"They came expecting to see one star and instead welcomed home another. Brisbane-born-and-bred Kelley Abbey, perhaps best known for her role as JoJo in E Street but more recently acclaimed as the lead in Sweet Charity in Sydney and Melbourne, learnt just hours beforehand that she would take over as Rizzo from a flu-struck Dannii Minogue. 
Although Abbey, as the director's and choreographer's assistant, had taught the role to Minogue, she had never performed it before an audience. The crowd of 12,000's disappointment was audible when told of Minogue's absence but equally voluble was their welcome to Abbey. Obviously, singing before 100,000 people at last year's AFL grand final stood her in good stead, as did the palpable support of her 47 fellow on-stage cast members.
She gave a gutsy and self-possessed interpretation of Rizzo. Her powerful sincerity in There Are Worse Things I Could Do provided the show's emotional highlight. It was one of many fabulous moments in this slick but spontaneous production which struck the perfect tone of clever parody, charm and exhuberance.''