REVIEW: Grease, Kings Theatre, Southsea, until Saturday, October 6.

But it was an extraordinary chubby vision in shimmering silver and purple that brought the house down at the Kings.

It seemed such a yawn, casting a chirpy astrologer as Grease’s Teen Angel, but Strictly Come Dancing legend Russell Grant - hip-swaying, pelvis-thrusting and having a ball - proved an inspired choice, hamming it up beautifully and enjoying it every bit as much as the crowd he set alight.

Perhaps Grease is just a wee bit too familiar; you know what’s going to happen and happen it duly does.

But after Grant’s high-impact little turn, finally the party started, new energy coursing through the whole thing as it raced to its One-That-I-Want finale.

Bayne gives it all the Danny swagger, playing the supercool dude far too cool for his own good; and Gillespie was perfect as naive little Sandy, a girl sweeter than she should be. After heaping all the obstacles they can in their own way, they manage to find common ground when Sandy dons the leathers = and we all go home happy: a classic musical staged with style.

Phil Hewitt