One of the most loved movies of all time, 'Dirty Dancing', has taken it's place on London's West End as one of the most popular musicals of recent years following it's adaptation to the Australian stage in 2004 as 'Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage'. Opening on the 23rd of October 2005 at the Aldwych Theatre in London, no one could have anticipated it's early success - it had becoming the highest pre-selling musical in London theatre history! Since then audiences have clamoured for tickets, with the show's season being extended to April 2009 with the potential for further dates. It is suspected that the musical will become one of the long-standing West End shows, particularly as it has been opened or is planned to open in many other international locations (such as the Netherlands, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Toronto and Boston). It would seem that the twentieth anniversary re-release of the 'Dirty Dancing' movie in 2007 and the subsequent reality television show 'Dirty Dancing: The Time of Your Life' only increased the hype surrounding the musical, and as such audiences have continued to pour through the doors. Following the script written by Eleanor Bergstein and direction by Chong Lim, you're sure to have 'the time of your life' watching this modern musical classic.
The musical, like the movie, is set in the early 1960s. The heroine of the story, seventeen-year-old Frances 'Baby' Houseman, is holidaying at a resort in the Catskill mountains with her conservative Jewish parents. Her father is a respected physician, and is the personal doctor to the resort's owner, Max Kellerman. Baby herself has big plans to study economics at a respected college, and is intending to volunteer for the peace corps following graduation. Just as her parents expect, Baby behaves in a manner befitting her privileged, upper-class background... that is, until she meets the resort's dance teacher, Johnny Castle. Handsome and talented, Baby quickly develops a crush on Johnny despite him being 'working class' and thus not up to Baby's parents' high standards. Invited to one of the resort staff parties, Baby has the opportunity to see Johnny 'dirty dance' with dance-partner Penny Johnson, a girl Baby quickly befriends. Penny confides that she is pregnant by resort waiter Robbie Gould, who is currently dating Baby's older sister Lisa. Penny, with no money and no support from Robbie, is distraught. Wanting to help, Baby asks her father for money and later gives it to Penny to help her pay for an illegal abortion. Penny leaves to have the procedure and Baby takes her position as dance-partner to Johnny for a recital at a nearby resort.
Upon their return, Baby and Johnny find that Penny's abortion was badly performed and Penny is in considerable pain, leaving Baby with no option but to call her father for help. After checking Penny over, Baby's father mistakenly believes that Johnny is the man responsible for getting Penny pregnant and he angrily tells Baby never to see Johnny or any of his friends again. Ignoring her father's wishes, Baby continues the affair with Johnny in secret until he is accused of stealing valuables from one of the resort's rooms. Baby stands up for him, confessing that he can't be guilty as she had been with him at the time of the burglary, and Johnny - though not arrested - is fired anyway for being involved with a guest. Baby is left distraught and disgraced by her parents, who are determined to keep a close eye on her. On the last evening of the vacation, Johnny returns to the resort despite warnings from the resort owner, as he wants to dance with Baby in the last performance of the season. At the same time, Baby's father realizes that it was Robbie the waiter who was responsible for Penny's pregnancy, and he accepts that Johnny was always innocent. The final dance is momentous, with Baby and Johnny achieving the famous lift at the end of the dance which made the movie, and then the musical, famous.
When 'Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage' initially opened in Sydney, Australia, Neighbours star Kym Valentine performed the lead role of 'Baby', whilst Josef Brown took the role of 'Johnny Castle'. Whilst Josef still performs as Johnny Castle in the West End, Kym Valentine was unsuccessful at the audition for the London season and was replaced by Georgina Rich and later Sarah Monton. Baby's father, Dr Jake Houseman, is performed by David Rintoul, whilst Penny Johnson is portrayed by Nadia Coote. Although the show's West End season has been extended until 2009 it is advisable to book well ahead of time as theatre tickets have been known to sell out for months in advance. At present the cheapest tickets available are those with a restricted view, going for £15.00 each. Group bookings and concessions are available.