Review: Grease the musical performed by Burnley's Basics Junior Theatre School at Pendle Hippodrome Theatre in Colne

And I found it this week at Colne’s Pendle Hippodrome Theatre on the opening night of the musical ‘Grease’ performed by the Burnley based Basics Junior Theatre School. Running until this Saturday (October 12th) I raise my hat to the fantastic cast, who are all aged just 18 and below, for a terrific performance of this iconic musical.

Watching the cast perform hit songs practically everyone knows, including ‘Greased Lightning,’ ‘You’re The One That I Want,’ ‘Summer Nights’ and ‘Hopelessly Devoted To You’ took me right back to my teenage years when I queued at Studios One Two and Three in Burnley to watch the film Grease, that catapulted John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John to worldwide fame. The story of teenage sweethearts Danny and Sandy, who are poles apart, but eventually find true love together, is ageless and irresistible to true romantics. Felix Snowden did an incredible job as Danny and perfectly captured the character of the leather clad ‘tough’ teen who is really a softie underneath all that bravado. Darcie Brown was perfectly cast as the sweet and innocent Sandy who eventually transforms into a feisty ‘Pink Lady.’

The rest of the ‘Pink Lady’ gang were on stage in practically every scene and performed together seamlessly, each portraying the different characters with ease. I loved Evie Musso as the tough but vulnerable Rizzo and Jolie Forrest as Frenchy, Amelia Lancaster as Marty and Jemima Redmond as Jan. They all had precision comic timing and none of them tried to grab the limelight above the others.

The ‘Greasers’ Louie Boden (Kenickie) Charlie Birtwistle (Doody) Luke Esden (Roger) and Rory Lightfoot (Sonny) were funny and engaging as young teens trying to be tough guys. Their rendition of ‘Greased Lightning’ brought the house down. Dancing, especially to the fast paced numbers like ‘Born To Hand Jive,’ and singing at the same time, is incredibly difficult but this talented young cast did it like true professionals, all while mastering an American accent too.

The show ends with a finale of all the most popular songs that the audience are invited to join in with. And we didn’t need to be asked twice. It was a fabulous finish to the show that I have to say is one of Basics’ best productions I have ever seen. Bravo to the entire cast, also to director Howard Raw, musical director Andrew Mitchell, choregraphers Lydia Cooke and Helen Cheung and wardrobe mistress Sally Murtagh.

There are still tickets left so to get yours go to basicsjuniortheatre.co.uk