With its phenomenal score, bursting with hits including Summer Nights, Greased Lightnin’, Hopelessly Devoted to You and You’re the One That I Want, this thrilling new version is brought to life by a fresh young cast who bring energy, vitality and passion to this ultimate musical classic.
Hormones fly at Rydell High this senior year; it’s a show of whirlwind romances, iconic songs, and wall-to-wall leather: Grease returns to Edinburgh, this time at the Playhouse.
Scottish cast members Adam Davidson (Johnny Casino) and Rebecca Stenhouse (Rizzo) were kind enough to travel from the fifties to 2024 to have a chat with Corr Blimey about their upcoming performances on the Playhouse stage.
Thanks for giving up some time from your busy fifties schedule and joining us in 2024! Let’s start with some quick introductions if you wouldn’t mind letting us know who you are, and what part you have in the Grease production.
Adam Davidson (AD): I’m Adam Davidson and I play Johnny Casino and also cover Kenickie.
Rebecca Stenhouse (RS); My name is Rebecca Stenhouse and I play Rizzo
The costumes, the music, the style, and the moves – there are so many things to love about Grease. But what are your experience with the musical? Either with the stage or film version?
AD; I’ve seen the movie of course but I do love this version of the show that Nikolai Foster has created along with Dame Arlene Phillips and Sarah Travis. It has a lot more depth and grit to it that gives the show even more to enjoy along with iconic songs that everyone knows.
RS; I have a huge history with the show. I first watched the movie when I was a child (some parts were obviously skipped!) and I even had a little pink pleather jacket to pretend I was a pink lady. One of my first experiences at the theatre was watching the touring cast in the Edinburgh Playhouse when I was a kid. I then was cast in the Grease European Arena Tour covering the role of Sandy and performing as her during the press tour of the show. A few years later I was cast as Marty in the original cast of Grease for Royal Caribbean onboard the Harmony of the Seas. Now to be playing Rizzo feels like such a full-circle moment.
What does the average day look like for a Rydell High Student? How do you go about your day before/after a show?
AD; Personally, it depends on how I feel. It’s a lot of work doing the show every night so I have a fitness tracker that helps me judge how best to use my day. If I’m in a good way, I’ll usually head to the gym and do a workout with a big stretch at the end. Head to work where we have a vocal and physical warm-up before every show and a notice with the team looking after to show to see if there’s anything that needs tightening up or looked at. I always like to try and say hello to everyone before a show as well, even if it is just a brief hello. I’ve done it on a show before and I like making that contact rather than just seeing everyone when you’re onstage. Then into costume and mics and away we go!
RS; Depending on whether it is a double show or single show day it can change. I always like to start the day with a nice hot shower to warm my voice up and drink lots of water and have a ginger shot. If we don’t have a show until the evening I may go meet other cast members for some food or do a bit of shopping. Sometimes it’s just a chill day on the sofa. I then get to the theatre nice and early to do my make-up and set myself up for the show before heading to warm up. Sometimes after the show we might go for a few drinks or we head home to get a good night’s rest before we do it all again the next day.
What do you think it is about Grease which brings back audiences again and again? And for those who haven’t seen it before, what do they have to look forward to?
AD; I think there’s something very nostalgic about the movie and its characters that a lot of people have watched and related to at some point in their lives. You can’t get away from the songs and that megamix which is played at every family party around the country! This version though is going to bring all that back and more, with some incredible choreography and vocals that takes this show to another level.
RS; Grease is nostalgic for so many people, whether they grew up watching the movie or if they just know the songs from family parties, as soon as the first few bars of the songs play it has a memory attached to it for everyone and I think that’s why people keep coming back. If anyone hasn’t seen it before it’s a story about teenagers discovering who they are during the fifties and the relationships they have with each other and with themselves. It’s fun and uplifting, has a banging soundtrack and will have you dancing on your feet by the end.
With so many iconic numbers which have been main-stay favourites, which is your favourite musical number from the show, which you aren’t a part of (but would secretly love to be)?
AD; Hand Jive! It’s one of my favourite parts of the show that I don’t really get to participate in. The drums in the arrangement, put together by the incredible Sarah Travis, just get me hyped up and make me want to dance. The choreography itself is a big dance competition with some incredible partner work that I would LOVE to be able to dance every night!
RS; I have been asked this so many times and I always have the same answer – Grease Lightning. I have been listening to that song since I was a kid and it’s still one of my favourites to this day. I get to stand and watch that number every day from the wings and the cast are just incredible when performing it
If you could bring one thing back from the fifties era – what would it be?
AD; The fashion (which I think actually is coming back!) I’m actually currently trying to find a way for me to be able to take my Levi’s Jeans home with me once I finish the contract.
RS; Going out to the dance halls. My grandparents met at a dance and there’s something so beautiful about that era where people would meet at a dance club and everyone would know the jive or the hop and it was a social event.
The real question – which are you really; a Burger Palace Boy, or a Pink Lady?
AD; BPB for life!
RS; That’s a no-brainer – forever and always a Pink Lady
Grease runs at the Edinburgh Playhouse from June 25th – 29th.
Running time – Two hours and thirty minutes with interval.
Photo credit – Marc Brenner
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