IT may be 40 years on but Grease the Musical is still the one that we want.

From start to finish, the audience was dancing, clapping and singing along to all the memorable classics.

The production has all the glamour and grit. Director David Gilmore and his team have done an excellent job in switching scenes and creating costumes so convincing you would think you have taken a trip back to the 50s.

But the show was obviously all about the songs and superb dancing, with Bolton’s own Tom Parker, who may be better known as an international hit with boy band The Wanted, playing the lead role of Danny Zuko.

The Bolton News:

Tom Parker as Danny Zuko with Danielle Hope as Sandy Olsson

For me the impressive dancing stood out, but that was no surprise with Arlene Phillips as the choreographer behind the moves, which includes air splits, lifts, hands-free cartwheels and other acrobatics.

The cast nailed their American accents and the vocals of Danielle Hope as Sandy Olsson, blew the audience away. She definitely does the original songs justice.

Danny and Sandy’s duet, You’re the One that I Want, proved popular with the audience and Louisa Lytton as bad girl Rizzo nailed her solo performance.

And although it was Grease Lightening that really got the crowds going, it was not without the help of the show’s musicians under the guidance of musical director Griff Johnson, who are half hidden most of the time above the stage, who must take much of the plaudits for perfectly recreating the well-known songs.

The director hit just the right note with a melody of all the favourites to end the colourful and energetic show.

It is clear to see how the musical is one of the most successful of all time.