Melissa Firlit's one-woman Edinburgh fringe show *Dirty Dancer* is a scene-by-scene homage to the 1987 film Dirty Dancing, blending trivia, personal reflection and audience participation. Performed at Underbelly Cowgate as part of the 2026 Edinburgh festival, the show taps into nostalgia for a film widely regarded as a formative cultural touchstone, recreating its choreography, dialogue and famous moments for an audience of self-confessed fans.

Using minimal props, including a coat stand for costumes and a box of items such as a watermelon, Firlit guides the audience through the film's plot, dances (mambo, salsa, cha-cha-cha and merengue) and iconic lines, with movement direction from Kristyn Pope and direction by Michael Thomas Walker. The review notes uneven audience engagement with the soundtrack singalong but praises Firlit's handling of the film's darker themes, such as its abortion storyline and class dynamics, alongside lighter pop-culture tangents. The show runs at Underbelly Cowgate, Edinburgh, until 30 August.