Front Row Centre Review: GREASE

Despite the best efforts of an energetic cast, GREASE remains a problematic show. The book is barely above TV sketch material, the characters are paper thin, and the dialogue is lame.  Thanks to a successful (and heavily altered) film version, the show is popular and when well performed, it can be fun.

 

That sense of fun comes through in Escape Productions staging. For the new company's inaugural musical, director Rochelle Douris has assembled a talented cast who do their best to make the cardboard characters human and believable. They almost succeed, despite uneven direction.

 

Unfortunately, Douris impedes the flow of the show by stopping the action for lengthy scene changes.  The director, along with chorographer Christine Tavares and the design team, need to find ways to make tighten these transitions.

 

The lively and energetic dancing does help, notably in the school dance scene, but messy blocking and poor lighting make the dialogue scene that leads into it a near disaster.

 

The problem is that lighting designer Kate McKay has failed to come up with anything creative and often leaves performers quite literally fumbling around in the dark. 

 

The basic unit set is a riser with steps that could be used much more effectively. Michael Mazzuca has designed a series of projections to establish the time and place of each scene, but often they seem clunky and uninspired. When the lead in to the intermission is the highlight, you know you're in trouble. The costumes, however, capture the right look for the period thanks to Veronica Scorrano's designs.

 

The on-stage band led by Jordann Zaza is a tight five-piece ensemble but frequently overpowers the singers who also had to contend with a myriad of sound system dropouts and noises on opening night.

 

Despite all these handicaps, the cast manages to offer some winning performances.  Tim Clarke does an amusing turn as the class nerd; Eugene, Kyle Young (as guitar student and future Buddy Holly clone Doody) and Alex Furber (as the Rydell high "mooning" champion, Roger) provide bright spots as the gang members.  Among the girls, Christine Stewart's Frenchy and Marlene Matos Jones' Jan milk the humour from their lines.

 

With Zoe Sweet we come to one of the standout players. As school bad girl and Pink Lady leader, Rizzo, she commands the stage whenever she appears. You can easily understand why the other girls are drawn to her. Her voice is quite powerful making her second act solo "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" a moment to savor. It is also one of the few character drive songs in Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey's pop-pastiche score. 

 

Several of the smaller roles are especially well played here: Corey Payettte as Frenchy's imaginary (and apparently shoeless) Teen Angel nearly steals the show with "Beauty School Dropout" and Sean Kauffman's self-centered radio DJ Vince Fontaine scores a few laughs.

 

Megan Nuttal perfectly captures Sandy's innocence and bewilderment in arriving at a new school. She also has a strong singing voice which she shows off in the lament "It's Raining on Prom Night."

 

Michael Bradley plays her Danny with goofy charm and they do create some sparks despite the script leaving them stranded for long stretches. He is in his element singing "Alone at a Drive In Movie" making every ludicrous line land with a laugh.

 

GREASE is, after all, supposed to be a silly, goofy, fun show, but it will never be considered a great musical.

 

The same can be said of this production.

 

 

 

GREASE plays at the Bluma Appel theatre through Saturday August 20. Tickets are $35-52 Tuesday through Thursday and $40-$57 on weekends.  For more info call the St. Lawrence Centre box office at 416 366-7723.

 

 

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