Walker's "Grease" Helps an Old Favorite Run Smoothly

A story of 1950s teenagers falling in, out, and back into love may sound sentimental, but the latest production of “Grease”—which runs through Saturday at the Loeb Experimental Theater—delves into the darker side of this romantic narrative. Still, while the publicity materials emphasized the edgier aspects of the plot, the parts that were cut from more conventional productions, this version is actually quite traditional in terms of its content. Few changes seem to have been made to the script, and the visual aspects of the show—the costumes, the set design, the choreography—remain true to the story’s original tone.

“Grease” concerns itself with the familiar romance between Danny and Sandy, two students who must deal with their clashing personalities among the other tribulations of attending high school in the 1950s. Though the story is famous, director Mia P. Walker ’10, who is also a Crimson arts writer, claims in the program, “This is our Grease.” Although only a few liberties are taken with the content of the play, Walker is right; what this interpretation lacks in originality it more than makes up for in talent and ambition.

The play takes full advantage of every inch of space in the Loeb Ex with a complex set that allows many of the musical’s locales to be visible at once. For the audience, this means watching the two-hour long play from a set of uncomfortable bleachers; for the cast, it results in the main ensemble being onstage for almost the entire production, resulting in a sense of multidimensionality in a story that is too often reduced to the romance between Danny and Sandy. The subplots are equally compelling as the main narrative, particularly the storyline revolving around around Rizzo’s pregnancy. By keeping the actors onstage for the bulk of the production, the audience is never allowed to forget that this is about all of the characters—and in this sense, HRDC’s “Grease” is doing something new.

The choice to punctuate scenes with snippets from radio broadcasts further broadens the scope of the show, and it seems that this decision—to emphasize the many over the few, to make the story about high school instead of a hackneyed teen romance—is what distinguishes the play from the more familiar version of “Grease.” In this, Walker has succeeded.

This is not to say, however, that “Grease” is perfect. The accompanying live band is talented and their inclusion in the sound design adds texture to a story primarily told through musical numbers; however, the band’s volume usually overwhelms the actors’ singing, and anyone who doesn’t already know the words to the songs may get lost.

Isabel Q. Carey ’12 and Benjamin K. Moss ’13, who play Rizzo and Danny, respectively, are able to sing over the band in their solo numbers, but not all of the actors have the same vocal power. The ensemble numbers encounter a similar problem, with the voices of the chorus and the live band making it difficult to distinguish the lyrics. The choreography in these sequences, however, remains quite solid and helps to make up for any musical deficiencies.

This production of “Grease” features skilled performances, especially from the supporting cast. Carey’s performance as Rizzo is outstanding; she completely inhabits the character physically, and she speaks with enough affectation to convey her character’s cynicism without being overbearing. Moss and Talisa B. Friedman ’10, who plays Sandy, are quite competent but lack Carey’s flair—although this may have more to do with their roles, which offer much less dramatic material to work with.

The real pleasure of “Grease,” though, comes from watching the greasers and the Pink Ladies. Although their scenes mainly offer comic relief, their banter is energetic and perfectly timed. The interaction between these characters has the power to induce nostalgia in those who might otherwise look back on their high school days with nothing less than disdain. Every speaking character has practiced and acquired what one imagines to be the accent of the 1950s. And although no one should expect “Grease” to be historically accurate, such flourishes are appreciated.

Like its teenaged characters, the story is more concerned with flashy musical numbers and its own happy ending, so if this “Grease” lacks a certain grit or emotional realism, no one can blame it. Despite some small missteps, Walker has taken an old standard and executed it faithfully and competently to create a dynamic production.

—Staff Writer Abigail B. Lind can be reached at alind@fas.harvard.edu.