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Comedy Culture

Grease ‘er up!

Greased Too! directed by Sean Fisher, with Aurora Browne, Jennine Profeta, Johnny Tokatlidis, Corinne Murray, John Caffery, Jim Taylor, Ashley Botting, Kevin Levesque, the Goatee Boys, Dave Tomlinson, Dave Pearce and Jim Annan. Tim Sims Playhouse (56 Blue Jays Way). Runs to May 29, Thursday 9 pm, Friday 9 and 11 pm, Saturday 10:30 pm. $20. 416-343-0011. Rating: NNNN Rating: NNNN

Bad movies can be a lot of fun to watch. Who hasn’t howled over the excesses and plain stupidity of a Showgirls, a Glitter or a Gigli? Add to this guilty company Grease 2, a less than stellar sequel starring a then unknown Michelle Pfeiffer. If you’ve never giggled through even a few minutes of it on late-night TV, Greased Too! , an affectionate live stage send-up of it at the Tim Sims Playhouse, will have you shaking your head over the clunky and predictable plot points and the “what were they thinking?” lyrics.

Among the unbelievable campy moments are a song about plant reproduction, an aborted makeout session in a nuclear fallout shelter and a fantasy sequence involving a ghostly motorcycle rider in a talent show.

Doing justice to bad art takes a lot of talent, and director Sean Fisher stages the show effectively, especially in an extended sequence in which nerdy exchange student Michael ( Jim Taylor ) learns how to ride a motorcycle to impress Stephanie ( Corinne Murray , filling in at the last minute for an ailing Jessica Holmes).

There are lots of cute touches, such as having Stephanie’s Pink Lady pal Aurora Browne deliver an overwrought scene so hysterically that she receives a miniature Oscar right after her monologue.

Fisher, who doubles as the show’s pianist and football coach, also takes us through a recap of the first act by pointing at stills from the film – including one imaginary one showing a Columbine-like murder. His point is sardonically apt: the petty rivalries of the schoolyard can result in real violence.

Despite its excesses, the show never tilts out of control. And the cast make up for their less than perfect singing voices by energizing their colourful cardboard characters.

Standouts include Jennine Profeta ‘s wide-eyed beauty school dropout, Frenchie, and Dave Tomlinson ‘s ever-smiling lascivious teacher.

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