Grease is most definitely the word on everyone’s lips after attending last nights show at the Alhambra, as it’s fair to say the withdrawals from the thrill and excitement have well and truly kicked in. There are always high expectations for beloved productions such as Grease, and the performance by the cast and crew exceeded all of them, inviting in younger audiences by bringing fresh new ideas but also reminding those maturer fans of their favourite scenes and songs.
The show was impressively enticing, horny and funny with the entertaining representations of the burger bar boys and the pink ladies, the cast hit the nail on the head while capturing these characters, whether it was on their best or worst behaviour the teen groups had the audience in stitches.
The show invites you in like Sandy into the pink ladies, slowly and then all at once, and before you know it, you’re infatuated, desperate to be a part of it. As the beat of Greased Lightening filled the theatre feet were tapping and hands were slapping knees, the cast put on a brilliant performance and provided an atmosphere of togetherness influencing the audience to sing along.
Nikolai Foster has created a fresh face to the musical with his take on Grease, including both the uplifting, cheerful and entertaining aspects of the Hollywood blockbuster and combining it with the gritty, sexual and realistic initial stage version from the early 70’s. He presents that raw teenager behaviour and cheekiness through the actions of the burger boys, a group of boys that can’t keep their hands to themselves and follow wherever trouble leads them.
The show opened and kept going like a broken record, delivering banger after banger, every musical is situated around music but the power of a beat in Grease is far more impressionable. The jukeboxes and record players were placed in different scenes but the constructive decision to have Vince Fontaine as a narrator and radio presenter created a smooth spin for every scene. Joe Gash was the gift that kept on giving, delivering his lines faster than greased lightening could keep up with, but he also had the audiences swooning for him just as much as the high schoolers. His heavy hips and swag fashion sense was both endearing and entertaining. Not only will Vince Fontaine’s voice and charisma draw you in but the bright lights that read ‘Rydell High’ accentuated by the interchangeable set designs are powerful in telling the story, throwing you right back into the action of the 50’s.
Stage leads, Danny and Sandy played by Marley Fenton and Hope Dawe truly stole the show, capturing the famous romantic duo perfectly. The pair stunned the audiences and raised arm hairs to their heights during the number summer nights, their vocal range left the audience in awe and covered in goosebumps. Fosters production of Grease was truly sensational and a credit to the previous adaptations of the hit musical, if you want a musical that will leave you tingling in your toes after feeding rock n roll through you bones then this one’s for you. Be prepared to have the Grease soundtrack on repeat for a week straight after just so you can keep reliving the wonders that you witnessed. Schools out.
Reviewer: Phoebe Hobson
Reviewed: 30th July 2024
North West End UK Rating:
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