Grease

Grand Canal Theatre

Following the success of the 1978 film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, product- ions of Warren Casey and Jim Jacob's musical Greasehave been given an overhaul to include various numbers that originated with the film, which has become an iconic teenage cultural classic.

This is part of the reason why David Gilmore’s touring production tends towards the karaoke. From the opening notes of the overture the audience is incited to expect the familiar and to join in if desired; the first-night audience was more than happy to oblige.

Set in a 1950s high-school during the height of doo-wop and the beginnings of rock-and-roll, Greasepresents a youth culture split along social lines: the rebel greasers, of which Danny Zuko is the leader, and conservative bores, like new girl Sandy Dumbrowski. As their love affair crosses these tightly drawn lines, a variety of other issues are introduced, including nascent sexuality, teenage pregnancy and the problematic transformation of Sandy from good-girl into leather-clad tease.

However, in Gilmore's staging there is little more to the musical than the songs, with scenes presented merely as preludes to the big familiar numbers such as Greased Lightning, We Go Togetherand The One I Want.The fact that the lead performers take up hand-held microphones for the major numbers, despite already being miked, only enhances the sing-along sensibility.

The cartoonish style of many of the performances, meanwhile, does little to help the story, although there are exceptions, most notably Kate Somerset How’s Rizzo. Danny Bayne, for example, presents Danny as caricature rather than character; a series of tics and vocal mannerisms.

This is not to say that the cast don’t work hard – there is an extraordinary energy sustained throughout the demanding high-octane show – however, it’s all played for easy laughs, which is fine, but seems a bit of a missed opportunity.

Not one to miss an opportunity, meanwhile, an excitable Mary Byrne turns her cameo appear- ance as Teen Angel into a major role. The score is adapted to allow her maximum exposure and her voice holds up well, even if she doesn’t stick to character.

Byrne makes a brief second appearance in the well-choreo- graphed encore that provides a "greatest hits" ending to Grease, which, at this stage, has the audience happily on its feet dancing along.

Runs until August 27