Review of Grease (1978) by John M — 23 Sep 2017

So many people - gnarled, embittered critics, mostly - are now saying about Grease, that it's not factually accurate; that the cast are way too old to play teenagers; that we don't remember the social issues raised in the piece, we only remember the songs. To these people, I say, DON'T BE SO MISERABLE! It doesn't matter about the age of the cast, or the accuracy of the time period depicted. It is a MUSICAL! It's not supposed to be like real life! In reality, people do not burst into song, especially if they're in sad or other undesirable situations, but, in musicals, that's fine. Not only is it fine, it's THE WHOLE POINT!

As for not remembering the issues raised, yes we do, the story is part of what makes Grease as good as it is.

So, let me outline, just briefly, why I think Grease is great. The story is very good; the performances range from good to great; and the songs are not only lyrically brilliant, but catchy as anything. In short, Grease is joyous fun.