Stepping into Patrick Swayze's dancing shoes is quite a daunting task, but Miami Vice star Don Johnson seems to have taken it all in his stride. The 57-year-old has taken over from the swivel-hipped Dirty Dancing star to head the cast of West End musical Guys And Dolls.
Doing the soft shoe shuffle alongside Hollywood veteran Don is glamorous British actress Samantha Janus, who has played Miss Adelaide since October 2006. And it seems her new dance partner, who is making his West End debut, is enjoying his role. "It's a blast, a wonderful show, really high energy," enthuses Don.
The American actor is not the only silver screen veteran taking to the London stage. Oscar-nominated Vera Drake actress Imelda Staunton, who herself played Miss Adelaide in a 1982 production of Guys And Dolls, has returned to her theatrical roots to star in There Came A Gypsy Riding.
A tale of a family gathering which ends with explosive revelations of long-kept secrets, the play, which runs in London's West End until March, was previewed to the press on Thursday. "It’s fantastically written, and that’s the good thing about working with a great playwright - he does all the work for you and hopefully you do it justice," said Imelda. "It's a prilivege to work with such a good script."
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
