Theatre Review: Grease The Immersive Movie Musical
Grease The Immersive Movie Musical returned to London this summer for a limited-time run, and here are my thoughts on the smash-hit event that brings the Pink Ladies and T-Birds to life.
Last weekend, I headed to London to watch Grease The Immersive Movie Musical. Having been a fan of the movie starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John for many years, when I saw that the immersive experience of watching Grease was returning to London, I knew I had to see it.
Grease The Immersive Movie Musical is in Battersea Park for a limited run, with only a few days left at the time of writing this blog. I was lucky enough to secure tickets for a day that was lovely weather, and because I enjoyed the show so much, I wanted to share my thoughts.
So, if you're a musical theatre fan, a lover of the Pink Ladies and T-Birds, or simply interested in seeing what exactly Grease The Immersive Movie Musical is, check out my review below.
Review of Grease The Immersive Movie Musical
Genre: High-School Romance
Based on: The 1979 movie
Starring: Stephanie Costi, Giórgios Michaelides, Lucy Penrose, Arcangelo Ciulla, Jess Smith, Andrew Jackson, Ziki Buswell, Dylan Blake-Colbet, Hannah Hague, Kieran Alleyne, David Fearn, Leah Dane, David Heal, Joshua C Jackson, Imogen Kingsley-Smith, Jacob Stebbings, Charlotte Avery, Michelle Bishop, and Em Barrett
Synopsis:
Grease The Immersive Movie Musical is an immersive theatre experience that brings together the movie, Grease, and the West End performance. As stated on the website, the show is:
"An award-winning immersive theatrical experience that invites you into the world of Rydell High, where cinema, stage, and celebration become one.
"From the moment you arrive, you'll find yourself immersed in the halls of Rydell High alongside Danny and Sandy as every corner of the set comes alive.
"With live music, a summer fairground and classic American diner-inspired delights, every unforgettable moment and song from Grease unfolds before your eyes."
My Thoughts:
Grease was one of the very first musicals I ever saw. There was something about the 1959 setting with the dresses, the music, the classic aspects of American high schools that pulled me in.
I can't tell you how many times I've watched the movie over the years. However, I've never seen the West End production of Grease.
So, it was safe to say I was really looking forward to watching Grease The Immersive Movie Musical at Battersea Park.
I attended the 19:30 evening performance, which meant the doors to the summer fairground opened at 18:00. My friend and I arrived at Battersea around 17:00, which gave us time to explore the area. We started queuing at 17:45 and didn't have to queue for very long.
Once inside the gates, you enter the summer fairground. Essentially, this is a big outdoor space with food vans and carnival rides/games. These included a hot dog van, burger van, a couple of bars, a merch stand, a Ferris Wheel, Kentucky Derby, swings, and more.
Your ticket to the event grants you one token, but to go on the other rides/play the games, you need to purchase more tokens. I bought 10 for £10, which also gave me a free programme for the show.
Inside, there is also a bar and a Benefit Beauty School, echoing Frenchie's love of beauty. In here, there's a fun crossword for you to do and the chance to win free Benefit samples of makeup.
When it hit 19:30, the big screen outside came on and Grease, the movie, started playing. Everyone then headed inside to either find their seats or get a good position standing during the opening credits.
I bought seated tickets and was located in the Drive-In, which, in my opinion, is the best seats to get because a couple of the songs were performed in/around the drive-in area. However, if you can stand for the duration of the show, then it's worth buying a standing ticket; for the performance I saw, the standing area had a lot of space to move around.
Once everyone was inside the arena, the show began.
Credit: WriteWatchWork Credit: WriteWatchWork Credit: WriteWatchWork
Essentially, Grease The Immersive Movie Musical combines both the movie and a theatrical performance. The classic movie is playing throughout the entire show, broadcast on various screens around the arena.
The cast of the show then performs every song, coming out on different stages within the arena. Some scenes from the movie were also performed, such as the sleepover at Frenchie's, the pep rally scene, and the iconic Thunder Road scene.
If you have a standing ticket, there is a high chance you could be invited onto the stage to participate in different scenes, like the big high school dance scene.
Some of my favourite performances were Greased Lightning, Sandy (Danny was in the Drive-In seats for this song), Born to Hand Jive, the dance with Cha Cha, and, finally, the Thunder Road scene.
When it comes to the final two songs – You're the One That I Want, and We Go Together – the audience heads outside back to the fairground, and the cast performs out there. This was particularly atmospheric because it all looked so pretty with the carnival lights, and everyone was singing.
The one thing that I thought could be improved was what was shown on the screens inside the arena. Of course, the movie is playing the entire way through, but there were some scenes where the cast were acting or performing, but it wasn't shown as much, so it was harder to see what they were doing and where in the arena they were.
I think it would be good to play the movie on the outer screens continuously, and show more of the actors on the bigger, more central screens so the audience can pay attention to them, not just the movie.
However, that being said, I am so happy I finally got to see Grease The Immersive Movie Musical. It really is such a unique experience and definitely very immersive.
So, if you're a fan of Grease and of musical theatre, I definitely recommend seeing it when it (hopefully) comes back to London next summer.
Until next time...
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