Grease - The Arena Spectacular
Produced by SEL/GFO

Cast: Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Craig McLachlan, John Farnham, Magda Szubanski, Richard Wilkins, Tamsin Carroll, Rob Mills, Courtney Murphy. (Full ensemble cast not available)

Music & Lyrics: Various
Book: Warren Casey, Jim Jacobs

Publicist: Judith Johnson Publicity

Australian Premiere: Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney. May 6, 2005.


The Lowdown:
Arena version of the classic musical featuring a celebrity cast. Had a successful tour across the nation.


AussieTheatre.com Review:
There’s a very good reason as to why Grease needed to be produced in Australia again so soon after it was last staged here professionally: the public love it. It’s a timeless show that in its time was groundbreaking, and now is a classic of the rock ‘n’ roll era that so many remember and cherish.

There’s two moments in this new production of Grease that make it superb. The first is Toby Allen’s sensational rendition of Greased Lightnin’ early in the first act and the second is Tamsin Carroll’s show stopping performance of "There are worst things I could do" towards the end of the show. Despite excellent performances by Natalie Bassingthwaighte as Sandy, John Farnham as Teen Angel and Craig McLachlan as Danny, it’s Allen and Carroll who surprisingly steal the show.

UK director David Gilmore once summed up Grease superbly when he said "Grease doesn’t have a message … it gives flavour of being a teenager in the 50’s, when rock ‘n’ roll and putting Grease on your hair were the most important things in life."

Gilmore is right – Grease doesn’t have a deep meaning or earth shattering conclusion, but it does provide plenty of fun and a storyline that will still be relevant when the show is being produced in 10 or 20 years from now. Quite simply, it’s about finding love, losing it and finding it again. But this show is really about the music – songs that people can dance to, sing along to and go home playing in their head.

The arena style production of Grease is far from my favourite way to produce it – shows lose so much of their theatrical power when so open and in some ways it loses the look and feel of a musical. But in this case, the cast are so good that it’s hard to fault the show in any way. As Sandy, Natalie Bassingthwaighte is never superb, but is consistently good and reaches a wonderful height during "Hopelessly devoted to you", in which the audience suddenly have flashbacks to Olivia Newton-John singing it in the classic movie – her voice is strikingly similar during this number.

John Farnham’s performance as Teen Angel, while small, has the audience screaming, and while it isn’t show stealing like it could be (that job is left to Allen and Carroll), it’s fun to see him and he gives the audience a treat with a second song during the finale.

Courtney Murphy and Rob Mills, from Australian Idol, had their fans in the crowd too – and they were surprisingly good, particularly Mills who had the place pumping early in the second act as Johnny Casino.

If there is a sour point, it’s McLachlan’s over-acting and milking of the Grease clichés. He has his highlights vocally and his acting isn’t bad at all, but he tries a little too hard and it’s all bit cringe worthy by show’s end.

The set, lighting display and sound is all superb – although the neon lights on their car and guitar may be going a little too far. Either way, it’s a fun show that while having its problems, will appeal to a mainstream audience who will flock to it. Theatre lovers will enjoy it too – particularly the performances of Allen and Carroll.


Production Shots:
None available


Further Information:
None available