Review: Dirty Dancing at Sunderland Empire

“…big, campy, raunchy nostalgia-fest… absolutely a must-see for fans…”

Dirty Dancing by Eleanor Bergstein, Sunderland Empire

By Lauren Powell

Would you believe it, but I have never actually seen the film Dirty Dancing? I was a bit of a tomboy as a kid and, when all my girly peers were watching Dirty Dancing, I was watching RoboCop. I remember the other girls being obsessed with this film. I even remember being forced to perform dance routines to it in PE, and I think that could be what put me off watching. I’ve never been a chick-flick or romance-novel fan, but I go to these things with an open mind… even though everyone I mentioned that I was going to this with was extremely excited for me.

As we sat down, my plus-one said to me, “Just lean into it. It’s meant to be like this.” And really, that was top advice, because it’s bonkers in the way that only the ’80s could allow.

The plot… how do I even describe it? It’s a fever dream of rich white daddy’s girl meets ripped dance gigolo and, through the power of plot and sex, she becomes an amazing dancer. There are lots of mad little subplots that all link in, but it was so frantic I’d be here all night writing about them. I suspect it’s better if you’ve seen the film because you know what’s coming and it will feel less crazed.

At one point, I suffered some emotional whiplash because it went from a woman suffering after a botched abortion to a topless Johnny Castle. Bleak to buff in half a second. Not a dry seat in the house.

A phenomenal cast, with no weak links, but my standouts were, of course, Johnny, Penny and Mr Schumacker.

Johnny, played by Joel Benjamin, engendered some noises from the audience that do not translate well to text. I try not to objectify people, but wow… those lats, those abs, those arms and buns! He’s built like He-Man if He-Man gave up sleep to go to the gym more. Looking at his past credits, it’s no surprise that he’s previously played Hercules. It made me feel a little strange, if I’m honest. I am by no means a prude, but I was a little weirded out to be surrounded by so many people exuding so much desire! I’ve seen my share of attractive men on stage, but through the power of nostalgia and pull-ups, he had the audience’s full attention every time he was on stage.

Penny, played by Ellie Furgason, was dance incarnate. Her physicality was astounding. Mr Schumacker, played by Matthew Lloyd Davies, was my favourite character. His clowning was so entertaining. My plus-one told me that, in the film, he is a horrible letch, but on stage he stole every scene he was in.

Something else I would not have known were it not for my friend is that the costumes are identical to those in the film, which must add to the authenticity for existing fans. It’s an attention to detail that really speaks to the passion of the crew behind the show.

I appreciated the sets too. They were quite minimal, but through some judicious moving around and lighting, I was transported from bedroom to ballroom, to outside and then back in. It’s amazing that it could be done in such a simple way, although I suspect I’m only under the illusion that it’s simple. In reality, of course, it takes a lot of planning and effort to make something look so effortless.

The dancing was phenomenal, as you might expect. The ensemble brought the stage to life and made their scenes feel really busy without being too distracting. At one point, a fight breaks out, and fight choreography is something I have noticed is hard to pull off without looking silly. Hats off to the “Fight Captain”, Mason Plews.

The live band was a great touch. At points, you could almost imagine you were there to see them and all these sexy dance shenanigans were happening around them.

I can’t say that this was my cup of tea. It was cheesy, bordering on queasy. I could not stifle my laughter when Baby says, “You’re such a good teacher” as pillow talk. Everyone else loved it, though. I was surrounded by people who could not wait to give it a standing ovation.

If you are looking for a big, campy, raunchy nostalgia-fest surrounded by like-minded people, then this is for you. If you have not seen the film, I would say that watching it first will probably increase your enjoyment and help you imagine the setting more easily. It’s hard to fault such a faithful rendition with such a great cast and crew. So, I will say that this is absolutely a must-see for fans of the film. Leave the husband at home, ladies (or bring him with you, gentlemen); this is absolutely what it says on the tin: Dirty Dancing, but on stage.

Dirty Dancing plays at Sunderland Empire until Saturday 26 September. Tickets are available here.

Lauren Powell is a recovering academic from the North East of England. Currently residing in South Shields with her partner and two malevolent gerbils. Lauren is a short form writer who writes fiction as well as reviews. She has loved the theatre since childhood, and many years ago volunteered back stage with an amateur group, Stage Focus.  From one man readings to musical and beyond, Lauren can not get enough! You can find her on Twitter/X here.