I’m going to be completely honest; I was pretty much rabid with excitement at the prospect of seeing this show. And by ‘pretty much’ I mean utterly and without restraint.
As a Gen Xer, I daresay I’m not alone when claiming the 'Dirty Dancing' film defined my early adolescence, my idea of every summer romance I should have when I grow up, and how attracted I would forever be to bad-boys-turned-good (read: posters of Swayze above bed for years).
The producers of 'Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage' definitely knew what they were dealing with in millions of Swayze-eyed women, and by golly, they delivered. The script was directly as per the film, the music was all on point, the characters brilliantly embodied, and gauging by the crescendos of squeals and whoops from a sea of women, it was just as satisfying as we had all dreamed it would be.
Huge props must go to Kirby Burgess who, as Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman took on her first lead role and proceeded to steal many an enthusiastic heart. She played out the goofy-come-sexy-come-powerful-woman trajectory with finesse. After the ‘baby in the corner’ moment, her final dance scene with Johnny (Kurt Phelan) was a total joy explosion. When they did the famous lift, the crowd actually lost their minds, it’s like we were all swept up in some kind of dance finale madness. So much anticipation, all of the quotes, and then the lift... It was too much.
More kudos go to James D. Smith who played Billy (Johnny’s cousin of watermelon scene fame) who belted out a spectacular rendition of The Five Satins’ classic ‘In The Still Of The Night’ and also to Teagan Wouters as Lisa Houseman whose version of ‘Hula Hana Of Kamana Whala Hula Bay’ in the talent show (is that even actually a song?) was brilliantly awful.OK so right now you’re probably thinking this is the most blatantly biased review you’ve ever read. Well you’re not wrong. But I guarantee you ladies, (and some gents) if you spent your pre-pubescent years staring at that Swayze poster above your bed and dreaming of one-day dirty dancing your summers away, you will not be disappointed by this production. It was true to form in all its '80s does '60s splendour and will let you unashamedly relive the full gamut of 'Dirty Dancing' memories with a large theatre full of equally excitable women.
Now if you’ll excuse me I must go and convince my boyfriend to come to a lake and learn that lift with me.
