King’s Theatre, Glasgow
Until: Saturday 12 November
Performance reviewed: Thursday 20 October
Rating: * * *
Dirty Dancing is always mentioned when girls are discussing their favourite movies. Since its release in 1987 it has become a firm favourite with females of all ages (and some males too!). I didn’t dislike the movie, but I was never a huge fan, though I’m sure most people will know someone who memorised each line and dance step.
Knowing how highly regarded the movie is, the very idea of of a stage adaptation filled me with dread. How would it compare on its first national tour?
In this case, reasonably well. The show is still written by Eleanor Bergstein who wrote the movie, it is the same storyline, the same songs (with a few extras thrown in) and the same characters – just a different cast and different medium used to tell the story.
If you’re not already aware, Dirty Dancing (movie) is a coming-of-age story set in 1963 in the New York mountains, and stars Jennifer Grey as Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman – the teenager who rebels against her parents to become involved with her dance instructor, Johnny, on holiday at Kellerman’s.
Johnny, played by Patrick Swayze, had women of all ages swooning – though I’ll admit I’m not sure if it was Patrick himself, or the character of Johnny causing the reaction.
In the stage version, Paul Michael-Jones has rather large dancing shoes to fill and he is good but he’ll never compare to Swayze, at least not in the eyes of the fans. Emily Holt as Baby, however, is endearing, though I couldn’t really feel the sizzling chemistry between the two characters. This really is essential for this story to be told effectively.
The set was very well done with projections relaying where the action was taking place and the famous log and water scenes were as aesthetically pleasing as they were comedic.
Other notable scenes causing huge reactions were The Hula Song by Baby’s sister Lisa (Emilia Williams) and of course, the big finale – lift and all.
Dirty Dancing is very much a show that needs its audience as much as the audience needs the show. Fans were shouting out the lines before the cast were able to say them, dancing, clapping, whooping, singing and laughing throughout, regardless of whether chemistry between the characters was there or not.
The audience interaction certainly adds to the experience and I found it to be an enjoyable and nostalgic night out. However, unlike Legally Blonde, which was also recently in Scotland on its first tour, I feel the stage show doesn’t compare to the movie.
