Review: Community production of Grease a 'vibrant, joyful' experience

Grease has always been my guilty pleasure. From aged seven, when I watched wide-eyed, secretly wishing I could trade my school shoes for Sandy’s stilettos.

So Wednesday night at the Theatre Royal Windsor was a real treat, as a community production brought the iconic musical to life with a dazzling mix of nostalgia, energy, and fresh local talent. 

Directed with flair by Carole Todd, with Kevin Oliver Jones as musical supervisor, this production honours the show’s long history.

First staged in 1971 in a Chicago nightclub, Grease was raw and raunchy before its Broadway premiere in 1972 softened the edges.

Then, of course, came the 1978 film that cemented Danny Zuko’s laugh, Kenickie’s hips, and Frenchy’s pink hair into pop culture forever. From Hen nights to Halloween parties, the Pink Ladies are now a permanent fixture in our collective imagination.

This Windsor production taps into that legacy with a magic of its own. The sets are spectacular: a neon-lit jukebox diner, a school gym buzzing with colour, even a gleaming Ford De Luxe convertible parked on stage. The dancing and choreography are crisp and full of energy, capturing the spirit of the 1950s.

The cast delivers across the board. Sandy and Danny (played by Bella Baron-Peat and Evan Gerrard) give great performances, but it’s Isabelle Walters as gutsy Rizzo, whose vocals send shivers down the spine. 

Ella Murphy brings subtlety and spark to Marty, while Autumn Letton’s Frenchy is a bundle of energy and fun, lighting up every scene she enters.

Among the boys, Daniel Willings (Doody) and Joseph Gibbard (Roger) stand out, their songs and their comic timing and camaraderie adding warmth and humour.

A favourite moment is when Frenchy’s Guardian Angel, played with camp confidence by Ben Aston - surrounded by mini clouds and lollipop hearts - breaks the fourth wall with a cheeky wink to the band.

Speaking of the band: they are the heartbeat of the show, seamlessly carrying it from song to song. Fans of the film may be surprised to find musical numbers appearing in unexpected settings. If you can’t imagine Hopelessly Devoted to You sung at Rydell High, you’ll have to see it to believe it works.

This Grease is more than just nostalgia. It’s a vibrant, joyful, community-powered celebration of youth, music and theatre. It could make anyone smile but if this show doesn’t bring a teenage audience into the theatre, I don’t know what will. 

“Go!” is the word.

Grease is on show at Theatre Royal Windsor on Friday, August 29 and Saturday, August 30.