Dirty Dancing is nothing short of a phenomenon. The classic 1987 film made a megastar of its lead Patrick Swayze, its soundtrack won a Golden Globe, Oscar and Grammy Award while it also led to a big screen prequel and even an annual festival in the US.

So bringing the iconic movie to life on stage comes with a certain amount of pressure. How on earth do you follow in the dancing shoes of the one and only Patrick Swayze?

Taking a break from rehearsals before taking Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story on Stage to towns including in Wimbledon, Dartford and Bromley, actor Lewis Griffiths told us: “Stepping into Patrick’s shoes, I do feel like I am in the shadow of Patrick and everyone should and will be because he made that completely his own.

“I’m not trying to imitate him at all but we have all got to take parts of what is already in the film and make it applicable to the show without replicating too much what the original actor has already done.

“So it is going to be Lewis Griffith’s Johnny Castle as against Patrick Swayze’s Johnny Castle.”

Unlike some shows which turn the soundtrack into a concert, Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage is a music-packed play which tells the same story as the film - the story of 17-year-old Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman who falls in love with resort dance instructor Johnny Castle while on a family holiday.

Choreographer Gillian Bruce described how she sought to make the show distinct from the much-loved film while keeping its fans happy.

She said: “It’s huge pressure because everybody knows it, so you have to get it right.

“It is looking at the ingredients that made it what it is and trying to keep that but make it a little bit different with your own styling.

“I personally was very careful with the choosing of the cast – the look had to be right, the sexiness had to be right.

“I have pushed it a little bit more dirty. I wanted it to be a bit more dirty.

“I wanted it to go a little step further, without becoming vulgar obviously and keeping it in that era.”

Griffiths added: “I feel like I am at the bottom of a very large mountain and thanks to the cast and crew and creatives we are already half way up the very large mountain so once we get to the top it is going to be a hell of a show and I’m honoured to be on it.”

Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage is at The Orchard Theatre, Dartford, from September 1 to 10, New Wimbledon Theatre from September 26 to October 1 and the Churchill Theatre, Bromley, from March 6 to 11. Go to orchardtheatre.co.uk, atgtickets.com/Wimbledon or churchilltheatre.co.uk

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