“Grease is the Word”: Grease officially opens at the Dominion Theatre 

Calling all Burger Palace Boys and Pink Ladies, Grease has officially returned to the West End for a limited run at the Dominion Theatre.  

Grease tells the classic story of Burger Palace Boys leader Danny and girl-next-door Sandy, who are unexpectantly reunited after a whirlwind summer romance. But things are different now that Danny is with his friends, back in his school persona. The musical contains all the beloved songs, such as “Greased Lightnin’”, “Hopelessly Devoted To You” and “Summer Nights”.  

However, the show is not a carbon copy of the movie, it actually follows the plot of the original stage production so lovers of the movie, be prepared to see a new version of this loved classic. This includes new songs, songs in different places and new scenes, for better or for worse. It is harsh to compare the production to the film, as they are not the same but some of the differences ruin the story at times. 

The characters lack development, with some becoming rather unlikable at moments where we should be rooting for them. The main characters hop from person to person romantically which makes it difficult to support any of the relationships, but especially Danny and Sandy. They are barely together throughout the production, and when they are they are fighting. The only reason to root for them is their summer romance, which we don’t even see except for the opening scene. Danny actually has more flirtatious scenes with Patty Simcox. It ruins iconic scenes such as “Hopelessly Devoted to You” and the end scene; Sandy is just changing herself for a boy she barely talks to anymore, she has more chemistry with Kenicke.  

However, where the writing and plot faults, the cast certainly does not. They burst with energy at every number and smash every dance section. Standout performances were definitely Jocasta Almgill as Rizzo, Paul French as Kenicke and Damon Gould as Sonny. Almgill captured every aspect of Rizzo and was able to be one of the only characters that showed a development through the show, especially in her rendition of “There Are Worse Things I Could Do.” French led the cast through the iconic “Greased Lightnin’” with dynamic thrusting and vivacious vocals, yet also bringing different aspects of Kenicke, going from the cool, intimidating guy to heartfelt and caring. Damon Gould was astonishing as Sonny and truly stood out for his comedic timing and killer dance moves.