REVIEW
DIRTY DANCING – THE CLASSIC STORY ON STAGE
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend on Sea
30th October - 3rd November 2018
✭✭✭✭☆ 4/5
by James Harrington
DIRTY DANCING – THE CLASSIC STORY ON STAGE
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend on Sea
30th October - 3rd November 2018
✭✭✭✭☆ 4/5
by James Harrington
Southend's Cliffs Pavilion was the scene of a violent explosion of oestrogen last night, when Dirty Dancing the musical rolled into town. I came to this with an open mind as a novice of musical theatre and having never seen the movie in it's entirety! (Sorry ladies!)
The first thing to say is that none of the cast are ever going to win an academy award, but this show is not about the acting, it is unashamedly about the singing and dancing, which are done with exceptional skill, passion and enthusiasm.
One of the main roles is that of Penny, played by Simone Covele, who wowed the audience with her moves in a long red dress which was the closest thing to the whats-app emoji of the dancing woman in the red dress that I have ever seen! She was spectacular, as were all those on stage.
The show opened with a glimpse through a transparent curtain, at a couple dancing. Images were also being projected onto the curtain at the same time of, yeah you guessed it, a couple dancing! It has been announced at this stage that the story takes place in 1963, and the characters do make contextual references to President Kennedy and the Peace Corp. One of the characters (Billy Kostecki played by Alex Wheeler) wishes to join the freedom riders, who are campaigning for civil rights in the southern states. Also the excellent costumes let you know what era the story is taking place in. The impressive set also adds to sixties vibe.
As most people who have seen the film will know, the story deals with issues of class snobbery and the elitism of the jet setting crowd who holiday in an upmarket resort in the Catskills Mountains. Abortion, or the lack of it's availability is another important factor in the story. Writer Elenor Bergstein (who was in the audience last night!) was told by the studio to remove this element from the screenplay. To her credit, she flat out refused, giving Dirty Dancing a credibility it might otherwise have never achieved.
However this is all just background information. Dirty Dancing the musical doesn't take itself too seriously, which became very apparent when lead man Michael O' Reilly bared his naked butt to the delight of the mostly female audience. O' Reilly plays Johnny with physicality and exuberance; he literally bounces around the stage. He is extremely athletic and an excellent dancer. Kira Malou plays Baby in a very likeable and humorous performance. It is hard not to root for her as the plot unfolds.
The vocal skills of Sian Gentle Green also deserve a mention, whose power house performance of the songs was one of the highlights of the show.
My interest was beginning to wane towards the end, but this did not last as the final seen was very...well, uplifting when O'Reilly and Malou recreate the famous lifting scene and the atmosphere kicks up about three notches, before finishing on a fantastic, feel good high! Overall this was a fine production despite a rather low fi recreation of the dancing in water scene, which aroused a few mirthful chuckles from the audience. The feel good factor is irresistible and I can't imagine any fan of the movie not enjoying this.
The first thing to say is that none of the cast are ever going to win an academy award, but this show is not about the acting, it is unashamedly about the singing and dancing, which are done with exceptional skill, passion and enthusiasm.
One of the main roles is that of Penny, played by Simone Covele, who wowed the audience with her moves in a long red dress which was the closest thing to the whats-app emoji of the dancing woman in the red dress that I have ever seen! She was spectacular, as were all those on stage.
The show opened with a glimpse through a transparent curtain, at a couple dancing. Images were also being projected onto the curtain at the same time of, yeah you guessed it, a couple dancing! It has been announced at this stage that the story takes place in 1963, and the characters do make contextual references to President Kennedy and the Peace Corp. One of the characters (Billy Kostecki played by Alex Wheeler) wishes to join the freedom riders, who are campaigning for civil rights in the southern states. Also the excellent costumes let you know what era the story is taking place in. The impressive set also adds to sixties vibe.
As most people who have seen the film will know, the story deals with issues of class snobbery and the elitism of the jet setting crowd who holiday in an upmarket resort in the Catskills Mountains. Abortion, or the lack of it's availability is another important factor in the story. Writer Elenor Bergstein (who was in the audience last night!) was told by the studio to remove this element from the screenplay. To her credit, she flat out refused, giving Dirty Dancing a credibility it might otherwise have never achieved.
However this is all just background information. Dirty Dancing the musical doesn't take itself too seriously, which became very apparent when lead man Michael O' Reilly bared his naked butt to the delight of the mostly female audience. O' Reilly plays Johnny with physicality and exuberance; he literally bounces around the stage. He is extremely athletic and an excellent dancer. Kira Malou plays Baby in a very likeable and humorous performance. It is hard not to root for her as the plot unfolds.
The vocal skills of Sian Gentle Green also deserve a mention, whose power house performance of the songs was one of the highlights of the show.
My interest was beginning to wane towards the end, but this did not last as the final seen was very...well, uplifting when O'Reilly and Malou recreate the famous lifting scene and the atmosphere kicks up about three notches, before finishing on a fantastic, feel good high! Overall this was a fine production despite a rather low fi recreation of the dancing in water scene, which aroused a few mirthful chuckles from the audience. The feel good factor is irresistible and I can't imagine any fan of the movie not enjoying this.
www.dirtydancingontour.com #dirtydancing /@ddonstage
For tickets at Southend go online to www.southendtheatres.org.uk or call the box office on 01702 351135
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DIRTY DANCING 2018/19 TOUR DATES
Tue 30 October – Sat 3 November 2018 Southend Cliffs Pavilion www.southendtheatres.co.uk 01702 351 135 On sale now Mon 5 – Sat 10 November 2018 Birmingham New Alexandra Theatre www.atgtickets.com/birmingham 0844 871 7647 On sale now Tue 13 – Sat 17 November 2018 Preston Guild Hall www.prestonguildhall.co.uk 01772 804 444 On sale now Mon 19 – Sat 24 November 2018 London New Wimbledon Theatre www.atgtickets.com/new-wimbledon-theatre 0844 871 7646 On sale now Tue 27 Nov – Sat 1 December 2018 Plymouth Pavilions www.plymouthpavilions.co.uk 0845 146 1460 On sale now Tue 4 – Sat 8 December 2018 Oxford New Theatre www.atgtickets.com/oxford 0844 871 3020 On sale now Sat 19 – Fri 25 January 2019 Gateshead Sage www.sagegateshead.com 0191 443 4661 On sale now Mon 28 January – Sat 2 February 2019 Bradford Alhambra Theatre www.bradford-theatres.co.uk 01274 432 000 On sale now Mon 4 – Sat 9 February 2019 High Wycombe Swan www.wycombeswan.co.uk 01494 512 000 On sale now Mon 11 – Sat 16 February 2019 Torquay Princess Theatre www.atgtickets.com/torquay 0844 871 3023 On sale now Mon 18 – Sat 23 February 2019 Swansea Grand Theatre www.swansea.gov.uk/swanseagrandtheatre 01792 475715 On sale now Mon 25 February – Sat 2 March 2019 Bromley Churchill Theatre www.churchilltheatre.co.uk 020 3285 6000 On sale now |
Mon 4 – Sat 9 March 2019
Edinburgh Festival Theatre www.capitaltheatres.com 0131 529 6000 On sale now Mon 18 – Sat 23 March 2019 Woking New Victoria Theatre www.atgtickets.com/woking 0844 871 7645 On sale now Mon 25 – Sat 30 March 2019 Aylesbury Waterside Theatre www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury 0844 871 7607 On sale now Mon 1 – Sat 6 April 2019 Wolverhampton Grand Theatre www.grandtheatre.co.uk 01902 429212 On sale now Mon 8 – Sat 13 April 2019 Ipswich Regent Theatre https://apps.ipswich.gov.uk/ 01473 433 100 On sale Friday 20 July Mon 22 – Sat 27 April 2019 Manchester Palace Theatre www.atgtickets.com/manchester 0844 871 3019 On sale Friday 20 July Tue 30 April – Sat 4 May 2019 Guildford G Live www.glive.co.uk 01483 369 350 On sale Friday 20 July Mon 6 – Sat 11 May 2019 Liverpool Empire www.atgtickets.com/liverpool 0844 871 3017 On sale Friday 20 July Tue 14 – Sat 18 May 2019 Grimsby Auditorium www.grimsbyauditorium.org.uk 0300 300 0035 On sale Friday 20 July Mon 20 – Sat 25 May 2019 Glasgow King’s Theatre www.atgtickets.com/glasgow 0844 871 7648 On sale Friday 20 July Mon 1 – Sat 6 July 2019 Bristol Hippodrome www.atgtickets.com/bristol 0844 871 3012 On sale Friday 20 July FURTHER DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED |