GREASE Adelaide Youth Theatre The Arts Theatre Until 18 Oct 2020 Review by Doug Phillips The buzz in The Arts Theatre before the last matinee was electric. Possibly a combination of excited relatives of the cast and crew, and a theatre going public who have been largely deprived of shows in 2020. Regardless, AYT did not let them down. Enjoying cult-like status amongst fans, Grease never fails to draw a crowd. More importantly, it sends audiences home feeling satisfied and happy. Much-loved favourites like “Hopelessly Devoted To You”, “Summer Nights”, and of course “Greased Lighting” are delivered in faithful style to the originals in this production. The musical numbers were tight, the choreography well learned, and the characters, again, very faithful to the film that most of us consider to be the benchmark. Nathan Stafford, Olivia Giameos and especially Taylor Tran shone as Danny, Sandy, and Rizzo respectively. Some non-musical scenes felt a little lacking, as if the show’s vibrancy comes from the musical numbers alone. It was also surprising to see some of the more adult themes in the plot not toned down a little considering the cast age. Somehow, AYT has managed to put two productions on stage this crazy year. More amazingly, they have two more planned before Christmas, and a jam-packed 2021. What a great time to be a theatre-loving youth in Adelaide. Well done to all at AYT. In the face of the most trying time for theatre in our lifetime, they’ve managed to truly embody the old adage that “The show must go on”.