Reviewed by Amanda Hayes
What a fabulous evening we had watching the fantastic performance of Dirty Dancing at The Hawth theatre in Crawley, West Sussex. Situated just ten minutes from Gatwick Airport, with very easy access to the M23 motorway and plenty of free parking The Hawth is a great theatre to watch any show.
Once in the foyer picking our up tickets was quick and easy and we were soon seated in the rear stalls which has a fantastic view of the stage. Unlike some theatres there isn’t actually a bad seat in the house and the acoustics are fabulous. During the interval, the theatre has plenty of seating in and nearby the bar area which is well-stocked including a selection of lovely local ice creams to purchase.
The stage performance follows the original classic film storyline closely with no added extra’s and all the big lines included so any massive Dirty Dancing fans out there will not be disappointed. I would also recommend purchasing a programme as there are lots of fascinating facts about the cast and the music inside.
Lewis Griffiths plays a great part as Johnny Castle and together with his dance partner Penny Johnson, played by Carlie Milner, the couple wow with their stunning dance moves. Katie Eccles, as Baby, succeeds in bringing the essence of the TV production to the stage as she plays the part with passion and enthusiasm bringing a tear to the eye. The show has plenty of humour too with Baby’s sister Lisa performing a hilarious routine for the Kellerman’s end of season show.
The singing and dancing is almost nonstop throughout the show and done with such enthusiasm that you can’t help but tap your feet and wish that you could be up there dancing with them.
We had a fabulous evening watching and listening to the amazing performance of Dirty Dancing which is truly upbeat and culminates in a superb grand finale with all the cast members on stage, singing and dancing, just as the original film.
Dirty Dancing is running from Monday 14th to Saturday 19th August 2017 at The Hawth so get your tickets quickly as I predict it to be an extremely popular show.
Highly recommended.
Rating: 5/5
Tickets cost from £37.50 to £46.50 (booking fees may apply).
Dirty Dancing is at The Hawth in Crawley from 14-19 August 2017, for more information or to book tickets visit hawth.co.uk or call the box office on 01293 553636.
The Hawth, Hawth Avenue, Crawley, Sussex, RH10 6YZ | 01293 553636
