Review - Grease: The Musical at Wakefield's Theatre Royal is the one that I want!

The smash-hit musical has been given a new lease of life thanks to the talented work of Wakefield-based theatre and production company, Diva Productions.

Since it was first performed in 1971, in Chicago, Grease has been successful on both stage and screen.

From the catchy tunes to the 50s throwbacks, it’s understandable why the musical was voted the best musical ever on Channel 4's 100 greatest musicals in 2004.

Twenty years later, and the musical, which follows the romance between ‘T-bird’ Danny Zuko and the sweet new girl in town, Sandy, is still going strong.

I had the honour of being invited to last night’s (Thursday, April 25) performance of Dive Production’s version of Grease – and I could not be more grateful.

Diva’s adaptation of the popular musical brought a breathe of fresh air to the timeless classic that left me filled with joy.

From the brilliant costumes and sets to the talented band and cast – it’s hard to pick a favourite moment as every scene left me with a giant smile on my face.

Here, I have to give my commendations to Musical Director, Tom Renwick and his amazing band as well as Head of Costumes, Cara Rotherford who played a huge part in transporting the audience to the 1950s.

The production manages to capture the nostalgia and lovability of Grease, playing to the musical’s strengths, whilst also adding unique elements that ensure it has Diva Productions at it’s heart.

The extraordinary vocals of lead cast members Esmae Bloomer (Sandy), Michael Markey (Danny) and Beth Rosamond (Rizzo) rivalled voices heard in the West End – with Esmae’s rendition of ‘Hopelessly Devoted To You’ cementing itself as one of the best versions of the song I’ve ever heard.

Emma Hooker (Marty), Polly Lovegrove (Frenchy) and Holly Greco (Jan) completed the wonderful Pink Ladies – with there being clear chemistry that makes you want to join the brilliant girl group.

Holly proved to be a firm fan-favourite with her great comic timing that left the audinces in stitches, even whilst sat in the background.

Another stand-out was James Banks (Kenickie), and his T-Birds, who had the audience singing along (despite being shushed numerous times by other audience members) to ‘Greased Lightning’.

However, the star of the show, and my personal favourite, was the great Meg Riley as Teen Angel.

The talented all-rounder donned the stage in a silver-embellished bodysuit to sing ‘Beauty School Dropout’ to the lovely Frenchie, whilst hitting notes that many singers only dream of.

It is clear that Meg is a superstar in the making, so I ensure audiences to keep an eye out for her in the future.

From ‘Born To Hand Jive’ to ‘You’re The One That I Want’ the big show numbers utilized the dancing talents of the ensemble, who must also be highlighted.

Not only was it clear that they are all insanely talented, but ultimately, they were what made the musical spectacular.

The overall cheekiness of the production was what gave it so much heart, which is quintessentially Diva Productions.

It seemed that throughout the show the cast, and even the crew, were having a brilliant time, which was clear to the audience.

Combining this talented cast and the incredible work of the crew alongside such an iconic musical is genius.

If you like a cheesy musical, incredible performances or simply just want to have fun – I highly recommend buying tickets now.

Grease: The Musical runs at the Theatre Royal until Saturday with tickets still available via: https://www.theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk/events/grease-2024