For over 40 years, West End audiences have flocked to see different productions of Grease as the feelgood high school musical continues to delight different generations of theatregoers and goes from strength to strength with every revival. . Now, Grease returns to London this summer for a limited season at the Dominion Theatre, and this latest production looks to be every bit as successful for a paying public that has been starved for so long of live feelgood entertainment.
This latest revival is the seventh time that Grease has graced the West End and rethinks the famous story with a little added grit and verve. The result is a new musical packed with more energy than the famous Greased Lightning car along with all of the fan-favourite moments to look out for as well as the musical features all the popular songs from the famous Hollywood movie including “You’re The One That I Want” and “Summer Lovin’”. There are plenty of reasons to go and see the latest revival of this famous musical. Here are a few;
What is Grease the Musical all about?
The plot of Grease follows the high school romance between Sandy Dumbrowski and Danny Zuko which began as a whirlwind summer romance but continues as Sandy enrolls in Rydell High School where Danny is a pupil. When they realise that they’re both going to be attending the same school and walking down the same school corridors, the summer romance suddenly becomes a little more serious as reality slowly kicks in. Can Danny and Sandy truly make their summer love last for a lifetime?
Although the plot centres primarily on Danny and Sandy, there are plenty of other moments to look out for in Grease that don't involve the couple, as other strong characters in the cast shine through. 'Pink Lady' Rizzo learns that she could be pregnant, and Frenchy decides to drop out of high school and pursue a beauty career. The whole show is packed with all of the trials and tribulations of just being a teenager. Love, lust, and heartbreak all feature in abundance — Grease is possibly the absolute definitive high school musical!
Where does Grease play?
The latest revival of Grease in London will showcase the Dominion Theatre which is one of the largest theatres in the West End and has over 2,000 seats. The current production at the venue is Dirty Dancing which will make way for Grease when it opens at the beginning of May.
How long does Grease run for?
The new revival of Grease in London will run for 2 hours and 30 minutes. The show will all feature a 20-minute interval.
What is the performance schedule for Grease?
Grease will play 8 performances per week at the Dominion Theatre with shows taking place every day except Sunday.
When did Grease premiere?
Grease was made hugely popular because of the famous Hollywood movie starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, however, it was a stage show before that. The musical was first staged by Chicago’s Kingston Mines Theatre Company back in 1971 and quickly attracted producers from New York City, which led to Grease opening Off-Broadway on Valentine’s Day in 1972. Several months later, Grease finally opened on Broadway where it had a successful eight-year run.
The British musical premiere of Grease was staged in Coventry, ahead of its first West End opening in 1973. There have been six subsequent revivals to date in London.
Who wrote the musical Grease?
The book, the music, and the lyrics for Grease the Musical were created by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Together, the pair had previously acted in shows at the Chicago Stage Guild, and had also worked together on a similar “rock and roll high school musical”. Grease was inspired by the William Howard Taft School in Chicago, and was Jacob and Casey's only successful musical.
Who are the characters in Grease?
Many recognisable characters appear in both the film and musical versions of Grease, including Danny Zuko, Sandy Dumbrowski, Betty Rizzo, Kenickie, and Frenchy. Other characters who feature in Grease include the Burger Palace Boys, Roger, Doody, and Sonny, with Marty and Jan completing the quintet of Pink Ladies. Other teenagers attending Rydell High in the show include valedictorian Eugene and cheerleader Patty Simcox.
Who is in the cast for Grease in London?
The roles of Danny and Sandy will be taken by Dan Partridge and Olivia Moore respectively. Other notable cast members will see the Pink Ladies completed by Eloise Davies as Frenchie, Jocasta Almgill as Rizzo, Mary Moore as Jan, and Lizzy-Rose Esin-Kelly as Marty. The roles of the other Burger Palace Boys will be taken by Paul French as Kenickie, Damon Gould as Sonny, and Jake Reynolds as Doody. The part of Vince Fontaine/Teen Angel is to be taken by Peter Andre who will make his West End debut in the show.
What songs feature in Grease?
Grease is packed full of some of the most recognisable and popular songs ever written and included in order of performance;
Act 1:
"Grease"
"Summer Nights"
"Those Magic Changes"
"Freddy, My Love"
"Greased Lightnin'"
"Rydell Fight Song"
"Mooning"
"Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee"
"We Go Together"
Act 2:
"Shakin' at the High School Hop"
"It's Raining on Prom Night"
"Born to Hand Jive"
"Hopelessly Devoted to You"
"Beauty School Dropout"
"Sandy"
"Rock 'N' Roll Party Queen"
"There Are Worse Things I Could Do"
"Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee (Reprise)"
"You're the One That I Want"
"We Go Together (Reprise)"
"Grease Medley"
Is Grease the musical the same as the Grease movie?
Although the movie version of Grease popularised the storyline for a global audience, the Grease stage musical pre-dated the film. Both versions follow the same storyline, so if you are a fan of the movie there’ll be no surprises. Some songs in the musical feature at a different point in the musical to the film, but the base storyline is similar.
Fun facts about Grease the Musical
The male group in the movie version of Grease are called the T-Birds, however, in the musical, they’re known as the Burger Palace Boys after their favourite diner.
The songs, ''Grease”, “Hopelessly Devoted To You,” and “You’re the One That I Want,” didn’t feature in the original Broadway production. All three songs have since been added.
Rydell High, the Grease school is based on a real place. The school is based on the William Howard Taft School in Chicago, near where Grease creator Jim Jacobs lived at the time of writing the musical.
How to get tickets to Grease
The latest production looks to be in high demand and tickets to Grease in London are sure to be popular. You can book Grease tickets online today to avoid missing out!
Grease the Musical will play its final performance at the Dominion Theatre on October 29th, 2022. The best availability for tickets to Grease is for midweek and matinee performances for those looking for last-minute theatre tickets and bargains.