguably Rizzo’s (Mackenzie Dunn) rendition of “There Are Worse Things I Could Do”. It comes at a poignant moment in the story, and it is visceral, brutally honest, easily the most emotionally authentic song in the show. Dunn’s performance is stunning, every bell-like note, every heart-felt word, wafting like smoke from a final cigarette, out into the transfixed audience. 

Dunn received lingering cheers and applause, very nearly a standing ovation. 

The gorgeous Patti Newtown brings a sense of regality to the stage. She is clearly having fun and the crowd and cast clearly love her. 

Headliners, Joseph Spanti as Danny, and Annelise Hall as Sandy, do a good job with what they’ve got, but the script doesn’t allow their relationship to last beyond two minutes between whimsical break-offs, so it’s hard to really care. 

This is a bubbly, colourful production with lots to enjoy, but the problematic elements might be a deal breaker for some. 

Until June 1

Capitol Theatre, 13 Campbell St, Haymarket

www.capitoltheatre.com.au/grease