I was greeted at the door by a man wielding a tray of bagels of all flavours (smoked salmon and cream cheese for me, naturally), as well as – jackpot! – a free orange juice. Better and better. I managed to bag a seat right in the middle, and scoffed my bagel before the performance started. You don’t want to be distracted from the big musical numbers because there’s smoked salmon hanging down your chin…
The first sign of a member of the cast was Vince Fontaine entering stage right onto a raised platform. If you don’t know who Vince Fontaine is, by the way, I make no apologies. I’ve not seen the stage version of Grease before, but I have seen the film (at least 20 times, I reckon) and I expect most other people have too. It’s a sort of rite of passage isn’t it? Every character should be pre-programmed into one’s subconscious.
The poor bloke playing Vince was clutching a clipboard, from which (in character) he unceremoniously reeled off a series of bagel facts. “New York Bakery Co. bagels are low in fat and suitable for vegetarians”… His embarrassment was palpable. As was that of the audience. Between 8 and 8:40, when the performance began in earnest, he appeared 3 more times to sing bagel-ly praises, and each occasion was more cringe-worthy than the last.
Eventually it was time for the mini-musical to begin. Thank god, there was no way they were going to be able to plug bagels any more during the actual performance; They already had their work cut out condensing 2 hours of plot into a mere 25 minutes. The first number, obviously, was Grease Is the Word. Summer Lovin’ and Greased Lightening followed in swift succession… There was a lot of assumed understanding about the underlying plot, but as I said – it’s a teenage rite of passage, right?
We were 10 minutes into the show when Vince appeared stage right again. Presumably acting as a filler whilst the cast underwent a costume change, we were treated to yet more bagel propaganda, and even a couple of bagel jokes, before the cast reappeared… All clutching bagels. *hangs head*. This was too much.
What can only be described as a ‘Megamix’ followed, marking the end of the performance. The singing and dancing was excellent, it must be said. At the final bow Danny threw his comb into the audience… The woman on the receiving end ducked out of the way of the projectile and left it on the floor. Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Despite the early start and the mortifying bagel hard-sell, I will do pretty much anything for free food, so I’d say it was worth it. This was the first such New York Bakery Co. Breakfast Club, and they look set to do more… Keep an eye on the facebook page for details of future Breakfast Club events.
Cheapskate rating:
6/10
OK, I get it – you guys like bagels.
Additional notes:
The bagels were – as advertised – delicious and nutritious.
The actor who currently plays Danny is called Matthew Goodgame. Sweet
Got Google maps?: W1D 7DY
Nearest tube: Piccadilly Circus (3 mins) Leicester Square (7 mins) or Oxford Circus (10 mins)
Buses: 88, 91, 139 (plus loads more, check TFL for more details)
Overground: Charing Cross (12 mins)
