REVIEW: Dirty Dancing
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Dirty Dancing (****)
Eden Court, Inverness
Thirty years on from the surprise success of a low budget film that became a multimillion-pound box office sensation and made a star of Patrick Swayze, the record-breaking pulling power of the stage version of Dirty Dancing shows no signs of letting up.
Dirty Dancing undoubtedly played a part in paving the way for the success of primetime dance themed shows like Strictly and clearly the voracious public appetite for glamorous, glitzy gyrations is nowhere near sated.
The cast earned a standing ovation at the first show of a six-night run at Eden Court after a punchy, fun-packed performance which had all the rapid-fire razzle dazzle delight of a quickstep.
The 1960s’ timeframe quickly established with some historical context on the civil rights movement and what was happening in popular culture at the time, we’re introduced to 17-year-old Frances "Baby" Houseman (Katie Hartland) on the verge of a family vacation to holiday resort, Kellerman's.
It’s the summer of ’63 and Baby is full of wide-eyed optimism as she prepares for one last family holiday with her doctor father Jake (Julian Harries), mother Marjorie (Simone Craddock) and sister Lisa (Lizzie Ottley) before taking up a course of study and plans to join the Peace Corps.
The coming of age/rites of passage yarn hits full flow when she meets Johnny Castle (Lewis Griffiths), a dance instructor who is leader of the resort’s working class entertainment staff.
The loss of Baby’s innocence comes after she’s introduced to the staff’s “dirty dancing” after-hours parties and agrees to help Johnny’s pregnant dance partner Penny Johnson (Carlie Milner) out of a jam.
An impressive set is slickly manipulated to set the scene at the camp as the cast romp through hits of the era and unravel the well-known story with cheeky abandon – quite literally in the case of Griffiths who briefly reveals his finely honed buttocks during one scene, to the obvious delight of the audience. It’s a sexy show for sure but steers clear of gratuitous excess while staying true to the original spirit of the story.
The dancers are terrific, Hartland conveying the knee-trembling experience of the rookie overcoming her fears and Griffiths and Milner the sexy assurance of a couple perfectly in synch on the dance floor.
The music underpins everything with some show-stopping performances from Daniela Pogeba (Elizabeth) and Michael Kent (Billy Kostecki). The Kellerman’s house band helps glue the show together as we head towards the feel good finale and THAT lift.
The audience did indeed appear to be having the time of their life suggesting that Baby, Johnny and co could be around yet for decades to come.
Dirty Dancing is at Eden Court until Saturday (May 13). Contact 01463 234234 for details.
Hector MacKenzie is the editor of the Ross-shire Journal. Follow him on Twitter: @HectorScribbles
