Dirty Dancing hits West End

The classic dating movie of the Eighties is to become a West End musical.

Dirty Dancing, the latest stage version of a hit movie after Billy Elliot and The Producers, opens at the Aldwych Theatre in October following a smash-hit run in Australia. It replaces Fame - itself based on a film - which is closing after 11 years.

Dirty Dancing is written by Eleanor Bergstein, who also wrote the 1987 film starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. Classic songs include I've Had The Time Of My Life and She's Like The Wind.

The musical follows sheltered rich girl Baby as she falls in love with her rough and ready dance instructor Johnny while staying at a holiday resort in the early Sixties. But, unlike the film, it also has a civil rights theme.

Producer Kevin Jacobsen said: "It's the perfect date musical. It's a really good story and as well as dirty, sexual dancing, there's Latin, tango, mambo and ballroom." The musical, which starred former Neighbours' actress Kym Valentine in Australia, has yet to be cast in London.

"We're having an open audition for dancers in April," said Mr Jacobsen. "The audition in Australia attracted 4,000 people and I am expecting a similar response here." Dirty Dancing was voted the best female film by women in a survey two years ago but a 2004 sequel, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, starring Romola Garai, flopped.