Grease 2: Live in Concert.

Grease, the movie, defined retro-rock cool for the early 1980s. So when the sequel was released, sans Olivia Newton-John, John Travolta and the rest of the original iconic cast, it could only flop.

This stage version of Grease 2 is a high voltage fun musical that smashes expectations. The story is almost a reverse of Grease. Instead of Sandy changing to become attractive to Danny, Michael (Chris Ostrenski) transforms himself to win Stephanie (Melanie Ott), but feels like he's lost himself in the pretence.

Unexpectedly, this production resurrects the spirit of the original movie — the ribaldry, energy and character and delivers a worthy homage.

After Grease, the movie, was released, Olivia Newton-John's 1950s rock-chick look and attitude became the benchmark young women copied. Melanie Ott nails this with an algorithm of perfection.

Grease 2drips sexiness like a lioness on heat. Ashley Roussety, part of the Trio, is the pinnacle of this with his sex-crazed-teenage-boy performance during "Reproduction".

As this is a Midsumma show it's appropriate to mention it has eye candy to suit the tastes of every gay man: twinks, jocks, geeks, daddies and a drag queen.

This is the only show that comes close to rivalling Prodigal as the best of Midsumma.

Daniel G Taylor

Image: From L-R: Mark Kenny, Dylan Russell, Blake Testro, Melanie Ott, Chris Ostrenskiip