Grease – Milton Keynes Theatre and Touring

L to R Georgia Louise, Marianna Neofitou, Inez Budd and Maeve Byrne in Grease. Picture: Sean Ebsworth Barnes

Grease continues at Milton Keynes Theatre until 28 August and then tours until 27 November 2021.

Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩

The much-loved musical Grease is lighting up the stage of Milton Keynes Theatre this week, with the one and only Peter Andre stealing the show as Teen Angel and heartthrob Vince Fontaine.

Following the romance of the unlikely duo Danny (Dan Partridge) and Sandy (Georgia Louise) and the rest of the Rydell High seniors, the familiar story and soundtrack of Grease is a family favourite that can be watched again and again. Including all the classics that you’d want from ‘Greased Lightnin’ to ‘Hopelessly Devoted to You’, this production offers up the crowd a jumping and jiving performance, with a few unique twists to keep you on your toes.

Some slight nuances to the plot keep the production fresh and provide the opportunity to hear lesser-known songs too. The timeline is also slightly turned on its head to ensure the performance isn’t a complete replica of the film, so be ready for well-known tracks to unexpectedly appear outside of the recognised order.

Comfort can be found in the memorable characters that are played by a young, vibrant cast, with a couple of the actors making their professional debuts on this tour – namely Paul French who plays Kenickie and Inez Budd as Marty, both of which were my personal favourites and stood out thanks to stellar performances.

An astounding design transforms the stage at MK Theatre, enabling the setting to smoothly transition from school hall to back streets to diner. The pinnacle is the reappearing window at the back of the set that gives the audience a fantastic view of Andre as Fontaine on the decks, projecting the infamous radio show to its eager listeners. This clever touch keeps Andre involved throughout the show and the crowd warms up for his hilarious rendition of ‘Beauty School Dropout’.

My only reservations came when some of the unique twists were taken a step too far. It was sad not to see ‘Grease Lightin’ in all its glory, and in a similar tact, to not see Sandy in her memorable black catsuit, which is such an iconic part of the final scene. I would have preferred some of the timeless aspects of Grease to have remained. But otherwise, it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening, with another full and buzzing auditorium, beautifully supervised by the dedicated and caring MK Theatre staff.

Hannah Grimmette