Anyone who knows me in real life will be aware that there are very few things in this life I love more than a clever pun or play on words, so when I discovered there was a show titled Ancient Grease — combining one of the most iconic movie musicals with the historic Greek civilisation — I knew I could not miss out! One of the incredible things about this show was the fact that the title was not just something to get a giggle from prospective audience members, but that the team behind Ancient Grease had cleverly embedded this joke throughout the entire production. From the moment you step into The Vaults Theatre, you are transported into Ancient Greece as the entire venue is decked out in draping fabrics, Mount Olympus sits at the top of the stage throughout, and even the bar menu is presented on what appears to be an ancient stone tablet (but more on that later), all of which helped to establish the setting of the play before anyone had even stepped onto the stage. Continuing this immersive element, the show itself contains ample amounts of audience participation, with people in attendance becoming actual guests within the show and the actors physically getting amongst the crowd during the larger musical numbers.
As you may expect from the brilliant title, Ancient Grease follows Hera as she navigates joining a new school after having a rather eccentric yet heartfelt relationship with the promiscuous cuckoo-turned-God-of-Thunder, Zeus (played by the fantastic Peter Camilleri). Initially presented as an ultra-macho and powerful character in the early moments of the show, it is gradually revealed that Zeus is actually incredibly sensitive and insecure — despite the constant flexing throughout — a character trait Peter portrays both earnestly and comedically, showcasing just how talented an actor he truly is. The entire show is controlled by the fabulous Fates — namely Christopher Patten-Walker, Grace Kelly Miller, and Lara Sas — who act almost as narrators throughout, speaking directly to the audience and setting the scene in the opening moments. This incredible trio were constantly captivating; not only did they sound absolutely angelic when singing together, but the audience eagerly anticipated whatever antics they would get up to next. As a trio, they weaved in and out of the story itself, acting as backing dancers and even becoming involved in the scenes taking place, which helped both to push the plot forward and establish the eventual resolution of the story.
In my opinion, however, the standout performance in this entire production was the magnificent Philippa Leadbetter, who took on the role of Hera — the innocent and pure character searching for her true love. What was particularly interesting about this portrayal was the fact that Hera possessed one of the most ridiculously over-the-top Australian accents imaginable, which was clearly a nod to the fact that Sandy in the original movie was popularised by the very Aussie Olivia Newton-John. Not only was this insane accent maintained flawlessly throughout, but it also led to some hilarious moments where other actors were unable to understand what Hera was saying. On top of her dedication to this eccentric dialect, Philippa also deserves applause for her incredible use of physicality, particularly during the sequence where she has to portray being sexually assaulted by a wandering cuckoo bird (Zeus in disguise), as she had to guide both a physical prop and herself into increasingly compromising positions, once again showcasing her total dedication to the role. It was during a parody of “Look At Me, I’m Sandra Dee”, however, that we were truly introduced to a slight variation of the story we are all so familiar with. As usual, this number was crammed full of hilarious jokes flawlessly delivered by everyone involved, but we were also introduced to the suggestion that Hera might not just be interested in Zeus, but also in her fellow groupie Athena (played perfectly by Safia Bartley). The two performers wonderfully captured the emotions of a first same-sex attraction, with the tension and awkwardness filling the scene immediately after their interaction — something that perfectly set up what would happen later in the story. If you have done any research into Ancient Greece, you will be aware that this period was notorious for its free-spirited perspectives on love, with homosexual relationships often commonplace, so seeing this show shine a light on this aspect not only made the production feel even more inclusive, but also highlighted an often-forgotten part of history, which is something I personally always enjoy seeing explored. Despite taking place on a single-level stage in the centre of the audience, every actor involved made an effort to exaggerate how high up they were — with simple blocks and cushions representing the towers they were sitting in — which was met with giggles every single time it was mentioned.
Having seen the musical this show was supposedly inspired by (which you can read our review of at https://fairypoweredproductions.com/grease-review-8/), I think one of the numbers audiences look forward to most in any Grease-adjacent production is the iconic “Greased Lightnin’”. Despite having no legal connection to the 1978 movie, the team behind Ancient Grease had clearly anticipated this would be one of the most highly anticipated performances, as they truly pulled out all the stops for this particular number. This high-energy, dance-centric sequence was suddenly interrupted as the lights in the theatre went out, leading to the actors beginning an increasingly rapid clap with the audience that ultimately transitioned into the entire cast joining together for the traditional Greek Zorba — a clever nod to the show’s setting. In the closing moments of the song, the aforementioned stone-tablet bar menu lowered onto the stage to reveal a wonderful chariot (which becomes even more important later in the show) as Zeus flew downstage. It was also painfully obvious that the iconic track triggered some sort of sleeper-agent effect on the audience, as the performers repeatedly joked about initiating the classic choreography before stopping themselves for “legal reasons”, which was equally clever and hilarious.
The second half of Ancient Grease takes a step into a much more extravagant and outlandish style, leaning into an almost pantomime-esque tone with bucketloads of audience participation and wild antics. In classic panto style, there is even a section where the entire cast take to the stage to deliver a “Hand Jive”-inspired number all about how to properly attend your first group sex experience. During this performance, the audience were encouraged to join in as the actors scattered throughout The Vaults to ensure everyone was fully involved, once again adding to the production’s pantomime energy. Taking a detour from the classic “Sandy meets Danny” storyline we all know and love, the second half instead focuses on a winner-takes-all chariot race between Zeus and Hades (played by the wonderfully fabulous Ollie Thomas Smith), who takes on two very different but equally vital roles within the show, as they pedal their makeshift buggies across the stage. As expected, the villainous ruler of the underworld cheats during the competition, leading to Zeus hilariously spiralling offstage while a series of absurdly over-the-top crashing noises blast through the theatre. This then transitions into a Baywatch-inspired running race, eventually won by the God of Thunder, which was met with thunderous applause and cheers from the audience. Despite being rescued by a random cuckoo-bird-turned-lover, this experience triggers Hera to become a far more dominant and powerful character — akin to Sandy’s classic transformation in the original movie — as she suddenly takes complete control of the remainder of the show through strong language, comical threats, and an intense stage presence. In this new persona, Philippa as Hera brilliantly beats up a doll representing her husband’s brother’s partner, drags Zeus around the stage, and helps bring about the production’s explosive finale in a way that nobody could have anticipated when they first met her character.
My personal favourite moment of the second act, however, saw the incredible Lucy Penrose as Aphrodite take to the stage to deliver a powerful, morally infused rendition of “There Are Worse Things I Could Do”, encouraging Hera to embrace the homoerotic feelings that had been hinted at throughout the production and leave Zeus in favour of the person she truly loved: Athena. This number saw Lucy stand centre stage and completely command the audience’s attention from the very moment the music began, refusing to let go until she had delivered every final note, demonstrating a remarkable stage presence and authority that we had not yet fully appreciated until this point. Not only did the performance tug at the audience’s heartstrings, but the vocals showcased throughout were so extraordinary that the audience sat in stunned silence before erupting into applause once the song had concluded.
Overall, Ancient Grease at The Vaults Theatre is a fully immersive, laugh-a-second production that reimagines a story we all know and love into something even campier, more chaotic, and delightfully over-the-top, blending pop culture references with clever choreography throughout. Every single person involved worked flawlessly together to create an absolute spectacle, complete with fantastic lighting, sound design, and physical comedy that had the audience in hysterics from beginning to end. This is a must-see show that I would happily rate 5 out of 5 stars!
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