A guide to the songs in 'Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage'

Dirty Dancing is returning to London, but to the brand-new Capital Theatre in west London.

Summary

• The beloved stage version of legendary movie Dirty Dancing is back in London
• The show is coming to a brand-new venue called Capital Theatre
• The production features iconic pop songs made famous by the film
• They include the climactic song "(I've Had) The Time of My Life"

Get ready to have the time of your life! The popular stage version of iconic 1987 movie Dirty Dancing is back in London, playing at an exciting new venue. The production will be the opening show at the Capital Theatre, which is in the heart of Westfield London.

This theatrical telling of the story has all your favourite scenes, dances and smouldering romantic moments from the Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze-starring film (including THAT lift!), but you get to watch it all live. Plus there’s a fantastic band and singers, bringing the amazing pop soundtrack to the stage in support of the drama.

Get to know all the legendary songs that have made the leap from screen to stage – plus a few new ones – as you plan your return trip to Kellerman’s, where nobody puts Baby in a corner.

Book Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

“This Magic Moment”

Welcome to Dirty Dancing! This sweet, yearning pop track sets the tone for our coming-of-age story. Sheltered young woman Frances “Baby” Houseman will begin to understand the complexities of the world when she embarks on a secret romance with dance teacher Johnny Castle while on holiday with her family at a Catskills resort, Kellerman’s, in 1963.

“Merengue”

You wouldn’t immediately bet money on Baby becoming a great dancer. Taking a group merengue class led by Penny – who, with Johnny, is employed by the resort as a teacher – she’s clumsy and awkward, intimidated by Penny’s flair and sexuality. That will all change later in the show.

“Johnny’s Mambo”

Baby is awed by her first sighting of Johnny. She watches him perform a showy mambo routine with partner Penny in front of all the Kellerman’s guests. It’s an impressive turn, but doesn’t thrill the resort’s owners, who want them to sell lessons. Baby overhears this and begins to understand the tensions between owners and staff.

“Do You Love Me?” / “Love Man”

Baby carries a watermelon over to the staff quarters – and discovers a completely new world. Away from the demanding owners and guests, the entertainment staff are free to let loose, indulging in the titular “dirty dancing” to these sexy tracks instead of formal ballroom. Baby is scandalised, but soon joins in when Johnny catches her eye.

“This Land Is Your Land” / “We Shall Overcome”

The stage show expands on the febrile 1960s setting of the story, with resort staff and guests watching Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech and then breaking into these two political anthems. That context is a potent one for Baby’s own awakening, as she comes to realise the gulf between her middle-class upbringing (she is headed to college) and the working-class staff.

“Hungry Eyes” / “Hey! Baby”

The famous Dirty Dancing training montage is re-created on stage. Baby has agreed to help out Penny – the latter is pregnant and planning to get a backstreet abortion – by performing in her place with Johnny at another hotel. But her training with Johnny doesn’t immediately go to plan, and he decides to get creative, including holding practice in a lake…

“De Todo Un Poco”

The big day has arrived. A very nervous Baby manages to get through her dance performance with Johnny, although she chickens out partway and refuses to do their big lift. But it’s still basically a success. Unfortunately, when they get home, they discover Penny is in agony after her abortion, and Baby has go to her doctor father for help, disappointing him in the process.

“Cry to Me”

Johnny is feeling low after Baby’s father wrongly accused him of getting Penny pregnant and then preying on Baby. She visits Johnny in his room and asks for a private dance to this sultry song. Solace, rebellion and mutual attraction, built up over weeks of hot-and-heavy dance training, lead to a steamy mutual striptease and the pair spending their first night together.

“Love is Strange”

A very loved-up Johnny and Baby dance to this giddy novelty song, teasing one another as Baby parrots back his strict instructions from earlier in their relationship – such as maintaining her own “dance space”. But their happiness is dimmed by the arrival of resort owner Max’s grandson, Neil, who demeans Johnny and refuses to listen to his ideas for the end-of-year talent show.

“Lisa’s Hula”

Baby’s older sister, the beautiful but airheaded Lisa, rehearses her comically awful song for the talent show: a hula number that she warbles tunelessly while breaking out some stilted dance moves. It’s ironic given that we now realise Baby is the talented performer in the family, but that’s still a dead secret.

“Yes!”

Lisa decides to lose her virginity to flirtatious waiter Robbie – not realising he’s the jerk who got Penny pregnant. But when she surprises him in his room, buoyed up by this jaunty song, she discovers him in bed with older resort guest Vivian Pressman. Vivian had previously paid Johnny for such encounters, but he refused her further advances when he fell in love with Baby.

“In the Still of the Night”

This gentle, soulful tune sets the mood for pensive pillow talk between Johnny and Baby. He dreams of being respected by her father, and she is starting to realise she wants to be taken seriously as a woman – but also fears risking her close bond with her father by telling him the full truth. Unfortunately, that decision is taken out of her hands: Vivian spies Baby leaving Johnny’s room and hatches a revenge plot.

“She’s Like the Wind”

Vivian accuses Johnny of theft, and Baby has to give him an alibi by revealing their relationship to everyone. However, poor Johnny is fired anyway because it’s forbidden for entertainment staff to fraternise with guests. His agonising farewell with a heartbroken Baby is soundtracked by a poignant song originally performed by Swayze himself.

“Kellerman’s Anthem”

We’ve reached the story’s big finish, set during the talent show. The performers in the show all sing the resort’s anthem, a sweetly corny, old-fashioned song that we now know isn’t quite true. Contrary to the lyrics, there is a class divide at Kellerman’s that prevents everyone from coming together and forming lifelong friendships. But that anthem is about to be interrupted…

“(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”

Johnny is back – and he’s incensed to see Baby sitting in a corner! He marches her onto the stage, and the pair wow everyone by performing their big dance routine. A newly confident Baby even manages to do that lift. It’s the triumphant culmination of both their journeys, shaking up the resort in the process, and you couldn’t hope for a more uplifting and apt song for this amazing climactic moment.

Book Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Image credits: the new Capital Theatre. (Courtesy of production)