GREASE - Review

Casino draws from the top deck
GREASE
Lyric Theatre
The Star
16 October 2013
Ben Oxley

The new Australian production comes to Sydney at the Lyric Theatre in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre to an enthusiastic reception. Maybe the pre-show interjections and 'back to school' routine set the mood, but this was a clever segue into the opening.

Let's not forget since the show’s Broadway premiere in 1972 and the 1978 hit movie starring John Travolta and our very own Olivia Newton-John, GREASE went on to become the highest grossing movie-musical of all time. Presented in Australia by GTO, this brings the show back where it began.

Applause for John Frost for assembling a strong cast of creatives: Terry Parson’s fantastic set brought together with lighting from Mark Henderson. Bobby Aitkens sound creates the oh-so-familiar mood for an evening of fun with nothing to wish for. Costume design by Andreane Neofitou caught the preppy tone, and dazzled in the Teen Angel scene. Arlene Phillips, Natalie Gilhome and Charlotte Bull coax the ensemble skills of this cast to full effect. Music direction from Stephen Amos brought the show up to its peak. It's amazing the band is just seven players; I'm sure there are more.

Rob Mills gave some comic flair to the role of Danny, and keeps pace with a hot-rod ensemble of T-Birds. Most impressive was Stephen Mahy as Kenicke, with a supercharged rendition of ‘Greased Lightning'. The boys definitely make this scene rock, with the car a must-have extra.

Gretel Scarlett as Sandra Dee really came alive for the finale in her transformation. She plays the character very straight, as she sings. We learn to love her, and she is an excellent foil for Danny.

Standout performance of the show is Lucy Maunder's Rizzo, with searing vocals and attitude to match. Having the confident swagger, and then the pained heartbreak caught this troubled character.

The A-list pack is revealed further in the form of beautiful star turns from Todd McKenney as the Teen Angel, and Anthony Callea's superb vocal display as Johnny Casino. Their performances bring a sure professionalism to this part of the show.

Bert Newton back to his early roots in radio spun the discs as DJ Vince Fontaine after undergoing a quadruple heart bypass late last year. Award winning Val Lehman, a long mile from Queen Bea on Prisoner, gives the right tone to Miss Lynch for us to enjoy the night and not feel like we never left school.

Watch out for the new Australian Cast Recording featuring this star-studded cast on sale for audience members and includes those unforgettable songs we all love to sing at karaoke – You’re The One That I Want, Grease Is The Word, Summer Nights, Hopelessly Devoted To You, Sandy, Greased Lightnin’ and many more. Stay right to the end, there’s even an audience sing-a-long moment towards the end of the show!

Another piece of advice for theatre-goers: make sure you arrive in the theatre a little early or you’ll miss some great pre-show entertainment. Get the gel out, don your bobby socks, step back into a fun era, and Chang chang chang-it-ty chang shoo-bop that's the way it should be wha oooh yeah!

GREASE at the Lyric Theatre runs in Sydney until December 22 and Melbourne from January 2, 2014.

Blue Man Group - Review

You have to go and see this, I can't say too much about it as it will spoil the fun.  And it is a piece of fun. I have read what others have said and I have to disagree, let yourself go and enjoy the show.

Many people have asked me "What is the Blue Man Group?" it is probably easier to say what it is not. It is not a band, it is not a play,  musical or dance piece.  It is a mimed piece of work that encompasses music, technology and lighting, humour plus amazing and disgusting feats!
The Blue Men (there are three) are aliens who have arrived on earth to explore mankind. The Blue Men are blue (funny that) in plain black clothing. They explore through technology - mobile apps and music. When you see them close up, which you will, if you sit in the stalls they are quite intimidating. The first two rows are instructed to wear ponchos and many of the audience are indeed covered in something! If you are close to the stage you do feel like you are in the performance as well as watching it.
The Blue Men are extremely talented. They are all excellent drummers/ percussionists,  drumming on plastic pipes (normally used in plumbing) and playing music on them as well. Also, they are accomplished mime artists as the whole performance is mimed.   There is a live band who perform on scaffolding on the stage, with this and the excellent use of technology and lighting it makes a fantastic live performance.
There is no interval so by the end you do feel slightly exhausted, but very uplifted by the extravaganza you have just witnessed.  There was a buzz around the Lyric Theatre as people were leaving the opening night last week.

So I would ignore what some critics have said, if you go with an open mind and just take it all in and let yourself go,  you should enjoy it.

The Blue Man Group are playing at the Lyric Theatre until 8 September.

For more information on the Blue Man Group and What's on at the Lyric Theatre head to http://www.star.com.au/whats-on-sydney/Pages/The-Lyric.aspx

Or http://www.whatsonsydney.com/eventDetails.aspx/22884/blue-man-group

Photo: Paul Kolnik

An Officer and A Gentleman - Review

An Officer and a Gentleman is playing a the Lyric Theatre.  It is based on the movie but has been adapted by the original screenwriter Douglas Day Stewart with Sharleen Cooper Cohen for the stage.  The story revolves around Zack Mayo played by Ben Mingay. Zack has been brought up by his drunken Naval father and two prostitutes in Manila. Not the best start in life but he is inspired from a young age to become an officer in the Navy and fly.

Zack is ambitious and driven, deep down he is a good guy but has trouble shrugging off his up bringing. When he least expects it, he falls in love with Paula Pokrifki (Amanda Harrison). Paula is a factory worker and like the other girls is searching for a way out. Her best friend Lynette Pomeroy (Kate Kendall) leads her to Zack and she too hooks up with Zack's best friend Sid Worley (Alex Rathgeber). She makes him fall in love with her with terrible consequences.  While all the romance is taking place Zack and several others are doing their 12 week Naval training. Who will last until the end? They all arrive as a mix of odd bods but are quickly whipped into shape by Sgt. Emil Foley (Bert Labonte). 

I thought that all the acting, singing and dancing were great. The main characters really stood out as did Bert Labonte particularly his songs. Ben Mingay is quite a heart throb and I am sure there will be plenty of woman who wished they could have been Amanda Harrison!
The music and lyrics by Ken Hirsch and Robin Lerner were good, the song An Officer and Gentleman was catchy, it was a shame is wasn't sung at the end by all the cast as a curtain call.  The Sgt. Emil Foley's song also stood out.  There could have been a little more variety in styles, maybe.
My biggest criticism would have to be the set. For a large musical the wow factor was missing. It was a shame too that I had just seen Miss Saigon the week before, the set for that was far superior. The set was a series of metal stairs and gangways that were constantly moving, or so it seemed. I am surprised that the actors knew where it was going and didn't bump into it more often.  This then made it a good production rather than an excellent one.
Overall though I did enjoy it and I think most people will whether you have or have not seen the film.

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