Summer Nights, and why Grease is still the word – on stage in Edinburgh

Silverburn Festival in Leven had great weather, as did Rabbit Braes supporters up at Linton Lane. The King’s Kirkcaldy had a Holistic fayre and The Countess Of Fife live on stage and the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh had a superb four days. This week and following a successful week at the King’s Theatre Glasgow and ahead of a week in Aberdeen’s His Majesty’s Theatre, the UK touring production of Grease is in Edinburgh this week until June 29th.

The 1978 movie is the fourth grossing live action musical in the history of cinema and when it played at the ABC cinema on the High Street queues formed all the way down Redburn Wynd and along the front of the YWCA in the Esplanade. Adapted for the Chicago stage in 1971 it moved to Broadway a year later receiving seven Tony Award nominations. Patrick Swayze and John Travolta had parts in those early days while the understudy was a young Richard Gere. He found the spotlight however in 1973 though playing the lead Danny Zuko as the show opened in London’s West End. The recent revival in London’s Dominion Theatre was a huge success with over 500,000 people attending the summer run.

This UK tour stars Marley Fenton as Danny with Hope Dawe, a new graduate from Mountview Drama School playing the iconic role of Sandy. Scottish actors also form part of the huge singing and dancing cast from this joyous musical. Although based firmly in 1959 the days of Rydell High have been adopted by every generation since its inception.

How many hen nights have been enhanced by the Pink Ladies with the costumes of the day and so many songs have been enjoyed at parties like Summer Nights, You’re The One That I Want, Greased Lightnin’ and Hopelessly Devoted To You.