Dirty Dancing: York Grand Opera House
THE film Dirty Dancing has acquired a cult status that the so-so stage version doesn't entirely justify. "The classic story on stage", as this theatre show is described, continues to fuel its reputation and embarks on a 2016/17 tour accompanied by the words "New concept imagined by Wizard Productions Italy".
I preferred the old one. I saw it a couple of years ago in Leeds where it was greeted noisily by a mainly female audience who sang along, cooed "oooh" when hero Johnny removed his shirt and applauded loudly as he caught new love Baby in the climactic flying leap into his arms.
All that happened at the first night in York, but director Federico Bellone has ignored the film's most famous line, "Nobody puts Baby in the corner" by requiring the dancers to perform in a small corner of the modest-sized stage which was mostly occupied by designer Roberto Comotti's forever twirling, increasingly irritating set.
The performances, with the exception of Carlie Milner's pregnant dancer Penny, are strictly B-movie. Lewis Griffiths poses and displays a pert pair of naked buttocks as oh-so-cool macho Johnny, dancer and gigolo at a summer mountain resort who teaches innocent Baby (Katie Hartland) moves in the bedroom as well as on the dancefloor.
I've Had The Time Of My Life is the show's best-known number. I can't say I share that sentiment after seeing this production.
* Runs until Saturday at York Grand Opera House. Box Office: 0844-8713024 and atgtickets.com/york
Tours to Newcastle Theatre Royal January 23 to 28 Jan and Sunderland Empire June 26 to July 1.
Steve Pratt
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