The girls from Farlington School’s Upper School took part in a spectacular production of ‘Grease’, providing one of the highlights of the year for the Senior School students. Farlington was commended for it “highly successful prep and senior school drama productions” in its recent Independent Schools Inspectorate report, and this production was of the usual, exceptional standard.
Slick, funny, edgy and bursting with foot-tapping tunes – ‘Grease’ has become the iconic 70’s musical. Farlington School’s production had it all, not least a driving pace and tremendous vitality. Millie Jewry as Danny and Abigail Hart as Sandy would have given the illustrious stars of the stage and film versions a good run for their money, such was the conviction of their acting and the quality of singing. Where they led, a talented cast of twenty wowed the audience with some outstanding character portrayal. The leather-jacketed T-Birds were totally convincing as the ”tough” gang of high school boys but they more than met their match in their female counterparts, the raunchy “Pink Ladies”.
Under the superb direction of Emma Spires, the college stereotypes – the nerds, the headteacher and her staff and, of course, the cheerleaders – were parodied with cleverly-observed mannerisms; and the brash American media image was expertly personified by the show business caricatures. The musical direction of Jane Thomas delivered singing that was soulful where required but – supported by the excellent band and the superbly exciting choreography of Lucy Cooper and Lizzie Booth – it also captured perfectly their vitality and the drive of these American teenagers. In the words of the song… Electrifyin’!
David Thomas