Tuesday, 5th June 2023 at Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dirty Dancing, Eleanor Bergstein’s take on “The Classic Story on Stage” is at Leeds Grand Theatre this week. If last night is anything to go by, the cast are going to have some great fun with the Leeds crowds – and the Leeds crowds are not going to be disappointed by this show…
For those who don’t know the iconic film – or maybe only know the famous lift from it (apparently that’s a thing) – Dirty Dancing sees a classic forbidden love disrupt the status quo at a cheesy and indulgent holiday camp in the 1960s. The staff are expected to attend to every whim of the rich guests but to remember their place. When resident hot dancer guy Johnny meets infantilised rich daddy’s girl Baby however, the pair fall for each other as they dance and deal with a few peripheral dramas as they go along (some of which play out more fully than others).
Our leads are a great pairing: we root for them not only because they cross the class divide and defy the advice of everyone around them, but because they’re actually very funny and charming together. Kira Malou as Frances “Baby” Houseman is both the infatuated, somewhat clumsy youngster and the newly awakened woman, finally making her own decisions. Michael O’Reilly as Johnny Castle offers enough swagger to carry the next alpha male franchise and that classic brooding lover persona – the kind which invites every woman in a five mile radius to drop by and try to fix the chip on his shoulder. But he’s also the hunk with an awful lot of talent and a big heart, and shows a softer side too.
The pair are very at home and polished in the roles – their ownership of them evidently progressing over the years since I last caught the show back in 2018.
Choreography from Austin Wilks gives audiences exactly what they want: shimmying hips and high-kicking legs and muscular arms. The choreography is sharp and precise but sensual and does of course do justice to the final number in particular as the rebels and underdogs finally take positions centre stage. Frederico Bellone directs with a leisurely focus on the progression of the love affair and it’s great to see some changes in the set design and scenes – some of which didn’t quite land as they should previously. Now, the distinctly tongue-in-cheek approach to staging those famous lift scenes in the river lie much more playfully within a more developed production.
Jennifer Irwin’s costume designs dress our ensemble in a swathe of pastels and primary colours, petticoats and chiffon galore and a whole lot of lycra to compliment the expressive and often very steamy choreography (well, it is called Dirty Dancing…). And speaking of great dance numbers, Georgia Aspinall is superb as Penny Johnson, with her dance numbers with the equally talented O’Reilly being definite highlights – and the ensemble as a whole are predictably brilliant.
Vocalists are also great, though rather unusually, the leads don’t sing a note outside of the ensemble numbers – its more of an almost-musical, this. Our singers are therefore more peripheral figures: Danny Colligan provides a soaring, sure-footed vocal and Lydia Sterling offers the female equivalent: big belts and expressive vocal runs. The very suave Tito Suarez is played by Colin Charles and he provides many a musical highlight, including a very agile “Love Man”. Kellerman’s Band are live and on stage, with Gabriel Askew, Morgan Burgess, Tom Mussell, Tom Parsons and Tim Wade providing big band sounds, sharp vocals and ultimately, the musical heart of the show with numbers such as “This Magic Moment”, “These Arms of Mine”, “Hungry Eyes” and of course, “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”.
This show has blossomed since I saw it last and I’m sure it won’t disappoint fans of the film or fans of a great night of entertainment at the theatre.
Dirty Dancing is at Leeds Grand Theatre until 10th June 2023 – you can find more information and tickets here.
Always Time For Theatre 
Leave a comment