Few films are have stood the test of time quite like Dirty Dancing.
It's been somewhat of a rite of passage for generations of girls, so it seemed perfect to be introducing my daughter to the delights of The Kellerman Resort on the eve of her 13th birthday.
From the very beginning of the show, we were right there among the hotel's guests as the megaphone welcomed us to our stay back in the summer of 1963.
After more than 18 months without live theatre it truly was a joy to be back and Manchester's Palace Theatre was packed out for the production's opening night.
Of course when a film is known for its heartthrob lead character as much as anything else, Michael O'Reilly certainly had big shoes to fill taking on the role of Johnny Castle, played in the film by the late Patrick Swayze.
From the first glimpse he had the audience in the palm of his hand though.
At times his American drawl was more Rocky Balboa than smooth Swayze, but nobody seemed to mind and he made the part his own, helped by his perfect physique and dominant demeanour.
You could tell he'd drawn in many of the crowd and we may as well have been watching the Chippendales for all the cheering, whooping and whistling when his top came off.
Kira Malou is also perfectly cast as leading lady Baby - she looks and moves so uncannily like the film's actress - it could have been Jennifer Grey up there herself, and the pair share the same on-stage chemistry as the movie couple.
Her sister Lisa, played by Lizzie Ottley, is a sheer delight, missing all the notes in all the right places. And as well as being another lookalike for her film character Penny, Johnny's long-legged dance partner, Carlie Milner (assistant choreographer alongside resident choreographer Austin Wilks) is just as incredible as she is on screen - both for her majestic dancing and her genuine portrayal of the dejected dancer who falls ill after a botched abortion.
While mostly following the film plot and script verbatim, it's not without a few extras thrown in, including a rather strange portrayal of wallet thief Mr Schumacher, who seems to have had a personality transplant from the 80s' movie. Not everyone found it odd though and he drew in plenty of laughs with his crazy dance moves and hula hooping.
One addition that was worth including was the solo from Billy Kostecki, with a sensational performance of In The Still of The Night. Who knew Kellerman's chief watermelon carrier had such hidden talents.
It wouldn't be Dirty Dancing without the famous 'I carried a watermelon' line and the producers were careful enough to leave in all those iconic moments.
With clever use of the simple yet effective set, they even pulled off the water scene, splashes and all.
It's full of the songs we know and love too, with favourites including Hungry Eyes, Hey Baby and Do You Love Me? played part soundtrack, part live score by Kellerman's Band.
Of course it could only end one way and Johnny's final stage entrance via the side door of the stalls made for a thrilling finale as he delivered the most famous line of all 'nobody puts Baby in a corner', followed by that iconic lift.
Baby wasn't the only one left on a high though. Anyone joining them at the Palace this week is sure to have the time of their life.
Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage is recommended for ages 12 plus and the show, which is on until Saturday, runs for two hours and 25 minutes including the interval.
For tickets, priced from £15.90, visit the website here.
