Grease Live! – A Review

Grease Live!, Fox's first foray into the live staging of classic musicals, is more edgy than NBC's offerings, an excellent fit for the network.

Mind you, I very much dislike the basic story in Grease. I expected to cringe and groan and be irked by the enterprise, but

Surprise! I was entertained.

The script had me giggling – Patty & Eugene arguing over space for the Rocket Club flyer; Coach's pep rally speech; anything the Principal said over the PA system.

There was good acting – Vanessa Hudgens inhabited Rizzo; it's always a pleasure to see Wendell Pierce (Coach Calhoun); props to Jordan Fischer (Doody), Kether Donohue (Jan), and Ana Gasteyer (Principal McGee). Loved loved loved Haneefah Wood (Blanche), who made me laugh every time she was on screen.

Using both soundstages and a backlot, Fox did a nice job of combining the good of theatre with the good of television. I gave a small scream of delight when the end-of-show bows started (a theatre thing) – very happy to see the ensemble get their due.

The addition of the live audience energized many of the scenes (especially the dance off), and getting peeks of the behind-the-scenes scurrying didn't make the production any less magical.

Those peeks were often hosted by Mario Lopez, who, unfortunately, was unimpressive as Vince Fontaine. There's more to being the charismatic but skeezy bandstand host than competently speaking set of rapid-fire lines.

Overall it was a fun time. The songs are catchy, the drama sufficient, and there's no floating car at the end. I'd call it PG-13, where parents should probably have a conversation with their children in the aftermath (or during commercial breaks). What does he mean when he says, "Did she put up a fight"? Talking to your kids is not a bad thing.

A few other notes as I was watching:

·         Boyz II Men doing a little bit of Motown Philly during the title song. Yeeessss.

·         Commercial: It's a German luxury sedan. But it's still an Audi
Wha? (Audi's are German luxury cars.)

·         I love Didi Conn. Can I just say?

·         More Boyz II Men, please. Temptations/Pips moves and all.

·         I like how Vince Fontaine was shut down by Marty (I believe in the movie, the two end up making out).

·         No, Mario Lopez does not look old. We look the same age, right? Which is not old.

·         Joe Jonas – that's the middle one, right?

·         And no attempt to make his band look like they fit into 1959. <shrug> okay.