Grease

The Alhambra

GREASE is still the word, four decades after the much-loved movie set the world alight - and nearly half a century after it started life as an off-Broadway show.

The original high school musical has a timeless appeal, judging by the Pink Ladies of all ages dotted around the packed audience of last night's opening show in Bradford.

The age old tale of boy meets girl - a holiday romance famously re-visited when Danny and Sandy find themselves reunited at Rydell High - is a wop-bam-boom-athon of Fifties Americana, from cheerleader pom-poms, circle skirts and ponytails to slick quiffs and winkle-pickers.

A lively cast did Arlene Phillips' excellent choreography proud, with slick dance numbers racing the action along at a cracking pace. Highlights included

Greased Lightnin', complete with Kenickie's beloved car, the heavenly Beauty School Dropout, and We Go Together, performed with a beautifully synchronised, and hugely impressive, hand jive routine.

While the big numbers stole the show, some of the solos left me cold, I'm afraid. As Danny, former boy band star Tom Parker has leading man charisma, but needs a bit more acting experience under his belt to carry such a big show. He performed well with the other T-Birds, but perhaps needed to loosen up a bit conveying the emotion required for his solo, Sandy.

Louisa Lytton is a talented actress and dancer, and lit up the stage as fiery Rizzo, but her comic number, Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee, lacked bite. There Are Worse Things I Could Do is, for many people, a Grease highlight, and needs to reveal more of Rizzo's vulnerablity.

Danielle Hope is an accomplished leading lady and showcased her impressive singing voice as Sandy, making a credible, slick transition from girl-next-door to sexy vamp.

Rosanna Harris gave a scene-stealing performance as Jan, the goofy joker in the Pink Lady pack. Nice performances too from Rhiannon Chesterman as ditzy Frenchy and Lauren Atkins as boy-mad Marty. Overall, I thought the T-Birds were stronger, with stand-out performances from Ryan Heenan as loveable Doody, Tom Senior as cool dude Kenickie (he'd make a great Danny too), Oliver Jacobson as Roger and Michael Cortez as Sonny.

A superb Callum Evans got the biggest laughs of the night as super-nerd Eugene.

I wasn't blown away by the neon-lit staging but, nit-picking aside, this is a thoroughly entertaining show which went down a storm with last night's happy crowd.

The lively finale, featuring the inevitable Grease medley, left fans left Hopelessly Devoted to this evergreen musical.

Runs until Saturday