The colours, songs and energy of Grease will have you dancing in your seat
It’s been 10 years since a national production of Grease has toured Australia – and this show is sure to put a smile on your face. Starring Manly’s Annelise Hall as Sandy, who graced the cover of North Shore Living in January, there is so much in this new production to delight the audience. The energy can be felt bouncing around the Capitol Theatre, with the vibrant costumes radiating feel- good vibes from the cast. This is a show not just for fans of the movie Grease. It’s for anyone who loves a good love story and a deep dive into relationships.
It focuses on a group of teenagers who are trying to discover who they are in the post-war United States of America of the 1950s. Sex, love, gangs and fast cars – this is what the youth were preoccupied with.
And music. Plenty of it. It is songs like Summer Nights and Hopelessly devoted to you that made the movie Grease such a hit in 1978, with all the teenage angst played out in rhythm and rhyme.
One of the highlights of this production is Greased Lightnin,’ with Kenickie played with great gutso by Keanu Gonzalez, who featured in recent Australian versions of Hamilton and West Side Story.
The transformation of Kenickie’s bland, broken down car into the brilliant red street racing convertible was truly magic, with the athletic cast able to jump in and out of the vehicle to great choreography.
As for Sandy and Danny (played with beautiful tension by Joe Spanti), Annelise has moulded her character into a young woman who takes a stand against being taken for granted. She makes Danny work for her affection.
The duo’s voices combine perfectly throughout the show, with the final scene of Sandy’s emancipation – on her terms – taking the cast to the next level as the lovers sing You’re the one that I want. There were plenty of pink ladies at opening night, and the audience gets a chance to sing along during the finale – the perfect conclusion to a brilliant night.
Grease is playing at the Capitol Theatre for a limited season. Book at ticketmaster.com.au