Grease
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend on Sea
11th April - 15th April 2017
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend on Sea
11th April - 15th April 2017
The press night performance of Grease was, unfortunately, held up with technical difficulties so when the curtain finally rose to reveal the Company band, a-top the stage, playing the overture, it didn't take long for the almost packed out audience to join in with a bit of whooping and clapping, encouraged on by pony-tailed Musical Director, Griff Johnson.
Griff wasn't the only one with a pony-tail as, being the Easter holidays, it would seem that plenty of parents had taken the opportunity to keep their youngsters entertained with this now iconic show and I spied quite a few young girls sporting the 'Pink Ladies" look of the period.
Grease, the stage musical was brought to fruition almost 50 years ago, followed some years later with the 1978 film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton John. There have been a few revivals of the stage show since its original outing and this latest touring version certainly has all the ingredients to attract a younger fan base whilst keeping those of a, let's say, more mature nature, more than entertained. The three ladies sat in front of me were certainly having a splendid time, singing and swaying along to some of the songs, which although I'm sure put them in their reflective teenage element, was a little frustrating for the rest of us who just want to see and hear the people on the stage performing, (Sorry, had to get that off my chest - see my Theatre Etiquette feature.)
With The Wanted's Tom Parker and Over the Rainbow winner, Danielle Hope as Danny and Sandy, along with Louisa Lytton (Eastenders, The Bill, Strictly) playing Rizzo and Darren Day in the dual cameo roles of Vince Fontaine and Teen Angel, it certainly boasts a star studded cast. With producers David Ian and Paul Nicholas on board, direction by David Gilmore and choreography by Arlene Phillips, the anticipation for a knock out show is certainly high and, I would say, it pretty much delivers.
Grease, the musical, stays very faithful to the film as far as dialogue and songs are concerned kicking off with a rousing version of Grease Is The Word from the cast.
Griff wasn't the only one with a pony-tail as, being the Easter holidays, it would seem that plenty of parents had taken the opportunity to keep their youngsters entertained with this now iconic show and I spied quite a few young girls sporting the 'Pink Ladies" look of the period.
Grease, the stage musical was brought to fruition almost 50 years ago, followed some years later with the 1978 film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton John. There have been a few revivals of the stage show since its original outing and this latest touring version certainly has all the ingredients to attract a younger fan base whilst keeping those of a, let's say, more mature nature, more than entertained. The three ladies sat in front of me were certainly having a splendid time, singing and swaying along to some of the songs, which although I'm sure put them in their reflective teenage element, was a little frustrating for the rest of us who just want to see and hear the people on the stage performing, (Sorry, had to get that off my chest - see my Theatre Etiquette feature.)
With The Wanted's Tom Parker and Over the Rainbow winner, Danielle Hope as Danny and Sandy, along with Louisa Lytton (Eastenders, The Bill, Strictly) playing Rizzo and Darren Day in the dual cameo roles of Vince Fontaine and Teen Angel, it certainly boasts a star studded cast. With producers David Ian and Paul Nicholas on board, direction by David Gilmore and choreography by Arlene Phillips, the anticipation for a knock out show is certainly high and, I would say, it pretty much delivers.
Grease, the musical, stays very faithful to the film as far as dialogue and songs are concerned kicking off with a rousing version of Grease Is The Word from the cast.
The Wanted's Tom Parker plays Danny in the show
Tom Parker puts in a fabulous performance as Danny insofar as his singing and dancing is concerned and even gets the opportunity to show off his guitar skills in Greased Lightening but he didn't quite convince me in the acting stakes. Danielle Hope, however, is the perfect innocent yet feisty, Sandy. Louisa Lytton excels in There Are Worst Things I Could Do, really tugging at the heartstrings but some of the best performances are from the supporting cast. I particularly enjoyed watching Ryan Heenan as Doody during the Those Magic Changes number and Oliver Jacobson and Rosanna Harris as Roger and Jan in Mooning. Jan again in It's Raining on Prom Night with Sandy, both displaying some lovely harmonies. Gabriella Williams as the baton twirling, pain in the neck, cheerleader, Patty, also deserves recognition for a great characterisation.
After spending the whole of Act 1 in the dressing room, Darren Day is a bit like a puppy who's been left on his leash for a bit too long and bursts on to the stage to give the parts of Vince Fontaine and the Teen Angel as good a run for their money as he can eke out of it and sporting some fabulous hair-do's - even breaking character during Beauty School Drop Out to crack a funny about the last time he was in Essex; some of the audience thought it was funny.
Unlike the film, however, there is no actual car race show-down - to be fair, this would be tricky. Instead Sandy turns up in all her black skin-tight, shiny leggings and a mass of blonde curls to wow Danny into submission in You're The One That I Want and all is well with the world once again as everyone manages to couple up for the We Go Together Finale.
With a plethora of curtain calls amid a medley of numbers from the show, any niggles from technical delays were forgotten by the Cliffs Pavilion audience, who all left with smiles on their faces and with a few humming the familiar tunes from the show.
As Jim Jacobs, the creator of the original musical said of the show, "What Grease is really about - more than anything else - is having fun. So, just sit back, kick off your blue suede shoes, and relax. Have a ball!" I think that pretty much sums it up.
To see the show go online to www.southendtheatres.org.uk or call the box office on 01702 351135 but don't delay - tickets are going like 'Greased Lightening!'
After spending the whole of Act 1 in the dressing room, Darren Day is a bit like a puppy who's been left on his leash for a bit too long and bursts on to the stage to give the parts of Vince Fontaine and the Teen Angel as good a run for their money as he can eke out of it and sporting some fabulous hair-do's - even breaking character during Beauty School Drop Out to crack a funny about the last time he was in Essex; some of the audience thought it was funny.
Unlike the film, however, there is no actual car race show-down - to be fair, this would be tricky. Instead Sandy turns up in all her black skin-tight, shiny leggings and a mass of blonde curls to wow Danny into submission in You're The One That I Want and all is well with the world once again as everyone manages to couple up for the We Go Together Finale.
With a plethora of curtain calls amid a medley of numbers from the show, any niggles from technical delays were forgotten by the Cliffs Pavilion audience, who all left with smiles on their faces and with a few humming the familiar tunes from the show.
As Jim Jacobs, the creator of the original musical said of the show, "What Grease is really about - more than anything else - is having fun. So, just sit back, kick off your blue suede shoes, and relax. Have a ball!" I think that pretty much sums it up.
To see the show go online to www.southendtheatres.org.uk or call the box office on 01702 351135 but don't delay - tickets are going like 'Greased Lightening!'