All your favourite songs from Dirty Dancing are there - from “Big Girls Don’t Cry” all the way through to “I’ve Had The Time of My Life” with lots and lots in between. In fact there are as quite a few songs that don’t actually appear in the film at all but they fit in so well and give the whole cast a chance to sing that it doesn’t really matter that much and just adds to the feelgood factor of the show.
After all, “Hungry Eyes”, “She’s Like The Wind” and “Time Of My Life” weren’t written in the 60s but they were used to great effect in the film. “Hungry Eyes” is one of my favourite songs in the show and I was interested to see what they had done with the choreography as I had dared to make a (helpful) comment after last year’s show and was pleasantly surprised to hear from the show’s producers that they would take it on board. I have to say that the dance routine to “Hungry Eyes” this time was even slicker and more powerful and was very well received by the delighted audience.
I ought to point out here that this is not the stage musical of Dirty Dancing, but a separate production featuring the songs from the film and others from that era. It has brand new dance routines and is performed by an highly attractive and energetic group of male and female performers.
In a lot of ways, this works better as a stage spectacle as you don’t have to worry about following dialogue - and plot - and working out who is who… this show lets the songs and dance moves do “all the talking”…
There are some great opportunities for audience participation in this show as well. In the first half we were show how to do some fun cha cha moves to “Wipeout” (a bit fast for me but great fun…) and in the second half it was a few increasingly “dirty” moves the “Lambada”.
By the end it seemed as if the whole of the audience were up on their feet dancing away to the music and a good time was certainly had by all.
"An Evening Of Dirty Dancing" is touring right across the country and you can find all the tour dates HERE
Please note this production is not affiliated with Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story On Stage in the West End or on tour in the UK and worldwide
To find out what else is coming to the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton, check out their website HERE
