Guest Blogger TerriTalks head to Sunderland Empire to see Grease…and Peter Andre of course!
Grease has always been, and will always be a classic both on the big screen, and on stage. We know it as the feel-good flick which tells a story of teen romance. With a few bumps along the way. It’s always been one of my favourites, so I couldn’t wait to see it and the Sunderland Empire!
However, I was totally caught off guard when I realised this isn’t the version of Grease we’re all used to.
You might be surprised to learn (like me), that the original musical is actually set in working-class Chicago, and not sunny California that we see in the movie. Not only that but the timeline of events is totally different, and a lot of the songs were adapted to fit the actors. Grease the musical had to go through a lot of tweaks and changes to become Grease the movie.
Grease: The Musical
The evening got off to a strong start with a couple of our old favourites such as ‘Grease Is The Word’ and ‘Summer Nights’ followed by a handful of newer songs that if you’ve only seen the film. You probably are yet to hear. It’s really refreshing to see characters such as Marty have their moment in the spotlight with songs such as ‘Freddy My Love’.
Once you get used to the timeline of events, it’s easy to see that the cast is suited a lot more to their roles than first anticipated.
The likes of Rizzo. Who is played by Rhianne-Louise Mccaulsky is still the same sharp-tongued character we fell in love with.
However, the more youthful portrayal of her makes her insecurities feel more real and vulnerable. It was safe to say Rhianna-Louise wowed the audience from start to finish. Particularly during her performance of ‘There Are Worst Things I Could Do’ in the second half.
Second Half
The second half seemed to pick up the pace a lot more. There were more jokes and one-liners that kept the audience entertained. As well as impressive dance numbers choreographed by the show business legend herself Arlene Phillips.
And there’s no way I couldn’t mention the hilarious, yet spectacular cameo performance of Peter Andre as Teen Angel. He definitely knows how to please the crowd!
You can grab your tickets here but be quick, it’s only here until the 3rd of August!
*gifted tickets
