Grease at the Regent Theatre Stoke Review
Reviewed by Dotty Winters
I watched the touring production of Grease at Stoke-on-Trent’s Regent Theatre. I’ve reviewed several productions there and feel as though I might run out of ways to express how well-run, well-positioned and well-maintained this theatre is. As ever, the staff were brilliant, very well informed about the productions, helpful and friendly.
I am a huge fan of the film Grease (and more controversially also a fan of the much-maligned sequel), and have seen a number of stage productions over the years. The original high-school musical, Grease centres on a holiday-romance between demure good-girl Sandy and macho bad-boy Danny. All the iconic memes of American high school life are represented: cliques, friendship squabbles, a big dance, and worries about what life will hold when high school ends. Grease doesn’t shy away from some less fluffy themes, touching on unplanned pregnancy, bullying, slut-shaming and peer-pressure. The two tribes who rule the school are the Pink Ladies, headed by confident, out-spoken Rizzo and Danny’s T-Birds.
As is now common, the production featured some celebrity names, with Tom Parker from The Wanted as Danny, and EastEnders’ Louise Lytton as Rizzo. Both did a good job, but were probably very much played to existing strengths, Louisa being the stronger actor, and Tom putting in strong vocal performances but perhaps lacking confidence and swagger when acting. Small gaps in their ability were highlighted by the strength of the supporting cast, and Danielle Hope as Sandy. Whilst Danielle will be known to many from Somewhere Over the Rainbow, she’s racked up some West End credentials and her vocal performances slightly put the other leads in the shade.
The music is the real star of Grease, who among us hasn’t ended a night-out wobbling on the dance floor to the Grease Mega-Mix? The score contains hit after hit, many of which are deeply embedded in pop culture. I challenge even the grumpiest audience member not to at least tap a toe, even if full on dancing in the aisles isn’t for them.
Production wise all the stops are pulled out. A very clever set and some neat set pieces add real slickness, and in particular, the Greased Lightning scene was brilliantly done. The audience left the theatre on a feel-good high, singing their favourite songs under their breath and utterly convinced that they were every bit as cool as a T-bird or Pink Lady – that’s not a bad start to anyone’s week!
Rating: 5/5
Tickets cost from £15 to £47 (plus £2.85 transaction fee).
Grease the musical is at the Regent Theatre in Stoke from 22-27 May 2017, for more information or to book tickets visit www.atgtickets.com/regent-theatre or call the box office on 0844 871 7649.
Regent Theatre, Piccadilly, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST1 1AP | 0844 871 7649
