Grease

Review by: Paul Towers, 04/09/19

Grease by Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey, directed by Nikolai Foster choreography by Arlene Phillips

A Made at Curve production

Curve 3 – 14 September 2019 and touring

“a hell of a high energy show”

This Curve production of Grease has been touring since last year and makes a triumphant return to its home theatre before heading back out onto the road again.

In the interim director Nikolai Foster and Arlene Phillips have taken hold of the production and shaken it up with new choreography which raises the energy levels into the stratosphere. I last saw a touring production in 2001and this production is unrecognisable from that staid version.

The story of Grease is as old as the hills; boy meets girl, boy brags to his mates and loses the girl, girl and boy get together at the end. This is all told against the backdrop of a 1959 American High School prom. The show is jam packed with recognisable songs from Summer Nights, Greased Lightnin’, Hopelessly Devoted and You’re the One That I Want. A cracking script veers from laugh out loud moments to tearful emotions. Just like every teenager’s awkward school years.

The set is a very movable jumble of gym bars and furniture in front of a radio station which reinforces the period with various hits played in the background.

The lead characters are well cast and charismatic; Dan Partridge as Danny Zuko and Martha Kirby as Sandy Dumbrowski work very well together, especially when Sandy finally finds her mojo in the iconic You’re The One That I want. Louis Gaunt as Kenickie bounces around the stage with some impressive gymnastics; Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky as Rizzo has many of the acid one liners while Darren Bennett as Vince Fontaine, a pervy DJ, also doubles up as Teen Angel. Despite Peter Andre being plastered all over the promotional material and only occasionally appearing in the tour, he was not missed in the role.

An eight piece band were secreted at the back of the stage which gave a full sound to the actors’ voices.

All in all this is a hell of a high energy show that delivers a great night out with strong singing, outstanding dancing and good acting. Curve should be proud of the show and that so many people around the UK can see it in all its glory.

Tour details https://greasethemusicalontour.com/

Curve https://curveonline.co.uk
First published on Western Gazette