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Dirty Dancing
Belgrade Theatre Coventry
***** IT IS not often
you get MORE than you’re expecting out of a live show but
Dirty Dancing
delivers and a half! I was wondering two things as I arrived at the
theatre: how were they going to do the scene of learning to do the lifts
in the water and what would people who hadn’t seen the film make of it? The scene in the water was amazing and even
though I saw it I’m still not sure. As for people who hadn’t seen the
film it was bigger and better than I remember. It is one of those films
that I wish I’d never seen so I can see it again for the first time.
Seeing it on the stage was akin to that. The story is great, boy meets girl, etc. A
‘coming-of-age’ script set in August 1963 as Martin Luther King had a
dream, JFK was setting up the Peace Corps and ‘Baby’ Houseman (Katie
Hartland) and her sister Lisa (Lizzie Ottley) and parents Jake (Julian
Harries) and Marjorie (Simone Craddock) arrive at Kellerman’s, based on
real-life Grossinger’s Hotel in New York state where the writer
holidayed as a child. Max Kellerman (Roger Martin), grandson Neil (Greg
Fossard) welcome families to a holiday of activities and dancing with
coaches including dance partners Penny (Carlie Milner) and Johnny Castle
(Lewis Griffiths). Penny’s ‘condition’ mean that Baby and Johnny
have just three weeks to learn an exhibition dance for a neighbouring
hotel. Unlike the film, Baby plays this for laughs. The dance scene on
the log and in the water are amazing, and teeming rain, still has me
foxed. Music was excellent (with a live band on stage throughout) and
more songs included as the writer couldn’t get permission to use the
extra songs which, now the film is a runaway success, has been easier. But,
The Time of my Life
is still a winner (and that dance and that amazing lift) – and the line
‘No one puts Baby in the corner’ caused an eruption of applause from the
audience – not the only time by far! A word for the set, everything moved in every
direction and it’s a wonder of the world. Even the programme – a
brochure – is larger than life. Did I enjoy it? Please can I go again
tonight and tomorrow…? Directed by Federico Bellone the dancing goes on
to 04-02-17
Jane Howard 30-01-17 |
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