Dirty Dancing (UK Touring)
Who can forget the performance of the late Patrick Swayze in the movie of Dirty Dancing, the classic story of love between two highly independent souls from strikingly different backgrounds, Frances 'Baby' Houseman and Johnny Castle.
Set in 1963 (cue an opportunity to tell the audience that mobile phones hadn't been invented) at the Kellerman's Resort in the Catskill Mountains, Baby and Johnny come across each other by pure accident and their relationship blossoms despite their differences and the opinion of the moralistic Dr Houseman.
Lewis Griffiths as Johnny and Katie Eccles as Baby make an engaging pair that I would challenge any audience member not to take to by the end of the performance. Lewis is an expressive mover and manages to bring out the softer and more vulnerable side of Johnny which matches well with Katie's intelligent yet slightly repressed by wanting to please her father, Baby.
Choreography is vital in any production and Gillian Bruce provides some innovative dance numbers, it is however unfortunate that the limited musicians are unable to deliver the power required for some of the numbers. Whilst there are backing tracks as well, that is never as appealing as live musicians, perhaps for the next tour that problem will be rectified.
I laughed heartily at the comedy value provided by Greg Fossard as Neil Kellerman (I'm sure the amount of shaving foam increased as the tour progressed) and thoroughly enjoyed the vocal prowess of Michael Kent as Billy Kostecki and Sophia Mackay as Elizabeth, I did indeed have the time of my life.
Special mention has to go to Carlie Milner as Penny Johnson, some incredible dance moves coupled with intense characterisation as she rides a roller coaster of emotion throughout the performance.
Federico Bellone has done a stunning job with this latest interpretation, it is a shame that the tour is finally over and culminated in an electric performance from all at the Liverpool Empire.
I'm sure it will not be long before the watermelons, the iconic dance moves and the fact that 'nobody puts Baby in the corner' will be back to grace UK stages again.
Web Site
Set in 1963 (cue an opportunity to tell the audience that mobile phones hadn't been invented) at the Kellerman's Resort in the Catskill Mountains, Baby and Johnny come across each other by pure accident and their relationship blossoms despite their differences and the opinion of the moralistic Dr Houseman.
Lewis Griffiths as Johnny and Katie Eccles as Baby make an engaging pair that I would challenge any audience member not to take to by the end of the performance. Lewis is an expressive mover and manages to bring out the softer and more vulnerable side of Johnny which matches well with Katie's intelligent yet slightly repressed by wanting to please her father, Baby.
Choreography is vital in any production and Gillian Bruce provides some innovative dance numbers, it is however unfortunate that the limited musicians are unable to deliver the power required for some of the numbers. Whilst there are backing tracks as well, that is never as appealing as live musicians, perhaps for the next tour that problem will be rectified.
I laughed heartily at the comedy value provided by Greg Fossard as Neil Kellerman (I'm sure the amount of shaving foam increased as the tour progressed) and thoroughly enjoyed the vocal prowess of Michael Kent as Billy Kostecki and Sophia Mackay as Elizabeth, I did indeed have the time of my life.
Special mention has to go to Carlie Milner as Penny Johnson, some incredible dance moves coupled with intense characterisation as she rides a roller coaster of emotion throughout the performance.
Federico Bellone has done a stunning job with this latest interpretation, it is a shame that the tour is finally over and culminated in an electric performance from all at the Liverpool Empire.
I'm sure it will not be long before the watermelons, the iconic dance moves and the fact that 'nobody puts Baby in the corner' will be back to grace UK stages again.
Web Site
Comments
Post a Comment