My relationship with the musical GREASE began early. At the age of around five or six, my Dad (in his previously documented concerted effort to influence my musical taste) convinced me that instead of The Little Mermaid soundtrack, I really needed the Grease CD in my life.
Where it all began
Mr LML and I arrived at Sydney’s The Star on a mid-week evening, ready to see if the Aussie cast of GREASE the musical could live up to happy childhood movie memories. No pressure!
| Hot tip: HBook yourself a night at The Darling at The Star if you want to extend the fun and stay the night. |
We kick off with a drink and a light bite to eat at one of the many restaurants in The Star complex (it would be rude not too). Black by Ezard is the perfect pick – great cocktails, a tasty bar menu and great service to boot.
Carpaccio wagyu, puffed wild rice, parmesan, bearnaise
Showtime arrives and we walk the few minutes to the Lyric Theatre. When Miss Lynch (Val Lehman) struts onto the stage with her trademark bossiness, and runs the crowd through the lyrics of We Go Together, I know we’re in for a fun night.
Premiering on Broadway in 1972, GREASE is the story of Danny and Sandy who have a summer romance that turns out to be a little more complicated when Aussie girl Sandy ends up staying in the US and enrolling at Rydell High. Can the bad-boy and girl-next-door turn a fling into true love? Time will tell!
Familiar tunes like Summer Nights, Greased Lightin’ and Grease is the Word are delivered with energy and the T-Birds and Pink Ladies are cast perfectly.
If you like your musicals with a touch of star power, this one won’t disappoint. Musical regular Rob Mills (Legally Blonde, Wicked, Hair) stars as Danny Zucko and gives John Travolta a run for his money.
Anthony Callea and Bert Newton also make appearances but it is a one-song-only by Todd McKenney as Teen Angel that really steps things up a notch. Trust me when I say the five minutes or so he is on stage is worth the price of admission alone.
Rizzo, played by Lucy Maunder and Kenickie, played by Stephen Mahy are other standouts while Gretel Scarlett brings the innocence of Sandy to the stage brilliantly (with a killer voice).
You might think you’ve seen it all before with this one but the biggest compliment I can give the show is that I sat there for the duration with a smile on my face and a quick glance around the audience proved I wasn’t alone. For a little dose of escapism to the simpler time of the 1950s and a big dose of fun, this is the night out for you.
GREASE – 35 years after its movie debut – is still the word.
GREASE is playing at The Lyric Theatre until December 22 or catch the show in Melbourne from January 2. Details here.