Grease hits Oxford's New Theatre this week thanks to Oxford Operatic Society. We talk to the two leads and the director about putting on an amateur production in such an enormous city theatre

Antony Gibson, 39, from Old Marston, Oxford, works in computers. he plays Danny.

  • How have rehearsals been going so far?

Really well, if quite intensive. But I enjoy working with the whole company and we love creating the whole Rydell atmosphere!

  • What is your favourite number/scene in the musical?

It would have to be Summer Nights as it’s an iconic opening number which everyone knows and loves. It’s a great sing, but more importantly it’s the first time we hear how Danny feels about Sandy – a glimpse into the real person behind his mask of ‘cool’.

  • What do you think has been the most difficult number/scene to master?

The drive-in movie scene between Danny and Sandy is deceptively tricky to play.

  • What is it like playing the role of Danny, the one everyone is familiar with?

I’ve always loved the movie Grease and the interpretation of Danny by John Travolta for as long as I can remember. The 1950s are a favourite era of mine but the most challenging aspect of playing Danny on stage, as opposed to on screen, is striving to portray his effortless cool while delivering a projected performance in a large theatre.

  • How did you get involved with Oxford Operatic Society?

I joined Oxford Operatic in 1997 after moving to Oxford from my native Scotland. I had enjoyed musical theatre since my schooldays and wanted to continue performing and to meet new people in the area.

 

Nicola Caldwell, 25, is a teacher at St Christopher's Primary School, Cowley. She plays Sandy

  • What is your favourite moment so far?

My scene with Rizzo, when she sings There are Worse Things I Could Do and I answer with Look at Me I’m Sandra Dee. It is such a strong and dramatic moment.

  • Hardest bit?

The trickiest scene to master has been the drive-in movie scene with Danny as it is very much a real teenage situation and must be delivered as true to life as possible.

  • How did you feel when you found out you had been given the iconic musical theatre role?

I was thrilled. Like most girls, I grew up dancing around the living room with a hairbrush to You’re The One That I Want and Summer Nights, so I feel extremely fortunate and so excited.

  • What is it like playing Olivia Newton John’s role?

She portrayed the role superbly and effortlessly, and for me to play the role of Sandy following her is amazing. The most challenging thing is the change in Sandy’s character towards the end of the show and displaying her sense of empowerment and independence.

  • Why should people come along and see the show?

Grease is a show for everyone. You will be singing in your seat and wishing you were up on the stage rocking and rolling.

Oxford Mail:

Nicola Caldwell (Sandy) and Antony Gibson (Danny)

Director Dave Crewe, 41, works in computers and lives in Abingdon

  • Is it all going according to plan?

It’s an incredibly busy show for all the company, with over 20 songs and 14 big dance numbers, but it’s going really well.

  • How long have you been in rehearsals for?

We had rehearsals from November, but we cast the show in January and it’s been all go since then.

  • What do you think has been the biggest challenge?

The dance competition scene is really complex, as there are lots of different conversations going on at the same time, dancing between them, and all set to music, so it’s a lot of things to pull together at the same time.

  • What shows have you directed in the past?

This is my eighth show as director. I’ve been really lucky to direct some of my favourite shows in that time, including My Fair Lady, Jesus Christ Superstar, Les Miserables and Me & My Girl.

  • What has it been like directing such a well known, and well loved, show?

Great fun, but also challenging. Grease is so well known and loved that audiences have expectations when they come to see it. And we want to meet all those expectations, but also try and throw in our own take on the show.

  • Any changes then?

The film Grease was predominantly presented as a story about Sandy and Danny’s relationship. While that’s still the central story, we wanted to get back to what the show was originally written about, which is how rock & roll transformed America in the late 1950s, through the rise of the teenager.

  • How would you describe the cast as a whole?

They are talented, energetic and incredibly hard-working. There’s far more song and dance in Grease than most musicals – an average show might have four or five big company numbers, Grease has over 10. But the dedication they’ve shown to that has been fantastic.

  • How many people are there in the cast?

Sixty. It’s fantastic having such a big cast, and seeing them all dancing on a huge stage like the New Theatre is really spectacular.

SEE IT
Grease is on until Saturday at the New Theatre in George Street, Oxford. Tickets are £19.90-£25.90 plus £4 transaction fee. See atgtickets.com