It’s common practice to pocket your phones in the theatre, but we certainly wouldn’t be making a move for the device after Craig Revel Horwood threatened to have the cast “punch ya lights out” – a warm Aussie welcome indeed.
Good natured warning aside, we knew love was most definitely in the air as the audience waited with bated breath for Scott Hastings to shake and shimmy his way to centre stage.
There’s something quite magical about watching a rebellious dancer fall head over heels with the left-footed girl next door as they fight against an oppressive arts system.
Of course, many would say this trope belongs to Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, but Paul Mercurio and Tara Morice gave them a decent run for their money in Baz Luhrmann’s 1992 feature-debut Strictly Ballroom.
And after opening night, former Strictly Come Dancing champion Kevin Clifton and Coronation Street star Faye Brookes can toss their hat in the ring too.
To say their performances were through the roof would be an understatement. The entire room would heat up from a mere glance between the two. It almost felt like we were intruding at times. Their chemistry was nothing short of intense and the entire theatre was engulfed in a blazing inferno of passion.
Fantastic together, but wait for the solos
The duo work magnificently together, but individually? Well, that’s a whole new ball(room) game.
Brookes is phenomenal. Totally charming, hilarious, often sticks her foot in her mouth and admirably confident. She plays Fran beautifully as the novice finds her footing in the world and deals with her growing feelings towards Scott.
Meanwhile, Clifton was born to play Scott Hastings. The Grimsby-born lad glides effortlessly across the stage. He feels at ease in his role, there’s no doubt about it.
Clifton’s execution of Scott’s turmoil is beyond impressive. His character is fed up of the same old song and dance, and Clifton manages to deliver an entirely heartfelt performance through music, moves and expression.
Flips, spins, salsas and more in Strictly Ballroom
It wasn’t just Clifton who caught an eye or two. The audience were mesmerised whenever he, Brookes and the supporting cast strutted their stuff. It was hypnotic, or maybe that was the sparkly outfits.
I applaud anyone who managed to tear their eyes away from the stage. In fact, I didn’t know where to look. The dance sequences were fantastic. There were flips, spins, salsas, rumbas, and everything more all happening at the one time. You never knew what to focus on in fear of missing something spectacular.
Who am I kidding? The whole shebang was spectacular.
Even the creative blend of original and classic hits had the audience raring to bust a move. Everything from Time After Time to the ever catchy Happy Feet were delightful to experience live.
Nothing touched the audience quite like the show-stopping finale. This was the moment we had all been waiting for. You could feel the collective excitement grow as the intro to Love Is In The Air began to build.
It didn’t take long for theatre-goers to clamber to their feet, clapping in perfect harmony.
With one quick glance around the room, I could see everyone had heeded Shirley Hastings’ advice and plastered on their ‘Happy face’ – not that we needed much convincing to do so.
Strictly Ballroom is at HMT until Saturday May 20. Visit aberdeenperformingarts.com or call Aberdeen Box Office on 01224 641122.