In pictures: Big Bad Wolf's high energy production of Grease School Edition

Greased Lightning may be one of the well-known numbers but it is also a perfect description for the talented young cast.

Big Bad Wolf chose Grease School Edition for their 16th production and, packed with songs everyone knows along with some very high energy dance routines, it was a perfect showcase for this children’s theatre company.

Unlike the film and the professional stage show, this wasn’t adults portraying high school students, it was young people playing characters their own age. It may have been set 65 years ago in America, but much of the dramas the characters experienced are similar today and all those in the leading roles were outstanding.

In fact, not one member of the cast put a foot wrong all evening, from the youngest eight-year-old to the leads – not an easy task given how many big dance numbers there were on a crowded stage at Grangemouth Town Hall. Born to Hand Jive was a perfect example of how the entire cast performed in perfect sync.

If you don’t know the storyline – where have you been? – it’s very simple. Boy meets girl over the summer break, returns to school and embellishes their relationship to his friends only to discover his love interest is the new girl in class. What happens next is the story of Grease made famous in the film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton John.

Carter Lumsden is a fabulous Danny Zuko, leader of the Burger Boys, and is ably supported by his gang, played by James Marshall, Lochlan Black, Ryan Watson and Ryan Carlye. These boys certainly were at ease in the spotlight and owned the stage whenever they appeared, particularly during Greased Lightning.

The female leads were perfectly cast from Keira Strathie as Sandy to all the members of the Pink Ladies gang. Their singing voices were superb from Sandy’s Hopelessly Devoted to You to Marty’s (Ava Maxwell) Freddy My Love, as well as Teen Angel’s (Eva Melville) Beauty School Dropout.

Shout out to Bethany Spowart as Betty Rizzo, who nailed Look At Me I’m Sandra Dee, and Mia Marsili as Jan, the Pink Lady who likes to eat all the time.

And let’s not forget the class geek, Eugene Fiorczyk played by Alexander Marjoribanks, who is the butt of all the others’ jokes and is a perfect foil for the “cool” characters.

The production team behind Big Bad Wolf has once again picked a perfect show for the company but squeezing them all on to the stage at this new location would have been no easy task. Director Mhairi-Anne Vickers, choreographer Emma Connolly and musical director Jonathan Graham, along with their assistants Lisa Sturrock, Heather Watkins and Maree Mutch deserve huge congratulations from what they have achieved with these youngsters.

Grease School Edition runs until Saturday, February 3 at Grangemouth Town Hall.

Cast: Danny Zuko – Carter Lumsden; Sandy Dumbrowski – Keira Strathie; Kenickie – James Marshall; Betty Rizzo – Bethany Spowart; Rodger – Lochlan Black; Jan – Mia Marsili; Doody – Ryan Watson; Marty – Ava Maxwell; Sonny Latierri – Ryan Carlye; Frenchy – Lily McGuire; Patty Simcox – Jessica Riddoch; Eugene Fiorczyk – Alexander Marjoribanks; Vince Fontaine – Blair Hamilton; Johnny Casino – Findlay Currie; Miss Lynch – Abi Kelly; Teen Angel – Eva Melville; Cha-Cha Digregorio – Jorja McFadden.

Dance Core: Emily Morrison, Holly O’Connor, Nieve Lennon, Jessica Riddoch, Jorja McFadden, Orla Martin, Katie Walker, Sophia Duffie, Marley Thomson, Abigail Brown, Georgia Brown, Isla Campbell.

Johnny Casino’s band – Rhys Laird, Isaac Chambers, Penny McGlynn, Fraser Marjoribanks.

Drive-in movie cast – Katie Walker, Rhys Laird, Callan Wilson.

Core singers – Jessica Riddoch, Kayah Smith, Katy Walsh, Lauren Gardner, Eva Melville, Chloe Gallacher, Elyse Hickey.

Ensemble – Alyssa Allan, Carys Black, Lucia Braid, Emily Brown, Morna Brown, Emma Chambers, Ava Christie, Ariana Cumming, Elliot Grant, Megan Hendrson, Oria Hynes, Emma Johnston, Natalie Johnstone, Laila Millar, Eviee Milne, Grace McBride, Isabella McBride, Alfie MacLachlan, Milly McLean, Sophia Smith, Eve Spacey, Grace Stuart, Zara Tierney, Kaitlyn Walker, Ruby Walker, Yana Weir, Rebecca Whyte, Phoebe Williams.