Grease

Grease seems to have become the ultimate high school musical, a far cry from its original darker stage version. In the hands of a mostly teenage cast like the present enthusiastic one at Bankstown, with popular songs from the movie interpolated, it’s mostly a joyful romp with a few mildly naughty moments. You’d scarcely rate it PG anymore. Time, of course, and what it now takes to shock us, may well have played their part in softening the show.

After the glitz and production values of the recent professional production, Bankstown’s production is very low key. Simple props, set pieces and stage decoration suffice for the various locations, with further colour provided by the costumes of the female cast.

Bankstown has assembled an enthusiastic, energetic young cast, who display a range of experience, stagecraft and vocal chops.

Jessica Williams is a sweet, appealing Sandy, who sings the role well. Opposite her, Alex Jeans comes across as genial and likeable, without a real bad-boy alter ego.

The Pink Ladies share a good rapport. Izzy Tilden lands the cynicism of Rizzo in broad strokes, Stephanie Eid is a delightfully eccentric Frenchie, Meegan Fitzpatrick does a terrific job of ‘Freddie My Love’, and Zoe Martino lands Jan’s food jokes nicely.

Steven MCleod (Kenicke), Claudio Acosta (Roger), Jordan Janson (Doody) and Donovan Cleary (Sonny) work well together as a knockabout gang of greasers, though the male vocals are rarely as strong as the female voices.

In support, Alexandra Cammillios is an appropriately crass Cha Cha, Nathan Watson (Eugene) and Annalise Del Colle play broadly stereotyped school nerds, and Joy Pennock makes a gruff, firm Miss Lynch. Phillip Plunkett never seems quite old enough for the sleeziness of Vince Fontaine to work.

Period pop-culture isn’t on the radar of this young cast, with mis-pronunciation of iconic pop culture names indicating just how young they are.

Musically James Court and his band are effective throughout, while amidst director / choreographer Edward Rooke’s generally fairly straightforward routines there are some genuinely nice moments.

Softened over the years, Grease has become something of an archetyplal high school musical, scarcely any edgier any more than Disney’s High School Musical franchise.

An enthusiastic audience was right behind this young cast, and Bankstown Theatre Company is to be congratulated for looking to their future, but after the recent adult cast, big budget professional production, this staging truly feels more like a good, solid school production.

Neil Litchfield