The Rat Pack, Live From Las Vegas theatre review: A swinging evening of music of entertainment.
The Rat Pack Live From Las Vegas theatre review by Katey Thompson.
The Rat Pack Live From Las Vegas theatre review
The Rat Pack is a musical based the live performances of the original entertainers in their heyday – a big band extravaganza with the legendary American crooners.
Stephen Triffitt’s portrayal of Ol’ Blue Eyes Frank Sinatra was very good, looking and sounding the part. Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin were brought to life by Darren Charles and Nigel Casey . The trio were joined by Ella Fitzgerald, and the backing singers, the Burelli sisters (Amelia Adams-Pearce, Laura Darton, Joanna Walters), gave a flawless vocal performance and were a perfectly polished counterpoint to the boorish behaviour of the boys. The alcoholic consumption of the characters, especially Dean Martin, accelerated as the show progressed. The themes of the jokes were a little repetitive and did wear thin, but the audience were made to feel part of the show, with the cast working the crowd between the songs.
The overall feel of the set and the live performance really transported you to a more glamorous time, and this show would be the perfect accompaniment to an evening meal at a top hotel, relaxing and drinking Martinis.
The Rat Pack Live From Las Vegas theatre review
The effect of the full jazz band was fantastic as the set list took a winding path through some well-known numbers, including New York, New York and Mr Bojangles, as well as some which maybe only die hard Rat Pack fans would know.
At some points the songs, although perfectly sung, were verging on the soporific, perhaps a sign of how mellifluous the singing was. Of course no Frank Sinatra performance would be complete without My Way, which was left right to the end and got the audience tapping along.
Overall this performance was top cabaret entertainment, but was lacking a little ‘Ta-dah’ and ‘Pizaz’, perhaps a bit more of the expected rubber legged dancing from Sammy Davis Jr. would have been great. Even if it was a perfect rendition, is it so much ‘of an era’ that it is missing the vital connection to today’s audience?
Rat Pack Live from Las Vegas at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking until 21st April 2018.
