The UAE's ongoing love affair with big-hearted stage musicals continues, with news that Grease is coming to town.
Known for inspiring the beloved film of the same name, the original musical will run for a week at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), from April 7-13.
Grease comes to us direct from the UK's Curve Theatre in Leicester. However audiences expectations might be significantly higher than if the show was hosted the same time last year – following a splash of big budget musicals arriving at the new, neighbouring Dubai Opera.
Since opening five-months ago, that purpose-built venue has hosted hotly hyped runs of blockbusters Cats and Les Misérables, and is all set to welcome West Side Story for five nights from February 14, as well as Mary Poppins in May.
Put simply – Grease will have its work cut out. DWTC has hosted musicals before, most memorably a 20-show run of Chicago in 2013 – a quality production let down by a less-than-ideal venue.
Karim Yafaoui, managing director of local promoters 6ix Degrees Entertainment, sought to reassure audiences about the choice of venue.
“DWTC’s central location, and its state of the art venue, with flexible halls and capabilities make it the ideal location for this event,” he said.
Hopefully the tunes will speak for themselves. After all, Grease is the audience favourite which gave us everyday anthems Summer Nights, Grease Lightnin', Hopelessly Devoted to You and You're the One That I Want.
Originally hosted in Chicago in 1971, and later and splashing onto New York’s Broadway and London’s West End, writers Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey’s score became immortalised in the public conciseness following the 1978 smash film, starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.
This fresh production was reportedly seen by close to 50,000 people Leicester’s Curve Theatre.
Tickets, priced from Dh150, are available from www.platinumlist.net.
