The Christmas special from long-running musical tribute show ‘The Rat Pack Live from Las Vegas’ is back in London for a five-week stint (though the Christmas tree and seasonal tunes will disappear in favour of a less festive bill of songs from Jan 9).
Set in the Las Vegas Sands Hotel and Casino where the original Rat Pack, which included Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford, performed together during the filming of ‘Ocean’s Eleven’, the main three crooners – Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr – reel out such classics as ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’, ‘Everybody Loves Somebody’ and ‘Mr Bojangles’, all accompanied by an onstage big band.
Drink-loving Dean is played by Mark Adams, while Sinatra performer Stephen Triffitt is in his element and Giles Terara probably has the most fun part, dancing around as Sammy Davis Jr.
‘New York, New York’ has the showgirl Burelli Sisters dancing up and down the stage to finish the first half, while the second one features more wintery favourites such as ‘Baby it’s Cold Outside’ slotted in between the copious banter and jokes.
If you fancy delving back into the ’50s/’60s in a cheesy but undeniably cheerful way, then this is for you.