Review: Dirty Dancing is a sizzler at the Palace Theatre

It’s a 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ night of sizzling chemistry and dance moves with a wild reaction to the leading man as Dirty Dancing returns to Manchester’s Palace Theatre, reports our critic

In a seriously bleak world right now, getting away from it all at the theatre for a couple of hours of escapist joy feels like just the antidote. Especially with a production like Dirty Dancing, the musical version of the hit 1980s movie that soundtracked millions of teenage lives.

Taking us all back to our youth at the Palace Theatre is a fantastic ensemble cast on this new tour, breathing new life into the story of the fresh-faced Baby Houseman on her family summer vacation to Kellermans in 1960s America. We watch as she learns to dance, and learns to love with plenty of life lessons along the way falling for the coolest of the dance crew, Johnny Castle.

It’s not easy to fill the shoes of the late, great Patrick Swayze who so memorably brought to life Johnny Castle on the silver screen. But in this new tour Joel Benjamin nails it and then some, fresh from starring in Disney’s Hercules the Musical in the West End.

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And boy is this audience regretting not getting tickets for Hercules the Musical in the West End right now. With a muscular physique that looks like it’s sculpted from fresh marble, I hope Mr Benjamin is ok with the sheer number of gasps, whoops and appreciative cheers from the audience whenever he whips off his shirt, or with the mere flex of a sizeable bicep.

I’ve seen several previous touring productions of Dirty Dancing, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a reaction to a Johnny quite as wild as this. When Baby has to confess that she spent the night with Johnny in front of her horrifed parents and Kellermans’ staff, one woman in the crowd couldn’t resist shouting “Lucky you” to laughter all around.

So if it’s sizzling on-stage chemistry you want, then this new production has it in sheer bucketloads. Charlie Varlet, making her theatre tour debut, is also a brilliant Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman, taking her with us on her journey from jerking hips to a skilled and silky dancer to more than match her partner.

Also making this production particularly enjoyable is Ellie Fergusson in the role of Kellermans’ star dancer Penny Johnson. Ellie won the first series of The Greatest Dancer on TV, and what a dancer she is, emulating the moves of the great Cynthia Rhodes from the movie with dazzling aplomb on stage.

I was left feeling exactly like Baby seeing Penny dance for the first time, and wanting to blurt out just like she does: “You are a wonderful dancer. I envy you.” Film fans will also love the very faithful interpretation of Dr Jake Houseman by Lynden Edwards.

The talented ensemble cast also deliver some surprise scene stealing highlights too. Like the usually rather minor character of Billy unexpectedly belting out some of the show’s biggest and best songs, in particular a very moving In the Still of the Night from Asher Forth who you just want to hear more and more of.

Fans of the film also won’t leave disappointed with all of its huge hit songs played out during the action of the stage show – highlights include the rambunctious Do You Love Me and Love Man belted out by Robert Grose in the famous dance shack scenes. This is a show where you definitely get your money’s worth of entertainment across the two hour extravaganza.

The show rattles along at a right old pace with slick direction from Federico Bellone and magical choreography by Austin Wilks making it a feast for the eyes in every scene.

And naturally it comes to its triumphant conclusion with the big end of season show in the Kellermans’ ballroom. Johnny delivers the iconic line of “Nobody puts Baby in the corner” and the crowd erupts with sheer delight.

Their finale dance to I’ve Had the Time of My Life just fills your eyeballs with sheer joy. And it neatly ensures the audience are leaping to their feet for a deserved standing ovation at the end.

Dirty Dancing is at the Palace Theatre until October 3.