Dirty Dancing

There’s barely a scene from Dirty Dancing the movie that isn’t replicated in this musical stage version.

While it’s fairly obvious which particular scene everyone’s here to see, and boy does that scene deliver, the rest of the show struggles to build momentum. Just as a piece of set is wheeled out and the performers have delivered their two sentences of dialogue it’s quickly onto the next scene.

Though the lead actors aren’t really called on to burst into song, all the great songs from the movie soundtrack work their way into the show and the dancing is fabulous. Nadia Coote, Penny in this and the original stage version ten years ago, has a high kick that has to be seen to be believed and is hypnotic every time she starts twirling around the dance floor. Kirby Burgess is a warm and charming Baby, and is convincingly clumsy until the final moments when she proves herself almost as nimble footed as Coote.

Playing Johnny Castle, Kurt Phelan has the huge shoes of the late Patrick Swayze to fill, and as much as he looks the part and as adept as he is as a dancer, he doesn’t quite have the same smouldering sensuality of his movie star predecessor. It might not quite be the time of your life but it is certainly good fun.