Grease Secret Cinema is here at Evolution inside Battersea Park in London as we were invited to come on into Rydell High and enjoy this all-singing, all-dancing immersive event. Thanks to Secret Cinema for inviting us in exchange for our always honest review.
From the moment you step through the park’s leafy entrance, you’re no longer in 2025 London – you’re in 1959 Rydell High but you’ll certainly have an issue finding it if you’re not a local as walking into Battersea Park we didn’t see one single sign for the event and relied on Google maps to navigate what is quite the sizeable park!
When we did arrive the transformation of Battersea Park is nothing short of magical. The outdoor set was well done and it looks far from a pop-up event, it feels very bedded into the surroundings and the indoor area of Rydell High is stunning, there’s such an atmosphere and a vibe and that’s before the crowds come in, they’ve crafted the sets beautifully and theming a whole side of the building to retro cars to sit in and dine at (for an additional cost) is genius.
Roaming T-Birds and Pink Ladies who stay perfectly in character all night long will also chat to you and come up to you throughout the evening along with amazing live performances that blew me away! You’re very much immersed in the story but there’s a major flaw to Grease Secret Cinema that just about everyone had an issue with.
The standing.
Grease Secret Cinema’s Major Flaw
From an accessibility standpoint and from a guest standpoint the indoor section of the show is a nightmare.
You’re bouncing around as the actors perform in different parts of the space so whole crowds of people are moving towards different areas as the show progresses and the screens around you play the film.
So not only are you torn between watching the screen or watching the show but if you’re stuck in a crowd the chances of you seeing every performance are limited.
Outside served food and drink and the second you get inside you realise the only seating available are bleachers which seat about 20 people (if that) and the rest are VIP seats at Frosty Palace (themed beautifully like an Ice Cream parlour) or the Drive-In cars.
We had a VIP immersive ticket which involved getting on stage at a portion of the show, this was the most expensive ticket as we had funfair rides included etc but it felt like the most rip-off ticket of them all.
Wandering around with a pizza box and two drinks in my hand with no where to sit was an absolute pain. People had drinks in their hands, bags and all sorts with no where to just chill and enjoy anything they’ve purchased outside.
The chances of you being able to see a full performance without crowd surfing is slim and I felt the Grease event at Birmingham was much more open planned and far less claustrophobic, we managed to see every performance on that night and there were a LOT more people in attendance.
Considering we had the most expensive ticket kindly gifted to us we still felt as though a paying customer would be absolutely seething knowing they paid that much for limited viewing of the show and have essentially just paid a LOT of money to walk around a nice indoor themed space and jumped on a couple of funfair rides.
Pricing was definitely an issue throughout the event as cocktails were priced at around £15 and a varsity merchandise jacket was priced at £95… yes… £95… I couldn’t believe my eyes seeing a merchandise piece that is more expensive than the highest priced event ticket, I’ve never seen that before!
A Cinematic Celebration
If Grease is your ride or die movie then price certainly won’t be a factor in your decision to attend but with some of the aforementioned restrictions I’d certainly opt to get yourselves a VIP seat otherwise you’re not going to enjoy yourself as much.
Secret Cinema has always excelled at creating environments that feel like movie sets brought to life, but the Greaseexperience stands out for its balance between performative theatre and nostalgic escapism. The “Grease Lightning Garage” is alive with mechanics fixing up a classic hot rod (yes, there’s a real one, chrome polished and fully functional).
Inside “Frosty Palace”, milkshakes and burgers are served in 50s-styled booths, while spontaneous dance-offs break out around you.
The actors were all incredible but having the film play at the same time was certainly a distraction, at the Birmingham event we immersed ourselves in Rydell High and followed the stories but then all sat down at the end of the evening to watch the film together, I felt that way was much more relaxed than the absolute chaos that unfolded during our visit.
No Secret Cinema event is complete without an on-theme menu. Battersea Park’s pop-up vendors delivered a fun mix of 1950s diner fare and modern London street food. Think juicy cheeseburgers, hot dogs and pizzas and £13 for nachos… yes… Doritos with a bit of sauce on, £13!
We opted for a full sized pizza that was cheaper than the nachos and it was actually really tasty, I couldn’t complain there, it was delicious!
Some of the cocktails were hit and miss with some being rather tasty and then others we couldn’t physically drink but at £15 a pop… make your choice wisely!
The screen-quality throughout the event was incredible but it certainly spoke volumes when many people exited the indoor area not long into the show to go back outside and feel less claustrophobic and actually have a place to sit down.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a Grease lover and musical theatre lover you’ll enjoy yourself here but just be warned about everything I’ve written above.
The atmosphere was actually rather wonderful and everyone outside was having a great time, the vintage Ferris Wheel and other rides were popular all evening but some clear signage to guide people to the event would be nice, it helps if people can find your event first and foremost.
Tickets for Secret Cinema aren’t cheap – you’ll likely spend upwards of £60 per person before food and drinks – but what you get in return is a full evening of interactive theatre, music, dance, and film in a lovingly crafted world.
For me, it was vastly overpriced but for others it may have been just fine.
In a world where screens so often isolate us, there’s something deeply connective about dancing under the stars with strangers to the tune of “Summer Nights.” Secret Cinema’s Grease at Battersea Park reminds us why we fell in love with movies in the first place – and that sometimes, the best nights are the ones spent singing in unison with 2,000 other people in pink satin jackets.
Grease Secret Cinema was fun and immersive but equally flawed. Get some more seating in there and manage crowds properly and I think they’d be onto a winner!
Grab your tickets at https://greasetheimmersivemoviemusical.com/
