Grease at Alhambra Theatre Bradford Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Deborah Banasko
Grease is one of my top 3 favourite movies of all time, which is why I have always been reluctant to watch the theatre production; surely it can’t live up to the stellar performances of John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John?! Actually, it can…. and I think it accomplishes this by including what the movie would consider supporting cast members in more key roles and representing the story in a slightly different way. The theatre performance actually came before the movie, but not being a carbon copy and the show having some additional songs (with familiar tunes that you may still recognise from the movie) means that you find yourself making fewer comparisons and enjoying it for its’ own merits.
I watched the show at Bradford Alhambra with my almost 13-year-old daughter. This is our favourite theatre being just a short walk from the train station, and even on a hot night like tonight it was comfortable viewing.
If you are unfamiliar with the story, Grease is set in the 1950’s and centres around the friendships and romantic relationships between teens at Rydell High School, USA. The girls are part of a friendship group called “The Pink Ladies”, and the boys are the Leather-Jacket wearing bad-boys known as “The Burger Palace Boys”. When Sandy (played by Hope Dawe) meets Danny (Marley Fenton) during the Summer break, they feel that their love cannot last as Sandy has to move to an all-girls school. Both of them are surprised to meet again at Rydell High, but Sandy’s innocence does not fit with the rebellious Burger Palace Boys, so Danny initially is forced to reject her in order to maintain his reputation and bravado. Whilst Sandy befriends the Pink Ladies, she doesn’t quite fit in. Will the couple get back together, or will they have to change in order to be accepted?
Danny is more of a lothario in the theatre version, so you don’t soften to him as much until the end (which is perhaps more realistic), and there is less interaction between him and Sandy. In fact the character of Sandy has much less of a role on stage than I expected. However when she was present, she encapsulated Sandra Dee perfectly and her vocals were stunning. Her rendition of “Hopelessly Devoted to You” was perfect, and Fenton was a strong leading man.
The show was expertly cast, but there were some performances I feel compelled to mention. Marty (played by Lauren Kate Hampton) was a surprise as she had a key role in terms of the story and the singing. At the interval both my daughter and I agreed that she really stood out as an actress with the most beautiful voice. Rebecca Stenhouse who played Rizzo captured the character perfectly, and we loved the twist on the song “There are Worse Things I Could do”; in the movie I assumed the lyrics were directed at her on/off boyfriend Kenickie but the change up on stage really added a different dimension to the character and a softness … but I won’t spoil it for anyone!
The sets had good attention to detail, and the clever use of lighting and colour from the huge Rydell High School signage was noted in how it set the mood and scene. Much of the set did involve the bleachers and gym but the Greased Lightening full car and diner were really stunning. I loved that Vince Fontane (Played by Joe Gash) was positioned in a balcony styled DJ booth at the upper back portion of the set, and made appearance throughout to inject a little craziness into the show. I have to add that “Beauty School Drop-out” Performed by Gash and the Angels was one of our favourite numbers; hilarious, well-choreographed and amazing vocals.
The musical number of the night was without doubt “Greased Lightening” with the amazing Kenickie and The Burger Palace Boys due to the vocals, the energy, the choreography.. and of course the car! Yet as I glance down my programme at the song list, there genuinely was not one which I didn’t love or that lost my attention for even a second.
We had just a couple of minor niggles. On a couple of occasions the dialogue felt that it lacked a real purpose, but this was down to the script rather than the acting. The musical numbers meant that this didn’t affect our enjoyment. Also, when Sandy appears during the finale we wanted a bit more of a reaction from the Burger Palace Boys and Danny, as it felt a little flat during the initial “reveal” until they launched into “You’re The One That I Want” followed by the phenomenal “We Go Together”. As a fan of the movie this is the scene I was waiting for and those few seconds just needed an extra boost for me.
All that is left to mention is the medley, and wow what an end to the show. This particularly pleased me as they allowed us to take photos during this segment, sing and dance. “Danny” even let the audience participate in a bit of “my turn, your turn” sing along. What a talented and fun cast, they really made this a fun night out for everyone which is much appreciated.
If you decide to watch this show (which I strongly recommend any lover of musicals to do), don’t expect it to be like watching the movie; there isn’t the car race and some parts are different. This is not a negative, and I loved that the cast felt larger as characters were more involved rather than the show being carried by just two leading parts. It worked well, and it was amazing from start to finish.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
The show runs at Bradford Alhambra from 21st- 23rd March and tickets range from £25.25 to £50.25
You can book tickets directly here: https://www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/whats-on/grease