GREASE (MUSICAL)

 

Book, Music and Lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey

Directed by Bradley McDowell

Musical Director: Ella Ragless

Choreographer: Jordan Kelly

Canberra Philharmonic Society production

Erindale Theatre to 12 September

 

Reviewed by Len Power 27 August 2026

 

These days, audiences want Grease’ on stage to remind them of the popular 1978 film version of the show. Although the original stage show opened in 1971 and was a huge success on Broadway, the current stage version is less gritty and even includes the most-loved songs that were written especially for the film.

Director of this Philo production, Bradley McDowell, notes in the program that his concept is more of a rock show. Traditionalists might not be happy about this, but, as the show is now a hybrid and most people in the audience probably know all the songs and characters anyway, why not do something different with it? An entertaining, high energy, colourful (and loud) production with a wildly enthusiastic cast is the result.

While the set design is black-and-white with colourful mobile props (including a groovy Greased Lightning car), the clever and complex lighting design by Alex Clifford gives a colourful rock show atmosphere that is a highlight of the show.

Ashleigh Maynard (Sandy) and the girls

There are some standout performances from the large cast. Ashleigh Maynard does ‘sweet’ Sandy very well and her transformation to the ‘new’ Sandy at the end of the show remains a valid and fun character. Her singing of ‘Hopelessly Devoted To You’ was especially appealing. Samuel Whiter achieves the roughness of Danny who is really a nice-boy-underneath and the emotion he brings to his singing of ‘Sandy’ is a standout in the show.

Samuel Whiter (Danny)

There are also colourful performances from Georgia Motto (Rizzo), Joseph Mansell (Kenickie), Erin Hawker (Marty), Meaghan Stewart (Miss Lynch), Michael Cooper (Vince Fontaine) and Declan Pigram (Johnny Casino). Dave Collins sings Teen Angel well, but his makeup looks like he escaped from a zombie movie.

Chorus members of 'Grease'

Choreography by Jordan Kelly doesn’t have much to do with the 1950s but works fine with the rock show concept. His ability to make a cast look good with simple steps and gestures works very well here.

Musical director, Ella Ragless, has achieved a high standard with the singing of the cast and production of the music. Conductor, Craig Johnson, achieves a fine sound from the orchestra. Dialogue, though, is difficult to understand because of the amplification.

This production should please everybody who loves this show. If, by chance, you’re from another planet and have never seen it, you’ll have a great time.

 

Photos by Photox

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs.

 

 

I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE (MUSICAL)

Book& Lyrics by Joe Di Pietro

Music by Jimmy Roberts

Directed by Janie Lawson

Free Rain Theatre at the ACT Hub Theatre, Kingston to 5 September

 

Reviewed by Len Power 21 August 2026

 

In ‘I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change’, a chessboard full of strategies, wins and loses is peopled with colourful characters trying to get through the rocky road of relationships and life in general. The show is composed of separate and unconnected vignettes with titles like ‘Men Who Talk and Women Who Pretend They are Listening’, ‘And Now the Parents’ and ‘Sex and the Married Couple’. The ensemble cast of six play all of the various characters.

Written in 1996, this musical has the distinction of being the second longest-running Off-Broadway show ever with over 5,000 performances. It’s bright, funny and perceptive.

There were some standout moments by Amelia Andersson-Nickson in ‘Always a Bridesmaid Never a Bride’, Deborah O’Toole with ‘I Will Be Loved Tonight’, Sam Thomson in ‘The Baby Song’, David Pearson with ‘Shouldn’t I be Less in Love With You’ and Sarah Copley in ‘The Very First Dating Video of Rose Ritz’. These were particularly strong because the performers made these people very real.

From left: Deborah O'Toole, Amelia Andersson-Nickson, Sarah Copley, Sam Thomson, Connor McNaught and David Pearson

Unfortunately, some scenes were overplayed like TV sitcoms with exaggerated characters. The over-amplified sound, particularly in the first half of the show, added to the problem.

The striking chessboard-themed set design by Cate Clelland worked very well and Leo Amadeus and Laura Kay provided an appealing musical accompaniment on keyboard and violin respectively.

Janie Lawson, the director, solved the potential problem of many scene changes with her set design concept. While stronger control was needed on some of the scenes, the successful ones showed her ability to obtain fine, realistic performances from her cast.

 

Photos by Janelle McMenamin

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs.

 

  

ANU - LUNCHTIME FACULTY RECITAL (CONCERT)

Edward Neeman, piano

Larry Sitsky Recital Room August 11

 

Reviewed by Len Power

 

It was a lunchtime recital with a bit of everything – melody, drama, emotion and a hint of greatness.

The centrepiece of the recital was the Sonata in F minor by Australian composer, Frederick Septimus Kelly. Incomplete, it was his last work before his death in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 in World War I. Pianist, Edward Neeman, played two complete movements and the fragment of a third movement which had been sketched out prior to Kelly’s final return to the war.

The first movement was highly dramatic, even heroic. Hints of war and other colourful moments were quite breathtaking in their complexity. The second movement was beautifully, almost painfully melodic and the fragment of the third movement showed the potential so cruelly interrupted. Neeman gave it a sensitive and highly satisfying performance, leaving us wondering about the work Kelly might have done had he lived.

Edward Neeman

Also on the program was the Piano Piece No. 6 in F sharp minor by Elisabeth von Herzogenberg. A student and close friend of Johannes Brahms, a small amount of her work was only published by her husband after her untimely death at age 45. This richly melodic work again showed the composer’s potential, especially at a time where women had little opportunity to have their work acknowledged.

Two works by Brahms followed - the Capriccio in F sharp minor, Op. 76, No. 1 and the Intermezzo in A minor, Op. 76, No. 6. Neeman brought out the sublime melodies and emotion of these works, and it was interesting to compare them with Herzogenberg’s work.

Also played was Robert Schumann’s Variations on the name “ABEGG”, Op. 1 which was based on the musical notes spelled out by the name Abegg. Keeping track of the ingenious variations was fun and Neeman gave it a performance of great clarity.

The recital finished with Etude No. 12 in D minor by FS Kelly. This highly dramatic work full of tumbling emotions was well played by Neeman and reminded us yet again of the untimely loss of this composer.

 

Photo by Stephanie Neeman

This review was first published by Canberra CityNews digital edition on 12 August 2026.

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs.

Len Power also presents the weekly Concert Hall program on Artsound FM, playing recordings of some of the best concerts from in and around Canberra. Concert Hall can be heard on Sundays at 8pm and is repeated on Wednesdays at 2pm.