Last night I got to visit 1950s America with Grease The Musical UK Tour at the Opera House Manchester. I had no idea what to expect, clearly when a show is in its 50th year it has to be amazing to stand the test of time. However, I was still nervous for this one.
Grease The Musical Tour Review 2021
Grease is one of my all time favourite movie’s. I was 6 when I first went to see it at the movies, of course at 6 all the gritty conversation passes you by. You see the glamour of being an American teen, fall in love with the idea of being a Pink Lady and dating a T Bird.
My favourite character was Frenchy, but then I was always destined to be a Hairdresser. Maybe she was an influence with her pink hair? I adored the roller hair of the angels in the movie, that scene will aways be my favourite.
Grease went on the be the biggest part of my life. I know it word for word, scene for scene. It played in the background when I was heartbroken, had girls nights in, singing along as we stood on the sofa, revised for exams, built portfolios for my degree.
For this reason I avoided the show, in my mind you couldn’t beat my Grease. Who is ever going to compete with the original cast. Gosh that makes me sound like a total Greece nut, maybe I am?
Grease The Musical Is Different
Thus as I sat and watched the opening scenes last night I will be honest I didn’t feel the love. The summer nights scene felt like a carbon copy of the movie, and it felt wrong. Not the cast and anything they were doing, but the fact that they weren’t Olivia Newton John, John Travolta and the cast of my Grease that I know so well.
However, then came the ear piercing scene, and Freddie my love and I was in. You see, Grease the show came first, in Chicaco in 1971, based on the experiences of Jim Jacobs experience at William Taft High School, where the T Birds were originally the Burger Palace Boys ( I so get why they changed that for the movie) It was polished for the movie, made less gritty.
Grease the Musical is truer to its theatre roots, with elements of the movie and popular tracks pulled in. This to me felt like a deconstructed version of the movie. However as a fan it worked beautifully and made it a different more enhanced experience and one that I want to see all over again.
Highlights Of The Show
I will struggle to find one highlight, because there were no lows. Every single song was glorious. However if I had to choose? It would be the emotion that Ellie Kingdon brought to Hopelessly Devoted To You, and Tendai Rinomhota brought to There Are Worst Things I Could Do. Both delivered beautifully, and at points you could hear a pin drop they were stunning.
Beauty school drop out was wonderful, Peter Andre was perfect for this part and Marianna Neofitou played Frenchy wonderfully.
The cast were phenomenal, their voices incredible. The numbers and choreography was joyous, I loved how the score was mixed up and moved. Look At Me I’m Sandra Dee worked so much better than it would have been, had it been left where it was in the movie.
Grease The Musical Feels Fresh And Current
To say Grease is 50 years old this year, it felt new, fresh, the story hasn’t aged at all. Subtle tweaks kept it young and believable.
Additionally the fact that there were so many little girls watching Grease The Musical. Many sat open mouthed and totally in love was testament to this. It made me emotional watching the little girl in front taking in every moment. It took me right back to my first moment of my love affair with Grease in Romford Odeon in 1978.
Grease The Musical is showing at the Opera House in Manchester until 23rd October and on national tour until 20th November.
These tickets for gifted in return for a honest review, for me a huge gamble, but one I am happy to say paid off. Grease was simply magnificent.
I HAVE SEEN GREASE 4 TIMES ON STAGE,THE ONE I HAVE JUST SEEN WAS THE WORST,IT WAS ALL IN A JUMBLE,IT WASN’T KEPT TO THE FILM,NOT MUCH INTERACTION BETWEEN SANDY & DANNY,&THEN THERE WERE 2 OTHER SONGS THAT NOBODY HAD HEARD OF,WE WERE VERY DISAPPOINTED,WE WON’T BE SEEING IT AGAIN,OUR FRIENDS WENT HOME DURING THE INTERVAL,SO WEVE LET OUR FAMILY & FRIENDS KNOW SO THAT THEY DON’T WASTE THEIR MONEY !!,
Wow Margaret this has really surprised me because I loved that it was different from the Movie, I don’t think I would have enjoyed it if it was exactly the same, because as a huge fan of the movie it being a carbon copy would never have been as good, however it goes to show how subjective theatre is and how we all have such different opinions? I believe the reason it wasn’t kept to the film is because it was a show before the film and this was truer the the original show, the movie was softened and made less gritty when it was made after, I read up on all the differences after, its all in the programme if you have it? its really interesting.
Margaret,
My wife and I have just returned from watching the show in Leeds. We mostly agree with your comments. The story line was all over the place and made no sense. The first half of the show lacked love and conviction and the characters were shallow.
Second half was much better especially if you ignore the lack of story. Overall enjoyed it but won’t be rushing to see the tour version again.
It really has had split reactions hasn’t it, I think maybe because this version is nearer to the original stage show. But I honestly wouldn’t have enjoyed a carbon copy as I dont think it can be replicated, but totally get your points as it took me a while to gel with it.