It is loud, lively and tremendous fun. Grease is the word and how the audience love it. The cheers start before the interval and nearly take the roof off the Congress Theatre.

From the moment the curtain rises the orchestra, suspended above the stage, gets the audience into the aura of the Fifties. The dynamic musical director Richard Beadle gets them clapping to the familiar tunes.

To follow in the footsteps of John Travolta and Olivia Newton John is hard but West End actor Paul Manuel is perfect as Danny and Hayley Evetts was born to play Sandy.

She has been practising Grease in her bedroom since she was a little girl and is delighted her debut in the professional theatre was playing Sandy at the Palace Theatre, Manchester two years ago.

The former shop girl who came fifth in the first series of Pop Idol epitomises the naive high school girl who captures Danny's heart, then transforms into the sex bomb for the last scene having shed her "Sandra Dee" image.

Deborah Hayward is well cast as Rizzo and Stuart Ramsay makes a good Kenickie. One of the highlights is when he leads the company in Greased Lightnin'.

The leads are well backed by firstclass acting and singing from the Pink Ladies and Danny's friends, and Jamie Tyler is very funny as the goofball Eugene.

David Gilmore's direction is slick and Terry Parsons has designed some stunning sets complemented by Mark Henderson's lighting design.

Andreane Neofitou has designed colourful costumes and this show has everything, including an American Cadillac driven on to the stage.

Stori James has recreated Arlene Phillips' musical staging and choreography and the lively young cast perform with a huge amount of energy and exuberance.

This is not a show for the fainthearted. It is a show to enjoy, join in clapping and appreciate the excellent production Eastbourne Theatres has brought to the town.

Grease is definitely the word in Eastbourne for the next ten days.

Running until Sept 3. Call 01323 412000.