13th August
What has now become our annual trip to Kilworth theatre finally arrived, bright and sunny – perfect weather for our picnic before the matinee of the musical Grease. Our tickets had been booked for months and 19 DonMoggers and friends arrived in plenty of time to claim 2 of their picnic tables and immediately set to on what is mandatory for any DonMog social event – furniture moving! The tables moved into the shade of the hedge, it was very hot and sunny, we could then relax and enjoy the food, drink and conversation in the couple or so hours before the show began. It was good to have Richard and Jenny and Jim and Jill join us for the first time.
‘Grease’ is now an iconic musical, but I hadn’t realised quite how iconic it was until we were in the queue to go in and groups of ‘pink ladies’, resplendent in their pink jackets with ‘PINK LADIES’ emblazoned on the back , and their 50s costumes were dotted around the waiting audience – not quite Rocky Horror standard but well on the way. Sadly, I wasn’t quick enough with my camera to get photos of them.
For those of you who have never joined us, Kilworth House Theatre, whilst open air has both stage and seats under cover, so whilst you have the benefit of being open neither audience nor cast get wet if it rains. The management had also learned from the last time we were there in a heat wave when the performance had to be stopped for a while because of someone affected by the heat – each seat was given a bottle of water. Happily, we had no stoppages.
The shows themselves are of West End standard and get rave reviews from the press and audiences alike. This year was no different, and a number of people commented that they thought Grease may well have been the best show that they had ever seen there.
With the cast gradually coming on to the stage whilst the audience was still coming in, by the time the first bars of the opening music started the atmosphere and scene was set for the 1950s backdrop to this enduring story of love, rebellion and nostalgia.
My feet were tapping straight away, and I would think that at least half of the audience were singing along to some if not all, of the songs. They do stay with you though – Richard and Jenny told me that they were still singing them days later.
We won’t know until November December time what they are planning for the 2026 season, but with this standard of show I have no doubt that we will be back here next year too.
Another excellent afternoon at Kilworth.
Words & pictures – Liz Ellis