I Had The Time of my Life (From This is Hampshire)

I Had The Time of my Life

11:03am Friday 9th September 2011

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IF I’M honest they were preaching to the converted.

Dirty Dancing is my favourite film of all time, but even I hadn’t expected to revel quite as much as I did in its very pink paradise this week.

Bristol was awash with pink – giant pink projections on buildings, a glamorous pink carpet, tasty pink cupcakes and hundreds of pink balloons - for the very glitzy UK premiere of the Dirty Dancing stage show, an updated touring version which really does knock spots off of the original West End show.

It now seems like a real-life edited version of that wonderful 80s classic movie, complete with lifts, turns, watermelons and beautifully adapted and rather ingenious water and log scenes.

You’re transported right back to Kellerman’s holiday camp in 1963 through a clever combination of huge video backdrops, traditional stage craft, heart-pounding music, romance and, of course, sensational sexy dancing.

From dresses to tresses, every detail of the performance was spot on – including that lift!

It really whet my appetite ahead of the month-long visit to Southampton, part of a pretty spectacular season for The Mayflower which also includes Sister Act, Legally Blonde, Oliver and South Pacific.

In a real party atmosphere, none of us could resist screaming at the tops of our voices and punching the air as Johnny entered the auditorium to utter that immortal line ‘Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner’.

The audience were up on their feet, singing along, cheering and dancing and having the time of their lives.

I expect nothing less in Southampton next April.

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