Queanbeyan City Council. The Q Theatre. 30 Jul 2015

 

In the film production of Grease back in 1978, the leading characters played by Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta were aged 28 and 23 respectively. So it almost came as a surprise when many of the cast members of this version of the stage production actually looked, well, more like high schoolers.

 

The film was my introduction to the phenomenon that is Grease, even though it is predated by the stage production by six years. The natural comparison one makes in these circumstances is inevitable, but also not exactly fair given the resources and big names that were brought in for the movie.

 

I have seen one other offering of the stage production many years ago, though the Queanbeyan City Council’s is closer to a pure version of the original (with some exceptions). You find no Australian Sandy Olsson in this play, but rather the all-American Sandy Dumbrowski (Rosanna Boyd), as well as a slightly rougher diamond Danny (Marcus Hurley).

 

To be honest, the stage version does seem to make a lot more sense – the order of events tells a much more cohesive story and the context of the relationships between the characters are not glossed over. In every movie adaption there needs to be sacrifices made, but you realise the extent of some of these holes after experiencing the story as intended.

 

No matter what version of Grease you are talking about, its catchy and ‘eternally popular at weddings’ songs are always the centrepieces of the production. In this respect, the talent of the cast of this play are hit and miss.

 

Boyd as the visually well-cast Sandy has what you would describe as an angelic voice, but comes across as physically paralysed – hitting all the right notes but lacking emotion and free movement in her performance. While her renditions of It’s Raining On Prom Night and Hopelessly Devoted To You are technically admirable, she is much too inhibited to access enough feeling to make it the experience it could have been.

 

Hurley, as Danny, has his shining moment with the heart wrenching drive-in ballad Sandy, but disappoints with Summer Nights where, again, there is a lack of passion in its execution and the occasional struggle to keep up with the vocal demands of the song. His duet with Boyd in You’re The One That I Want is also excruciatingly awkward – this is the one song you want to get right.

 

Probably the biggest let-down is Greased Lightning, with Liam Downing’s take on Kenickie leading the number towards certain doom. The choreography is absolutely cringe worthy, and Downing’s singing ability is still very much a work in progress.

 

One of the standouts is Vanessa de Jager as Rizzo, who performs a spine tingling version of There Are Worse Things I Could Do. Her embodiment of Rizzo is highly finessed and I especially love how she nails her scene during the Hand Jive where she and Kenickie are booted off the stage.

 

The prize for best comedic duo for Grease hands down goes to Dave Collins as Roger and Sophie Hopkins as Jan, with the satirical number Mooning. They are an absolute riot as this shy and awkward pair, with Collins taking the climax of the song to surprisingly lofty and hysterical heights.

 

The remaining Pink Ladies – Frenchy (Risa Craig), Marty (Amelia Juniper-Grey), and the T-Birds – Tristan Davies (Doody), Lachlan Agett (Sonny), are all up to the challenge in their respective roles, as are supporting cast members, Hayden Crosweller (Eugene) and Ashley Di Berardino (Sandy’s frenemy Patty).

 

However, where this production excels is when the cast joins forces for the ensemble numbers such as Those Magic Changes, We Go Together, and Shakin’ At The High School Hop. These are moments of unbridled exuberance and energy with some really eye-poppingly choreographed formations (by Jordan Kelly) and vibrantly arranged lighting (by Hamish McConchie) – making them the highlights of the evening.

 

Despite the inconsistencies of some of the lead characters, there is still so much to love about this show. While there is some work to do to bring the quality up to a more professional standard, this production of Grease is tight enough to command your attention for the long haul and guarantee a fun night out – and perhaps even inspire a few sing-alongs in the car on the way home.

 

Deborah Hawke

 

When: 29 Jul to 15 Aug

Where: The Q Theatre

Bookings: theq.net.au