"Grease" by Musicality - University Of Nottingham.

Nottingham Arts Theatre.

It's been such a busy week this week in theatreland that I couldn't fit this show in until Musicality's final performance, showing just how healthy Nottingham theatres and Nottingham's theatre groups are in 2026.

"Grease" as we should all know by now is an upbeat, feel-good musical that blends rock-and-roll, romance, and teenage rebellion. The story revolves around Danny Zuko and Sandy Dumbrowski, two teens who fall in love during a summer romance, only to face the challenges of high school when Sandy unexpectedly transfers to Rydell High. As they navigate peer pressure, identity, and their evolving relationship, they are supported by a group of quirky, fun-loving friends. With a catchy soundtrack full of classic hits like "Summer Nights", "Sandy", "Greased Lightnin'", "Beauty School Drop Out", "Hopelessly Devoted To You" and "You’re the One That I Want".

The stage production, which by the way originated in 1972, six years before the film version, isn't quite the same as the film version, so if all that you've seen is the film, there's a few changes in the running order of the plot and some of the music. Some of the plot line has been omitted, but that is because scenes like the car race is impossible to replicate on stage unless you use videography, but that section looks good on screen, but not essential to the plot of the musical, but I always find it interesting to see what a new Director does with such a well-known musical.

Danny Zuko is played by Adam Hazell, and again another subtle change to Danny Zuko's character, more laddish and not so much of a dumb jock; there was intelligence in the character, and I enjoyed seeing that. A decent set of vocals and with the falsetto parts I felt that Adam did have a bit of trouble, but this wasn't an issue because I know that falsetto notes are never easy to hit unless you're a natural falsetto. A full of fun performance and instantly relatable character from an actor who looked as if he was having a ball with the lads.

Sandy Dumbrowski is played by Katie Wright, who has a very strong vocal ability, although I was not a fan of the arrangement for "Hopelessly Devoted To You", Katie did a nice job of the slightly slower version of the song. Katie showed Sandy to have a feisty side to her, especially towards other girls in the Pink Ladies, but also quite handy with the palm of her hand with Danny. Some productions that I have seen have portrayed Sandy as the airhead blonde girly image, but I am so pleased that Katie, and of course the Director, didn't go down that route, preferring to create a more realistic image of Sandy.

Betty Rizzo is played by Ella Chapman. I don't know why this character is my favourite, and my favourite song from this musical being "There Are Worse Things I Could Do". Ella nailed the spiky Rizzo and she absolutely nailed that song blending power with emotion.

Kenickie is played by Rory Long. Kenickie gets another of my favourite songs from this musical to sing in "Greased Lightning". the film version shows Danny singing the song, but I have always thought that it should be Kenickie's song, after all it's Kenickie's car. A brilliant arrangement of this song fronted with fun by Rory.

Doody is played by Asher Greatorex. Now here is an actor who knows how to have fun on stage, and what a role to have fun with. You hear him start with "These Magic Moments" and he gives nothing away of his true vocal talents. Asher's voice is very commercial and I love the falsetto side of his vocal range. This man can boogie as well, plus he looks cool in shades and a suit.

Frenchy is played by Imogen Freeland. The programme states that Imogen is stepping out of her comfort zone as Frenchy, but I thought she looked completely at home in this role. It's a fun role and I love the voice characterisation as well.

Joe McGarel plays Roger, or "Rump" as he is nicknamed. Why does he have this nickname? Because he is the best "mooner" in school. There's another little bit in this musical and with this character that I can't remember seeing in other productions where, in the second act Rump is debagged and on the back of his shorts are two pictures of faces - I couldn't see from where I was to whom the faces belonged to - pinned to the shorts. Again another nice touch that brought a smile to my face, showing the difference a good Director can make. Joe has a lovely voice and seems to have a flair for comedy, speech wise and physically.

Sonny, the slick Italian is played by Fabian Golding-Williams.

Jan, the compulsive eater, is played by Melanie Yates. there are little things that have been added to this musical, maybe with seeing so many versions on stage I got to notice the little additions. As far as I can remember I couldn't remember the bit where Jan goes to retrieve the sandwich bag that Danny dropped after Sandy and Danny reunite at school. I may be wrong but that small move stood out for me. Another fun character acted with a nice comedy sheen.

Immie Hoskins is Marty, the "beauty" of "The Pink Ladies", looking more mature than the rest of the ladies, that is until she opens her mouth. 

Hugh Cowles plays the nerdy Eugene. A wonderful character that requires an actor with a feel for comedy, physical and facial comedy, both of which Hugh has in bucketloads. 

Patty Simcox, the athletic and attractive cheerleader who also, and quite naturally, has an eye for all of the jocks, including Danny, even though she knows that Danny has eyes for Sandy. Patty is played by Emily Hughes in her debut for Musicality.

Angel Fagbola is Miss Lynch, the teacher, and also makes her debut for Musicality. With all of the fun characters and talented actors she is surrounded by, I was impressed with the focus that Angel had portraying the serious, and quite stuffy teacher. How she didn't crack a smile I don't know. well, I do, it's because they are all incredibly professional in their roles.

Vince Fontaine is played by Charlie Higginson.  It is very difficult to smoothly replicate the 1950's speed talk dee-jays as they made a career out of talking that fast. I have always been an admirer of U.S. DJs of this era. The Weird Beard, Johnny Holliday, Joey Niagra and Hunter Hancock; radio presenters who talked as fast as the rock n roll music they played, and that took skill to never be lost for words and rhyme what they were announcing. This is Charlie's first show for Musicality and to take on this speed talker is no easy feat, as mentioned, but I was impressed with this quick tongued young man and the way that he encapsulated that style of music presentation.

Cha Cha, Kenickie's blind date for the prom, is played by Rosanna Beacock. I am not sure if this was intentional by the Director and Production crew but Cha Cha in the film and every production I can remember seeing has Cha Cha played by a tall, leggy actor. Rosanna is a smaller actor, and there's even a wisecrack in the show from Kenickie about the stature. Quite tongue in cheek but another example of a Director making additions to the show which only added to the fun. You had to listen carefully to pick up the quip, but my mother always used to say that "good things always come in small packages" and Rosanna is great fun to watch.

Teen Angel is played by Izzy Seager, and this is the first time that I have seen a female Teen Angel, but that actually makes more sense because Teen Angel is the Guardian Angel of Frenchy who is studying beauty and cosmetics, so she should have a female angel. Top marks for that decision. I was not a fan of the arrangement for "Beauty School Dropout" unfortunately.

Johnny Casino has also had a gender reversal and is played by Emilie Copping.

One other thing that set this production aside from others that I had seen was the way that the scene changes were done. We were treated to dancers front of stage to entertain us and to take our minds, and eyes off of the set changes going off in the background. Sometimes there is nothing worse that having either a blacked out stage with no incidental music or just the stage crew setting up the next scene, and the dancers shielded that issue.

The Featured Dancers were Piper McElwee, Leah Hosten-Silva, Imogen Stobart and Evelina Agroti.

The Ensemble were made up of Eliana Dickinson, Lucy Maynard, Thomas Telford, Juliet Paxton-Doggett, Celesete Salvucci de Oliviera, Ruby Hall, Grace Pither and Kirstin Hyland.

Directed by Drew Oliver Boswell, who I last saw in "9 To 5 The Musical" last year. Throughout the review I have said how much I like it when a Director changes things about by either adding things or editing bits out in order to make the show fresh, and to give oldies like myself who has seen the show several times over the year a jolt when we see something that maybe we have not seen in other productions. This show is a brilliant, fun piece of theatre and that is one thing that drew as Director has not changed. Top job Mr Boswell.

Choreographed by Olivia Clark. Keeping the fun element in a musical like this can be not as easy as many think. A lot of the fun in this musical comes from the choreographed parts, like the Hop scene, or "Greased Lightning" scene plus that amazing opening to the second act with "Shakin' At the Hop". these choreographed pieces are full of energy and you can see the work that has gone into all of the dance sections.

Musical Director is Ben Canning, assisted by Ben Bromley. There are some lovely arrangements of many of these songs performed on stage, but there was just one other fly in the arrangement ointment for me and that was "Beauty School Dropout" The song was written as a simple, but comedic song, but I am afraid that I am not a fan of vocal acrobatics with a song of such simplicity. The arrangement, for me personally, didn't work. Apart from that one song I loved the rest of the songs, especially my favourite "There Are Worse Things I Could Do". Having seen "Grease" so many times I appreciated a lot of the new arrangements, especially the rhythm arrangements for the uptempo songs.

The band Ben Bromley (Keys), Sunny Joshi and Sara Zaker (Guitars), Georgia McKenzie and Alex Jones (Reeds), Abi Wilson (Drums) and Ella Townsend (Bass) provided a powerful backing, and I don't know if it's an uprising of drummers of late but I have noticed the drummers more over this last week being more to the fore and sounding big and beaty. 

Hair and Make up by Muneeba Saqib. This 1950's based musical is very stylised to the period and Muneeba wonderfully created that era with the ideal look.

Sound and Lighting was excellent throughout. 

Co-produced by Sarah Prayle and Ioan Liley.

The show was smoothly stage managed by Georgia Bennet, Jamie Clay (DSM), Kamala Padilha (ASM) and Stage Hands Tilly Smith and Emily Sparks-Welch.

This was the final performance of "Grease".