Reviews of the Show

[1]

Wow, Grease is most definitely still the word.   I spent an amazing night on Friday, watching Clevedon School’s production of Grease and what a production it was. I sat enthralled from start to finish, from your energetic, cleverly choreographed opening routine, with every cast member totally involved with an incredible rendition of “Grease is the Word” through to the finish, giving us all the opportunity to stand up, dance and sing along. Just brilliant!   Your set worked well, thank you for showing me around after the show, how clever to turn the whole auditorium around, having raked seating so we could all watch what was going on, and suspending your band over the stage. Your costumes, hair, makeup, co-ordinated footwear, clever lighting, all came together to ensure our attention stayed focused on the show all night.   What fantastic voices your lead singers have, a special well done to Rowan who stepped in at three weeks’ notice, when your original Sandy, Taylor, managed to break her foot. You are so lucky to have such talent available at that short notice. What incredible voices you both have and I am sure star-studded futures ahead of you.   All your principal characters sang, acted and danced their socks off from beginning to end. It was clear they had been well directed, choreographed and musically put through their paces, ensuring we watched a fast paced, energetic show. 

Your ensemble did you proud. It was great to see so many youngsters involved and working hard with their routines and again, your MD must have worked all so hard to achieve the standard of singing we heard.   Watching so much young talent on the stage, the future of musical theater in Somerset looks good. It was great to find a secondary school that embraces the arts as wholeheartedly as Clevedon School clearly does.   

Very many thanks for having me; it was a great evening, spent with a highly talented school. 

  

Dendy Harris 

(Moderator) 

Somerset Fellowship of Drama’s David Beach Youth Competition 

[2]

Grease  

Clevedon School  

10th December 2019  

Somerset Fellowship of Drama – David Beach Youth Competition  

Choice of Show  

Grease is a modern classic first produced in Chicago in 1971. The original version was a play with music, a harsh and raunchy look at the working class youth culture of a fictional Chicago school, written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey with few of the songs that were subsequently introduced into the musical that the two collaborators took to New York’s Theater Row in February 1973. It was so successful that it transferred onto Broadway where it remained until it closed in 1980 after 3388 performances. It has been performed all over the world and, of course, made into a much loved film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. It is a perfect vehicle for a school production with few adult roles and plenty of opportunity for dance and movement. What is impressive is that not only did you put 50 performers on stage, you also had a Junior cast to perform on the second night; so nearly 80 students, including 11 band players, were involved in the production.  

Danny Zuko – Josh Banks 16  

Some great acting moments. I particularly enjoyed your first meeting with Sandy moving easily from the love-struck boy to the cool kid. Your singing voice is not strong but you were perfectly in tune and you will develop with practice: singing lessons to improve technique would be worthwhile. 

Chorus and Ensemble  

You made this show a wonderful spectacle of colour, light and sound. Although there were some very good performances by the Principals, it was you that turned this show from good to excellent. The speed with which you moved around the stage with total confidence says a lot for the Direction you were given but you were the ones who delivered it and I was totally convinced by the acting of every one of you. At no point did I see anyone drop out of character or make a false move, even with some very complex choreography. It was a joy to watch and the singing was excellent.  

I hope that I shall see many of you performing again in the future. With this sort of talent in this age group, drama has a great future in Somerset. Enjoy your Christmas and please keep performing. Thanks very much for inviting me.  

Chris Bailward  

[3]

Faces of Clevedon:

Josh Banks wowed the audiences with their ultra-cool performances as Danny Zuko.