Rachel's Guide to Newcastle and Beyond!
I’ve probably watched the film Dirty Dancing over a hundred times, I know all the words to every song and like most thirty something females, I had one of my first ever major crushes on Patrick Swayze who played hip-shaking Johnny.
So it’s fair to say that my expectations of the stage rendition were pretty high! I was even a little bit nervous in case the actors (all of which I’d never heard of) would be good enough to fill the dancing shoes of the stars I’d admired for years.
I needn’t have worried… from the opening scene to the final curtain I was in awe!
The two leads do an outstanding job of playing Baby and Johnny. In fact, Roseanna Frascona was so similar to Jennifer Grey, the actress who played Baby in the film, that I had to do a double take! Her mannerisms, as well as her looks, were absolutely spot on. I got the feeling the talented actress may have watched the film as many times I have!
Gareth Bailey plays the part of Johnny and although he didn’t quite ignite the same spark for me as Swayze, I still found myself wolf-whistling along with the rest of the enthusiastic audience at his eye popping dance moves!
A special mention should also go to Claire Rogers who plays Johnny’s dance partner, Penny. Her amazingly toned legs seemed to go all the way to her neck and if I had only 1% of her dancing talent I would live my life on the dance floor!
I don’t want to say too much about the storyline in case I spoil it for what must be a tiny minority of people who haven’t seen the film (have you been living under a rock or what??) But for those of you who, like me, are so familiar with Kellermans that it almost feels like you’ve been on holiday there yourself, I can safely say… you will not be dissapointed!
Dirty Dancing is at the Theatre Royal till Saturday 31st May, tickets start from £16.50 Click HERE to book.
Big thanks to staff at the Theatre Royal for arranging my tickets to the press night and supplying the images for this post. Photographer credit Chris Nash
By Rachel Kershaw
I’m going on friday… so excited! X