Musical - Grease

Last night I took myself off to see Grease at the New Theatre in Oxford on the first day of the Summer Holidays.  Wasn't absolutely desperate to go, as I felt I knew it quite well, but very pleased  I did go.  It got me thinking about when I last went to that Theatre (seems to be Joseph a year ago, they had a new box office area now) and how many times I have seen Grease at the Theatre.  It definitely felt to me like I had seen it quite recently, but I couldn't quite think when, and I have just looked at my definitive musicals list and the only Grease moments on there are when I was 8 and when I was in 6th Form, which is what I could remember last night.  I'm wondering if I have seen a school version at all, and of course I did see the film at the open air cinema last year.

I really had a great time and loved it.  I was impressed with all the singing and most of the acting too.  It seemed pretty true to versions I remember - there were lines said in the same tone as the film, and others in the same was as my original London cast recording CD from the 90s.  I liked Rizzo and her outfits reminded me of the film a lot. I liked

• that Danny and Sandy sang the opening Sandy number from balconies on opposites sides of the stage as in my memory.
• that they sang 'those magic changes'
• We Go Together was brilliant at the end of the first half.
• that Patsy danced along the bar singing the Rydell fight song in the finale
• Greased Lightning
• that they often sang with hand held mics to make it a bit concert-esque.
• Rock and Roll Party Queen

I wasn't as keen on the second half:

• I have never really liked Beauty Queen Drop Out and resolutely kept my hands to my sides instead of clapping.  
• Sandy (by nature of the story in the musical) wasn't at the high school dance and in the competition and I do enjoy that bit in the film.  I really didn't like ChaCha.
• They didn't do the car race and I have mixed feelings about this.  I think I remember from before (though could totally be making this up) that they sort of did the car race by having two cars roughly next to each other in the mainly dark and car whooshing noises going on.  And I wasn't a particular fan of that though I couldn't see how it could work otherwise.  So in that sense it was good they didn't have it.  But the sudden appearance of 'You're the one that I want' consequently felt out of place and I couldn't feel the excitement of it as I do normally - it having been my favourite song when I was 8.  
• Not specific to the second half, but I found (at least from the circle) Danny, Kinickie and another of the T-Birds far to similar to easily tell apart!

All in all it was a good evening and I was super pleased I went!