MARION SAUVEBOIS looks ahead to a stage version of well-loved classic

GET ready to have the time of your life this Christmas as Dirty Dancing rolls into Oxford’s New Theatre.

The timeless love story of Baby and Johnny will unfold against tantalising dance sequences and new choreography set to all the hits from the unforgettable soundtrack, including Do You Love Me?, Hungry Eyes and The Time Of My Life.

Roseanna Frascona will be carrying the watermelon as idealistic Baby Houseman, who discovers love and life in a summer she will never forget.

Although she has never herself watched the award-winning film, the Oxford university graduate found herself identifying with her characters in more ways than one.

“Somehow I’ve managed not to come across it in my childhood,” said Roseanna who studied acting at the prestigious London drama school LAMDA.

“Of course I had heard about it. I wasn’t living in a box as a child.

“When I got the audition I thought I could watch it the night before but I decided not to. I didn’t want to be an impersonation of Baby. I was probably the only one at the audition not to have seen it.

“People say on Twitter ‘You must have seen the film millions of times because you’re exactly like her’.

“It’s really nice. Hopefully you’re doing something that really resonates with the audience.”

She added: “I’m like Baby in real life in that I do think there are lots of causes than can be helped – by art, film and theatre.

“This is not just a love story. It’s set at the time of the civil rights movement and you have the storyline of the abortion and class difference.”

She will be joined by Gareth Bailey as Johnny Castle.

The young actor started his Dirty Dancing journey in the first UK tour where he played Robbie.

Claire Rogers will take the role of Penny Johnson.

Dirty Dancing will run until Saturday, January 3.

Tickets can be bought from the New Theatre box office in George Street, Oxford, by calling 0844 8713020 or at www.atgtickets.com/oxford.

For bookings of 10 people or more, or for queries about Equal Access bookings, please call the dedicated in-house team at the New Theatre Oxford on 0844 8713040.