Grease is about as iconic a musical as there is. From some of the most loved songs in the musical theatre canon (arguably, even in general popular culture) to two of the most identifiable protagonists out there, almost everybody has some connection to Grease. 

This makes the task of launching a revival season for a musical like this both an easy and challenging task. On the one hand, the Grease ‘brand’ has so much goodwill in the community that audiences will likely flock to any production no matter its strength. On the other hand, with such an iconic movie cast, it is very difficult for the production team and performers to develop a show that transcends comparisons to the film. 

To address this conundrum, the production team, led by Luke Joslin, created a extraordinarily bombastic set, complete with all the iconic cars and classrooms one would expect from a production of Grease, but with the style turned up a notch. The introduction of filmic elements to the set both before the production even began and during the production (making the audience feel as if they are in the drive-in movie theatre themselves) was a fantastic touch and worked very well. The costumes were equally attention-grabbing, with variety ranging from classic T-Bird leather to the glistening prom costumes all done to perfection. 

Equally strong was the choreography, the brainchild of Eric Giancola, which was outstanding throughout the production. Every number was crisp and demonstrated remarkable skill with the iconic “Greased Lightnin’” being a particular highlight in this regard. In such a lively musical, movement can completely change the energy of the production and in this case, everything movement-wise was certainly on point.

While the choreography was a highlight of this production, the vocals throughout the ensemble unfortunately did not inspire the same enthusiasm. Joseph Spanti and Annelise Hall lacked the charisma and vocal strength to pull of the roles of Danny and Sandy, with Hall especially faltering on “Hopelessly Devoted to You”. The vocals from the rest of the ensemble also felt thin and under-developed, which was a recurring theme throughout the production. While the vocals in Grease certainly do not need to be as strong as in some other productions, in this case, they unfortunately did detract from the incredible choreography, which was a shame. 

That is not to say that there were not a few stand-out performances. Indeed, Mackenzie Dunn’s performance as Rizzo of “There Are Worse Things I Could Do” was jaw-dropping in its execution, with a gorgeously smooth belt at the apex of the number being a highlight of the entire production. Marcia Hines’ “Beauty School Dropout” was also stunning as expected with Hines embodying the mysticality of Teen Angel perfectly to give a classy performance. Andy Seymour’s interpretation of “Mooning” was also very well done with solid vocals and a commanding performance that left the audience in stitches. 

Ultimately, what seemed to let the production down the most was its pacing. Each number felt slightly disconnected from the one that preceded it which meant that everything felt slightly disjointed and the story was lost. To some degree, this is a by-product of the script which gives most of the T-Birds and Pink Ladies one small moment to shine but it was accentuated in this production. 

It is worth a mention that Grease is, at its heart, an immigrant story, with most of the high-schoolers coming from an immigrant background. Given this, it was somewhat disappointing to see the relative lack of diversity in the cast, especially in the ensemble. To lift a production of Grease to its fullest potential, it is necessary to embrace the diversity inherent in the storyline and explore all its manifestations, which was unfortunately somewhat lacking here. 

Other elements of the show perhaps did not stand the test of time either. From the radio announcer Vince Fontaine (played by Jay Laga’aia who was certainly fabulous in the role) and his creepiness towards the high-schoolers at the prom to Danny Zuko’s attempt to sexually assault Sandy at the drive-in movie, this production included virtually all the elements of the original production that have been subject to immense criticism in recent decades. Perhaps this was unavoidable and to omit these scenes would be to gloss over the prevalence of the issues at the time of the original production but to me, the inclusion of these scenes in a modern-day production seemed gratuitous and unnecessary.

Overall, this is fun production of a classic musical that diehard Grease fans and nostalgics will certainly enjoy. The set design, costuming and choreography certainly create a spectacle that will be appreciated by the many that attend seeking a great night out and there are certainly enough stand-out performances punctuated throughout the show to ensure everyone leaves happy. However, the vocals and believability of some of the acting means that this is not a wholly convincing performance when the spectacle is removed and some of the issues with Grease as a production are only exacerbated the longer that they are left unaddressed. Ultimately though, this is a question of perspective and for a fun night out at the theatre, this probably fits the bill. 

Rating: ★★★1/2

Grease plays at the Capitol Theatre until 1^st June. For more information, click here.

 Photo credit: Jeff Busby