REVIEW: Dirty Dancing, The Mayflower, Southampton, until Saturday, April 28.

People have been waiting months - more than a year even - for this one. The great news is that it doesn't disappoint.

Living up to all its hype, Dirty Dancing is a hugely-likeable show, full of great characters, superb numbers and a finale that will send you home smiling.

In truth, the story offers little that you won’t find elsewhere - all very Grease-like in its tale of opposites attracting brought together by music/dance with all sorts of young-love type distractions happening in the background.

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Pregnancy elsewhere gives Baby - terrifically played by Emily Holt - her chance to enjoy her moment in the sun. But will she take it? For some reason, she just can’t quite get lift-off. Plus the fact she’s got a disapproving dad breathing down her neck.

But she’s a feisty, determined girl, and you just know it’s a powerful combination when you throw in her natural generosity and sheer niceness of spirit.

The show is all about making you root for her and share her ambitions - and it does so in style.

Her tall dark handsome dancer partner is Johnny (Paul-Michael Jones), and it’s not long before it’s not just the dance moves they are sharing. It all gets decidedly sultry and sensual as the big day approaches.

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This is Strictly with a strictly-foregone conclusion - and a great night at the theatre.

The only thing that possibly lets it down is its audience.

It’s great that it’s a cult show. Of course, that adds to the fun. And maybe it doesn’t matter too much that the person behind you is muttering most of the lines before they are said on stage.

But some of the shouting out goes far too far.

Lovely that everyone wants a slice of the action, but you can’t help feeling at times that you are attending some kind of convention for people who really don’t know how to behave at a theatre.

Phil Hewitt