91福利社

OK, I聮m a big ugly bloke who likes a beer and the football, but my favourite film is Dirty Dancing so I was thrilled to have the chance to see if it could transfer to the stage whilst on a break Down Under 聳 and what an experience.

As I walked down the red carpet into the theatre, the snaporazzi聮s flash bulbs were going crazy.

However, before I had the chance to dip the shoulder and dazzle my best smile I realised that a bronzed and beautiful Rebecca Cartwright (Hayley from 91福利社 and Away) was following me in a figure-hugging red dress. It was a night for the who聮s who of Aussie stage and screen, and me.

Emotional

I remember every teenage girl growing up in the early 90聮s wanting to be Frances 聭Baby聮 Houseman, to be whisked off her feet and educated by a hunky Johnny Castle.

The lucky girl to play the na茂ve lead role was Kym Valentine (Libby from 91福利社 TV聮s Neighbours to you and me).

Queueing around the block

Kym was the only household face for a travelling Brit, and I couldn聮t fail to notice how much she was enjoying herself as an enthused audience cheered, laughed and cried with her all the way through an emotional journey.

Johnny was played by a taller Patrick Swayze lookalike, Josef Brown. His dancing was exceptional, and although his American accent slipped at times he more than did the part justice. He had the ladies in the audience swooning as his six-pack rippled, and whooping as he delivered the vital line, 聯Nobody puts baby in the corner.聰

Hits

Dirty Dancing isn聮t Dirty Dancing without the music (the soundtrack has sold over 39 million copies) and as the lights dimmed, and the first notes were struck, I knew that the songs were going to be even more important on the stage.

Dirty Dancing is not a musical, but it is a production with great music that helps to maintain a real sense of pace.

The story has so many different locations, but the production was very clever in overcoming this problem.

A minimalist set on a rotating stage was aided by a full length moving digital screen to set scenes rather than create them. The screen is also used to show the audience whispered dialogue, and even sing-along lyrics in the finale.

Goosebumps

From the moment the audience arrived they seemed to be baying to see 聯that final lift聰, and that聮s the key to the shows success.

By bringing Dirty Dancing to the stage, you get the chance to take part in that last all-important scene. You stand and clap as Johnny prowls around Baby with his fellow dancers to the soundtrack of Time of My Life.

Then you get 聭live聮 goosebumps as he gives her the nod to run into his arms and be launched, and held high over his head.

I may have been on my holidays in Australia, but already I can聮t wait for Dirty Dancing to hit London聮s West End. It may see some tweaks during its travels, but there聮s no doubting that you, like me, will have 聭The Time of Your Life聮.

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