IT would seem that Colin Ingram, the producer of the current tour of Grease, has the same philosophy when it comes to selling something to the public as Tesco founder Sir Jack Cohen, who is credited with saying ‘pile it high and sell it cheap’. From the start, this production leaves nothing hidden, putting everything out front slamming the words, movement and music straight at the head of every audience member.

Following the producer’s ideals, director Nikolai Foster, MD Charlie Ingles, choreographer Arlene Phillips, lightning designer Ben Cracknell and sound designers Tom Marshall and Richard Brooker fairly bombarded the audience with their wares, leaving little room for the principals to expand their characters or the ensemble to show off their talents.

Between them, the MD and sound team had the volume wound up so high that soloists were forced time after time to chase after big high crescendo finishes, and dialogue over music had to be delivered at a similar level in order to be heard. The result was a series of well-painted but one-dimensional characters, and the feeling that given more rein they would have made even more of their vocal and dramatic opportunities.

The ensemble showed equal potential, and certainly did not require the volume of sound or abundance of flashing lighting effects to cover any shortage of vocal or dance ability. There was plenty of both on hand, partially hidden by a wall of sound and visual effects. They must have felt at times like one of those surf boarders about to be swamped by a giant wave.

For all of that, there was a fascination about this full-blooded production of a well-known and much loved musical that made it difficult to take your eyes off it, or loose interest for a moment for fear of missing the next twist in the plot. The audience, most of whom were probably not born when the show was originally trialled in 1971 in Chicago, were swept along by the barrage of sound and light continually being thrown at them at great speed, readily responding to each well-loved number – Summer Nights, Freddy My Love, Greased Lightning, Sandra Dee, Hopelessly Devoted to You, There Are Worse Things I Could Do and You’re the One That I Want.

You have to leave your feminist and chauvinist hats outside if you are going to enjoy this story of teenagers growing up in the late 1950s – did we REALLY behave like that towards each other?. Today’s society and thinking may be a world apart from the 1950s, but the argument at the end of the show as to who won, when Sandy undergoes a great physical change, is still open to dispute. Has she changed from a demure Sandra Dee look-alike to a leather clad member of the Pink Ladies, to please Danny and rekindle their Summer Love, or to give herself the opportunity to open up her personal life. There is no doubting what Danny Zuko and his macho gang, or the fiercely independent Pink Ladies of Rydell High School led by Betty Rizzo, believe to be the true reason,  but a straw pole amongst the audience leaving the Bristol Hippodrome 2024 would probably not be so evenly split along gender lines.

You can catch up with this production at Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre from 29th October to 2nd November.

GRP