Review: Grease - The Immersive Movie Musical (Evolution, Battersea Park)

Review by Daz Gale

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Summer loving has come to London as Secret Cinema brings one of the most iconic movie musicals to life, transforming Battersea Park into Rydell High for Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical, but would this immersive production have me a blast and be the one that I want? I know what you’re thinking - “Tell me more, tell me more.” Well, keep reading and I will.

Secret Cinema have been thrilling audiences through their unique and innovative experiences for 18 years, redefining live entertainment while screening some classics. Past titles have included Back To The Future, The Empire Strikes Back, and Stranger Things. After a while away from London, they have returned with a new production format, taking some of the elements from the previous iteration of Grease they debuted in Birmingham in 2023, while adding many new elements in an experience like no other.

While the title is Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical, don’t go into this expecting the full stage show of Grease to play out live in front of you. At the heart of this production is a screening of the classic movie from 1978, playing out in all its glory with its full cast, including John Travolta and the now sadly departed Olivia Newton-John, on screens both inside and outside. The difference is that an incredible cast, including some recognisable faces from West End musicals, all join in throughout. Classic numbers, including ‘Greased Lightnin’, ‘Hopelessly Devoted To You’ and ‘Summer Nights’ are played out in front of you from the live cast, recreating the classic sequences with their own live vocals.

It is all very cleverly done, making full use of the space with cast members popping up in every conceivable area, even flying over the audience at certain moments, giving us the Grease movie and Beyoncé concert hybrid I never knew I needed. The only criticism with this is in how inconsistent it can be with the sequences where the movie plays out without any live action on stage, lacking in the fun factor slightly, though there is plenty to keep you occupied in these moments, which I’ll expand on shortly. Also, due to the large space inside where the audience spends the bulk of the movie, sightlines can occasionally be difficult, as it is not always apparent where the cast members have appeared. This particular performance also suffered from sound problems, meaning some of the cast were not heard as well as they should have been - this should just be a teething problem given the challenges and design of the space, which I’m sure will be rectified quickly.

From speaking to several people after the show, experiences varied greatly from mine, and that may be down to the different kind of tickets available, and also how aware everyone is of what is going on. To get the most out of Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical, you need to move around. If you stay in your spot and wait for the next thing to happen on stage, you will be missing out on countless other moments taking place outside of the main space. What was meant as a trip to the bathroom saw me approached by a cast member - a couple of minutes later I found myself on stage scaring Danny Zuko and taking part in an arm-wrestling match (I won… barely). While the movie is playing out, this is an open world adventure to an extent, and there is so much to get involved with, so the experience really is up to you to an extent, and I would encourage anyone attending to lose their inhibitions and not be afraid to hand jive. What is worth mentioning, however, is that there is no obligation at all, so if you find yourself uncomfortable at all, nobody is going to force you to get on stage, and cast members will leave you alone if that kind of involvement is not your speed at all. Every care and consideration has been given here for the needs of audience members, whatever their preference and comfort level may be.

There are three different types of tickets available for Grease. General admission, which gives you a standing ticket, surrounds the stage and allows you to roam pretty much anywhere (within reason, of course). There are also VIP seating options in the Drive-In and Frosty Palace areas, so you can watch the film and all the live action from the comfort of your seat, but also are able to go wherever you please. The third option, and the one that I did, is “VIP Immersive”. This extra experience has you arrive early to meet some of the cast and learn how to practice a cheer, practice your singing in choir, and talk about your favourite sports (the part that I found most anxious, which says it all about me). After this, you are taken into the main space where you are taught dance routines for ‘Born To Hand Jive’ and ‘Hound Dog’. I did this for the fun factor, and was adamant it would be a cold day in Hell before I got up on stage to do those dances. Cut to a couple of hours and a couple of drinks later, and I found myself there, delivering some of the finest choreography the theatre world has ever seen.

I can’t recommend the VIP immersive experience enough, especially if you want to make the most out of the movie, as you are given a schedule telling you when and where to meet people. Again, there is no obligation, and I looked on at others doing this for the first half, before swallowing my pride and joining in myself. The VIP experience is not necessary to enjoy this experience, however, and there are plenty of opportunities to get yourself involved, dance with the cast and become an honorary student at Rydell High. As an experience, though, this aspect was very well designed and made the whole thing so much more fun for me, personally.

The use of space for this production is inspired, with the sprawling space inside forming the heart of the movie. However, there is plenty to do outside, with food stalls, bars, photo ops and fairground rides. A lot of fun to explore before the film begins, and during if you so wish, but put to even better use as the film reaches its climax. As the school year finishes, the audience vacates the inside space to watch the cast finish the story outside, making use of all of the space and jumping on various rides in an incredible sequence that ended the evening on a high.

The level of thought and creativity that has been put into realising this production is staggering to see, impressing me throughout, even more so when the purpose of each element was revealed over the course of the night. Tom Rogers’ design is among the greatest I have ever seen, with the rich and detailed world-building transporting us all back to the 1950s (some might say that is a fitting comparison to some recent events in the real world, but I digress). Matt Costain’s direction ingeniously finds ways to immerse the audience in the world of Grease, transforming audience members into T-Birds and Pink Ladies. A stunning use of lighting from Howard Hudson and exquisite choreography from Jennifer Weber ensure the whole thing always looks completely thrilling.

Though John Travolta was too busy attempting to learn the pronunciation of Idina Menzel’s name to perform in Battersea, an incredible cast united to bring these iconic characters to life, putting their own stamp on the roles, while staying true to the immortalised screen performances. Liam Morris and Stephanie Costi led the cast with their turns as Danny and Sandy, delivering all of the crowd-pleasing numbers and setting the bar high early on with their take on ‘Summer Nights’. Elsewhere, some recognisable musical theatre faces ensure the highest quality of performances, including Waylon Jacobs showcasing his charisma as Vince Fontaine, and Gerardine Sacdalan following her time leading the cast of &Juliet in a delightful turn as Frenchy. The standout performance came from Lucy Penrose as Rizzo, delivering a true knockout with her take on ‘There Are Worse Things I Can Do’. One of the musical highlights of the evening, alongside an electrifying ‘Greased Lightnin’, and the rousing and joyous finale of ‘We Go Together’.

Whether you love Grease as a movie, musicals in general, immersive theatre or just fun, there is something for everyone at Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical in a creative and innovative twist on the genre, bringing something new and exhilarating to an absolute classic. Remember, though, the experience is what you make it, and I would encourage everyone to roam around during the film, no matter what kind of ticket you have, as you are sure to multiply the fun factor that way. My advice would be to get a group of people and go together, as this will be the greatest way to enjoy your summer nights.

Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical plays at Evolution London in Battersea Park until 7th September. Tickets from https://greasetheimmersivemoviemusical.com/ 

Photos by Luke Dyson