Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee!

Confession time: I made a big fat no-no (for me anyway). Last week, I fell ill and couldn't go into work (sad times) and so to cheer myself up, and give my body a bit of a start to beat the stupid bug I had, I decided to stick on Grease Live!, which was on our recording box. It was great and must have done something, because I certainly felt a bit more cheerful, even if I wasn't feeling any better physically. The problem now comes that, as I saw the new UK tour of Grease last night, I was subconsciously comparing what I was seeing on stage to what I saw tucked up in my blanket on the sofa back home.
And then, I realised, of course that it's Grease! Seeing something on stage, which has one particular adaptation as so iconic as the '78 film does (I know Grease Live! isn't the same, but bear with), it is frankly impossible not to compare - so I do feel a bit better, but I doubt it has helped me all the same.

However, time to start this properly, and so let's delve into this version of the Warren Casey and Jim Jacobs classic, which garnered 7 Tony nods after making its NYC debut in 1972. This version felt a bit like a pick and mix - some parts were sweet, but there were a couple of sour gumballs in there too.
Set at Rydell High School, the story (as you all should know), follows Danny and Sandy, as they overcome the obstacles of high school life to be together.

I heard somewhere that any production Grease rests on its Danny Zuko - if that's the case, then it's a little bit shaky, as I really wasn't sure about Tom Parker, who you may recognise from boy band The Wanted. He was obviously, vocally very sound, and I did quite enjoy his version of Sandy (what I heard anyway, it was almost drowned out by the audience trying to sing along); he shook his hips, he did up his hair, but I just didn't see Danny Zuko. Was I expecting John Travolta or Aaron Tveit? Of course not! But it is such an iconic character, and he just didn't convince me, particularly as I didn't see a lot of chemistry between him and Sandy.

Speaking of Sandy, Danielle Hope gave the performance of the night for me. She played a more frustrated Sandy than perhaps we're used to, but I didn't mind at all - in fact, she took what she had, ran with it, and made the part completely her own! Her voice suited the part perfectly, and her solos Hopelessly Devoted To You and Look at Me I'm Sandra Dee (Reprise) (completely with top B♭) were definite highlights of the show. I did also enjoy it when she was trying to keep up with the other cheerleaders (complete in kit that looked like an innocent Team Rocket uniform.).
In other more positive areas, I thought Darren Day made a fun Teen Angel/Vince Fontaine, and I did also enjoy Those Magic Changes, sung by Ryan Heenan as Doody (who did also have a couple of cute moments with Rhiannon Chesterman's Frenchy).

Playing a lot of people's favourite character, including mine, Rizzo, was Louisa Lytton. She really was a bit of a mixed bag. She's certainly blunt, telling Sandy to her face to buck up quick if she wants to be a Pink Lady (to that effect), but when it came to her solo There Are Worse Things I Could Do, I felt there was some heart lacking, especially when Stockard Channing or Vanessa Hudgens' Rizzos come to mind.

Now, I may have condemned myself for doing this earlier, but I want to compare it to the film for a minute. This is because, while the stage show is definitely it's own thing, it almost completely different to the film. There's additional songs, as one would expect with a stage version of a musical, but there are also some cases when the songs you know and love come in unexpected places. The prime example being We Go Together appears as the Act 1 closer - which I have to admit is bloody weird. True, it makes a reprise as part of the Finale, but it didn't help my feelings in the interval when I was left down-right confused - it also lost some of its meaning for me when its placed there rather than solely the very end.
Another point I need to make is that I didn't feel this version added to anything we already got from the film or from Grease Live!. In fact, it felt there were gaps missing in the book, so it the characters felt under-developed as a result!

To conclude, this tour really is a mixed bag, of the good and the bad. If you're thinking of going in a big group and you just want a cheesy guilty pleasure, then fair enough - it's Grease, you're at the very least bound to have a fun sing-along AT THE END (not while the actors are trying to do their thing, please!!!!!). But if not, then I would probably give it a miss, and stick to the film or Grease Live!.