REVIEW: Viva’s Grease ‘throbbed with energy, colour and pizzazz’

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Heart throb Danny (played by Max Bovingdon) and beautiful Sandy (Riley Williames) melted our hearts as we relived those joyful years of rock n roll and teenage angst.

Characters were all true to form; the singing was strong and very moving and the choreography (thanks to Louise Plummer ) was amazing.

Rizzo (Eloise George) strutted the stage as if she owned it, raising the tension up several notches.

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Patty (Dresden Goodwin) was the epitome of the girl who tries too hard and never quite makes it, and Eugene (Zack Wymer) was goofy and the least ‘cool’ among his peers.

The rich smoothly-produced lines of Vince Fontaine (Deylon Horton) made him a popular star while the sour-faced teacher Miss Lynch (Megan Godfrey) never cracked a smile until she stepped out of character at the final curtain call.

In fact all the characters were splendid: Doody (Corbin Abbasi), Johnny Casino (Joseph Beach), Marty (Elisha Cardwell), Roger (Conor Caughtry), Frenchie (Summer Dowling), Kenickie (Olly Manly), Jan (Kiera O’Reilly), Sonny (Mark O’Reilly), the Teen Angel (Zak Potts) and Cha-Cha (Angela Warder).

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

With wonderful backing by a host of youngsters, they all enhanced the mix and we were captivated, tapping our feet, straining at the leash wanting to join in.

The band directed by Melody Bell was fantastic – its music filling the hall with pulsating rhythms and memorable melodies that were orchestrated most fittingly.

Above all was the noticeable fact that there were a lot of new faces – even a lad as young as 6 - and the director, Ben Clark admitted that this was his first directorship working alone.

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Well done Ben! His team, including producer Kerry Hibbert excelled themselves.

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)

Viva's production of Grease. Picture(s): Mike Rouse (Image: Mike Rouse)