Reviewed by Emily March
14th October 2019
Reviewer Rating: ★★★
Grease bounced into the Wales Millennium Centre last night with a lot of energy, sass and a reimagining of the much loved classic. I was really pleased by Arlene Phillips’ exciting, fast paced choreography throughout the show that was demonstrated incredibly by the talent cast of dancers. I particularly enjoyed the dynamic dance moves of the male cast during audience-favourite Greased Lightening. The choreography was different to your average production of Grease, which kept it fresh. I was constantly excited by the choreography and was left excited for the next number to begin.
Martha Kirby makes a strong professional debut as the leading lady, bringing a little more sass and confidence than we normally expect from Sandy. Perhaps this acting choice represents a more modern portrayal of the character, standing up for herself and being empowered. It changed the meaning of the ending for me, which normally frustrates me due to Sandy changing herself to please a man, however lyrics from You’re The One That I Want such as “you better shape up, because I need a man” stood out to me, as I never really recognised it as a moment where Sandy takes charge and tells Danny that he need to be better to suit her, rather than her being better to suit him. I did feel as through Kirby over-sung a lot of her songs, and even though her voice was impressive, some more tenderness and reflective moments would’ve enhanced the storytelling.
Rhianne-Louise McClausky shines as the sassy Rizzo, with her strong stage presence from the moment we meet her on stage. Her moving rendition of There Are Worst Things I Could Do was a shining moment.
Some more stand out moments during the show was Mooning, which demonstrated the sweet chemistry, impressive vocals and comedic timing of Ryan Anderson (Roger) and Natalie Woods (Jan). Beauty School Dropout is a favourite of mine, and this rendition did not disappoint. Darren Bennett brought charisma as Teen Angel, and the memorable dream sequence was highly amusing.
Natalie Woods, Jessica Croll and Eloise Davies who played Jan, Patty Simcox and Frenchie respectively each brought their own spark to the stage, bringing both funny and tender moments throughout the show. They were able to stay true to the original characters that we know, but bring something unique too.
The male cast however, only had one stand out for me which was Damian Buhagiar as Sonny. His stereotypical New York Italian portrayal added a lot of humour and energy to the longer, more tedious scenes which left us begging for a musical interlude.
As ever with Grease, it is hard not to compare performances to the original portrayals that we know and love. Even with the modern spin, Grease feels a little tired and over done, but the cast should be praised for their energy and modern interpretation, as well as the stand out choreography. If you’re looking for a fun night at the theatre with a spot of nostalgia, then absolutely go to see Grease. The cast’s passion was infectious and I left itching to return to performing.
The Theatre Hub 