Grease is one chunk of energy, except for one actor: the male protagonist | show

Greased Lightnin’, almost literally just before the premiere of grease in the Amsterdam DeLaMar theater. A fuse box breaks, technicians feverishly try to repair things, producer Albert Verlinde climbs the stage three times (and each time with more beads of sweat on his forehead) to explain the state of affairs.

With a delay of more than 45 minutes, the performance still starts. Some panels in the decor are still unwilling, but they must and will be played. Verlinde notes that ‘his’ cast has had to keep up the energy all along and the only conclusion is that the largely young group of actors and dancers have succeeded in this very well. As if Verlinde personally put them on a diet of cotton candy and Red Bull for a month, this group is so energetic.

The only exception is Danny, the male lead, played by Tristen van der Lingen. Of course, as the toughest of all tough men, he has to come across as cool, with his quiff and inseparable comb, but he just doesn’t play natural. The male winner of the TV talent show Looking for Danny & Sandy listened way too closely to director Servé Hermans. Every movement of his hand through his hair, every raised corner of his mouth, every time he straightens his leather jacket, Van der Lingen follows the script and the stage directions very closely, without any spontaneity. The hormones of his opponents are flying around him, but even when he is together with Sandy (Danique Graanoogst), this Danny never gives the impression that he is really in love with her.

_{Text continues below the photo.}

No, then grain harvest. So she emerged as the female winner of the television program and sings and plays as a worthy tribute to Olivia Newton John, who died last year, who played Sandy in the successful film version of grease. Her voice has an edge, a sob, which comes out great in the Dutch version of Hopelessley devoted to you.

The fun of the cast is wonderful and the way in which the two actors with by far the most experience (Marjolein Touw as Miss Lynch and William Spaaij as Vince Fontaine) take the young dogs in tow. Script and songs have been refreshed, although the makers have forgotten that here and there. Because grease must of course also lure a younger audience to the theaters, who have no idea who Doris Day is anymore – whose name comes up a few times around Sandy’s longed-for transformation from wallflower to femme fatale.

Also completely contemporary: female and male cheerleaders in the ensemble and boys and girls tinkering with the Greased Lightnin’ car in the workshop. Ergo: everyone should be able to be everything. Completely correct of course, but the makers make a strict, caricatural exception. A slightly firmer character, Jan (played by Maxime Karsten), is constantly preoccupied with eating. From the opening scene, in which she immediately claims the leftovers that Sandy leaves behind. Later in the show, she fishes another bar of chocolate from her bra, of course stands in the front when a cart with pastries is driven into a party and dances around with two donuts on her index fingers.

Everyone should be able to be anything, except who is a bit firmer: that person is above all a candy ass.

Also listen to the AD Media Podcast below or subscribe via Spotify or itunes. Find all our podcasts at ad.nl/podcasts.

Watch our Show & Entertainment videos below: