My Review of Grease

[yogimax]

Yes, I know I will be criticized unmercifully for this review, but I feel it expresses a viewpoint that many are afraid to share.

 

To begin, the acting and dancing are terrific.  No problem there!

 

The problem is the storyline.  This has to be one of the most offensive plays in relatively recent history relating to women.  By the way, I'm a guy.  Poor Sandy... she can't be herself... she has to give up her identity, wear slutty clothes and take up smoking to please a guy who does not deserve her.  The girls, who are in high school, seem to only exist only for the guys, who take pleasure in looking up their skirts and reveling in their sexual conquests.

 

Here's some more

... a middle aged DJ, hits on a teenager at a dance, really?  In today's world he might be arrested.

... a school principal is mocked, there is no mention of college, and dropping out of school is seen as a good thing.

... parents are nowhere to be found.

... underage drinking?  No problem.

... teenage smoking?  Sure.

... sexual assault at a drive-in?  Yep.

 

Most of all, however, is the theme throughout, namely, that females have to give up their ethics, their sense of morality, their personhood, simply to get the guy.  How totally sexist is this?

 

Time for RCCL to pack up and retire this sexist play!

...

[SAHMof3]

🤦🏼‍♀️ GET. A. LIFE. ❄️❄️❄️

[not-enough-cruising]

My wife, and my 3 adult age daughters respectfully disagree. 

[taglovestocruise]

28 minutes ago, yogimax said:

Yes, I know I will be criticized unmercifully for this review, but I feel it expresses a viewpoint that many are afraid to share.

 

To begin, the acting and dancing are terrific.  No problem there!

 

The problem is the storyline.  This has to be one of the most offensive plays in relatively recent history relating to women.  By the way, I'm a guy.  Poor Sandy... she can't be herself... she has to give up her identity, wear slutty clothes and take up smoking to please a guy who does not deserve her.  The girls, who are in high school, seem to only exist only for the guys, who take pleasure in looking up their skirts and reveling in their sexual conquests.

 

Here's some more

... a middle aged DJ, hits on a teenager at a dance, really?  In today's world he might be arrested.

... a school principal is mocked, there is no mention of college, and dropping out of school is seen as a good thing.

... parents are nowhere to be found.

... underage drinking?  No problem.

... teenage smoking?  Sure.

... sexual assault at a drive-in?  Yep.

 

Most of all, however, is the theme throughout, namely, that females have to give up their ethics, their sense of morality, their personhood, simply to get the guy.  How totally sexist is this?

 

Time for RCCL to pack up and retire this sexist play!

...

Maybe they could nix it and replace it with Cats, that would be something to really complain about. 

[mjkacmom]

Lol the movie came out 40 years ago! My kids are into musical theater, did all of the high school musicals and many community theater shows, so many of the classics have similar themes regarding women. 

[Merion_Mom]

I understand where you are coming from, and you are fully entitled to both have your opinion and voice your opinion. 

 

 

[BillieJeanKaraokeKing]

I'm not sure if you are actually being serious.  However, if you are ... while your viewpoint is fair enough, do at least consider how utterly boring a completely PC world would be.

 

I treat it for what it is, a piece of entertainment - and I'm afraid quite a lot of it will actually be true to life.

Edited January 13, 2019 by BillieJeanKaraokeKing

[BigHouseFootball]

I mean had you never seen the movie?

[John&LaLa]

39 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

Maybe they could nix it and replace it with Cats, that would be something to really complain about. 

 

Awesome idea

[Coralc]

Maybe you would prefer another musical classic....West Side Story?  It is about gangs and racism and a murder. It also has wonderful music and dancing, and like Grease, it is an entertaining story. We prefer to be entertained  and charmed by the performance overall, without over-analyzing the plot.  

Edited January 13, 2019 by Coralc

[Ken at the beach]

It’s a story written in the past about a previous time in our history. I think people can differentiate that and that it is not how women are portrayed today.  

[GXmanDC]

The 1971 musical Grease is about American youth culture of the late 1950s.  When we see Grease we are transported to the late 50s using a lens of the early 70s.  If there is a message in the musical it is in the context of that time period.  I first saw the "edited for TV" Grease  movie in the early 80s when I was about 13.  Even then I viewed it as period entertainment, not an instructional video.  

[yogimax]

55 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

Lol the movie came out 40 years ago! My kids are into musical theater, did all of the high school musicals and many community theater shows, so many of the classics have similar themes regarding women. 

Yes, times were indeed different 40 years ago, however, that does not justify perpetuating demeaning stereotypes.  In 1978, apartheid was still the policy in South Africa and racial discrimination in the housing industry in America was still rampant.  Would we want to portray those times as wonderful and glorify their misguided ideals in a musical?  I hope not!

 

 

[pcur]

When I read or see anything that is concentrating on a historical time period (which I think the 1950's, early 1960's is), I suspend my moral compass and social opinions.  Otherwise, the "modern me" won't enjoy it, either.

 

I read two books about 16th and 17th century China, where the female main characters were treated horribly, but the books were fascinating.  Peony in Love is one of the most unique and beautifully written books I've read in recent years, but I had to put myself in the time period to enjoy it.

[not-enough-cruising]

“To Kill a Mockingbird” is opening on Broadway now. We better get it shut down before it’s too late!!!

[deliver42]

Give me a break. It's a show set in the 50's, not an attack on womanhood.

[SAmome]

I just saw Hamilton, wow, way to make you patriotic and interested in learning more about history.  I understand that show is not an option for a cruiseline, maybe in 20 years, but something like it would be great.

 

I agree about the message Grease sends and wouldn't bother getting up an arms about it but it is on two ships and I hope it does not get renewed.

[chiguypaul]

Yogimax, so funny to read your post. I thought the performance was great, but had thoughts around the same line. I wondered how this show could exist in a MeToo world. She basically had to sell herself out to get Danny's attention. It didn't phase me about the parents or the drinking or smoking, but it was more the giving up who you are for someone else and the whole sex symbol thing just to be liked and noticed. I didn't see any liberals protesting before or after the show.

 

[George C]

Read same type of review on Saturday night fever on liberty , give me a break . Hope they replace this play with something family friendly like Hair 😁😁😁😁

[mugtech]

J C Superstar would be a good replacement.

[ReneeFLL]

It's entertainment and set in  the '50s. They aren't trying to teach people that it's ok to treat females that way. It's the parents job to make sure their kids know right from wrong. So many people over analyzing old shows/songs. Being PC about everything is getting out of hand. 

[mjkacmom]

13 hours ago, yogimax said:

Yes, times were indeed different 40 years ago, however, that does not justify perpetuating demeaning stereotypes.  In 1978, apartheid was still the policy in South Africa and racial discrimination in the housing industry in America was still rampant.  Would we want to portray those times as wonderful and glorify their misguided ideals in a musical?  I hope not!

 

 

Our HS put on a production of How to Succeed in Business without even Trying, where on of the main characters, Rosemary, had a goal to come to the big city, get a job as a receptionist, and marry a rich executive, and she did. I’m going to say the majority of musicals are not PC. I’m as liberal as they come, but please don’t mess with art. Sometimes entertainment is entertainment. 

[MrCruzdoggie]

Maybe RCCL needs to be put in time out.

[SAHMof3]

Here’s my honest opinion on this movie. Honestly, how is the “Me too” movement have anything to do with this? Most all teenage boys on a date parking in a dark parking lot, movie or not, will try to do something to a girl. Here’s, where the line is drawn...Sandy gives an adamant “no!” and gets out of the car. That’s where it stops. My dad brought his daughters up to always say no. That’s what we did. Did we report them to the police? Uh, no. He didn’t chase me down after that. He respected my “no”

and the date continued. My dad also taught us that you don’t put yourself in a vulnerable place (parked dark car) and act okay about it. (I.e., “guardrails”) I get it...it’s a drive-in theater. But he didn’t exactly chase her down and attack her. The day we tell men that if they even TRY to go past “first base,” on a date or they’ll be arrested is the day we separate our genders forever. The line is drawn on a date when the girl says “NO.” This isn’t freaking workplace harassment!!! And at the end of the musical, she tells Danny he had “better shape up.”  She says she wants him for a boyfriend but he had better do it HER way. He follows her at that point like a puppy dog. Yeah, she’s dressed a little scandalous and takes advantage of her sexuality (but that’s where the humor is supposed to come in) but she looks powerful in a feminine way to me. Just my opinion here. She’s saying “my way or the highway.” Just my take on this, lol. And like many others have said, there are sooooooo many other musicals out there with the moral compass is NO WHERE to be found that I find this one quite refreshing! Don’t even get me started on the others.

 

[A&L_Ont]

 

13 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

“To Kill a Mockingbird” is opening on Broadway now. We better get it shut down before it’s too late!!!

 

I’m surprised PETA isn’t trying to get them to change the name.😉

 

10 hours ago, chiguypaul said:

Yogimax, so funny to read your post. I thought the performance was great, but had thoughts around the same line. I wondered how this show could exist in a MeToo world. She basically had to sell herself out to get Danny's attention. It didn't phase me about the parents or the drinking or smoking, but it was more the giving up who you are for someone else and the whole sex symbol thing just to be liked and noticed. I didn't see any liberals protesting before or after the show.

 

 

Danny tried to change himself, to be a Jock as well.  He just didn’t have the same success. My wife just said we are trying to look at a work of fiction based from the 50s with 2019 eyes. It’s hard to change the past, in reality as well as in the theatrical world. 

 

On a side note, conspiracy theories say that Sandy actually died.

 

Well, think back to the beginning of the movie. In the song “Summer Nights,” Danny explains that when he met Sandy, “I saved her life; she nearly drowned.”

 

According to the theory, Sandy did drown. The whole movie is just a fantasy playing in her head as she struggles for oxygen, and the car flies away when she is sent to heaven.

 

8 hours ago, George C said:

Read same type of review on Saturday night fever on liberty, give me a break.

 

Add to that Chicago which was originally on Allure and Momma Mia currently on Allure.  They are plays, right or wrong, which have been by acclaimed by millions of fans around the world.

 

As for the OP, and others that might be sensitive to the subject don’t attend. A quick google search on any play would reveal if the wish to go or not. 

 

I throughly enjoyed The Book of Mormon. A modern play which one might describe as the coming of age of two young men as they travel to Africa and experience life in the village first hand. It doesn’t throw back to past values of Grease.  However, for those that are sensitive to some topics this is not the play for you.