GREASE was the first 'grown-up' film I remember watching as a girl.

I was too young to understand the plot and vaguely aware that the sexual tone was inappropriate for someone of pre-teen age, but was still reeled in by the soundtrack and depiction of Danny and Sandy's romance in exotic America.

Despite the archaic gender stereotypes, it remains one of the best-loved musicals of all time - and, at least for me, a failsafe option for wine-fuelled karaoke.

The film is so well-loved that to take it back to the stage and stray from that version was always going to be a risk.

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Unbeknown to me, and probably most people in the packed audience at Oxford's New Theatre, the stage is the true home of Grease.

Before being sugar-coated for the big screen, the original, grittier production was born in a Chicago basement, moving to Broadway with the explicit scenes toned-down and becoming a massive hit.

The film version that most of us know and love made several major changes, scrubbing out the darker themes to sanitise Grease for cinema audiences.

Chicago became California, Danny's crew The Burger Palace Boys became the T-Birds, and Sandy Dumbrowski became Sandy Olsson.

Having not done my research prior to watching the stage revival, I was reluctant to open my mind to the changes, and was especially thrown by the introduction of a brunette Sandy.

The familiar 'dun, dun dun' of Summer Nights soothed my caution and from then in, the energy bursting from the cast and the more challenging exploration of adolescence won me over.

An enthralling and brilliantly-choreographed take on Hand Jive had to be my favourite scene, with dancers twirling and cartwheeling around the Rydell High hall alongside the humourous radio star Vince Fontaine.

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One of the big draws marketed for the show was singer and reality star Peter Andre as the Teen Angel, and there was raucous whooping as he appeared at the top of the stairs, sporting a white and silver ensemble and huge white wings.

I had been dubious about the celebrity cameo, but he smashed his version of Beauty School Dropout, hitting some impressive high notes.

The singing otherwise ranged from shaky to stunningly good, and the faux American accents were grating at times, but the audience was also treated to songs that did not make the film cut - including Danny's solo How Big I'm Gonna Be, and Doody's Those Magic Changes.

You're the One That I Want was not as electrifying as I had anticipated given its iconic standing in the film, but other favourites including Greased Lightnin' lived up to expectations, with cast members ending up suspended mid-air in the car.

Grease The Musical still delivers rock'n'roll, romance and a reassuringly sassy Rizzo, even if the rose-tinted glasses have been taken off - we guarantee you will still be up on your feet for the mega-mix at the end.