As a young lad he sang songs and performed poetry while standing on a table in a local hotel. As a young man he became an actor and director, understanding his audiences perfectly and communicating directly with them, going on to become a 'phenomenal entertainer' whose public readings were more like rock concerts, leaving 2,000 to 3,000 people at a time in a state of ecstasy.

This was no A-lister but Victorian novelist Charles Dickens who, by the age of 25, was the most famous man in London and the most famous writer in the world, and whose 200th anniversary we are celebrating this year.
So, obviously, we all know his novels.

But what distinguished actor and writer Simon Callow reveals in his newly published biography, Dickens and the Great Theatre of the World, is what a great part theatre played in his life.

"I became fascinated by him when I found out that his public readings had killed him," Callow says. "His relationship with his audiences was the great love affair of his life. I wanted to see what he was like as an actor and in the book I have tried to see what it was like to be Dickens and what it was like to be around him."

He has certainly done that. A two-hour show based on the book brings Dickens vividly to life. Dressed casually in brown cords and a tweed jacket, Callow doesn't present himself as the mighty actor he is but as a man who thoroughly knows his subject and wants to share it with us. He is down-to-earth, self-deprecating and funny, and an added treat is a medley of the Dickensian roles he has played throughout his illustrious career. Little things makes this show especially fascinating: like the fact that Dickens didn't shave until the age of 30; that for three years he went to a theatre every single day, and that he and his family used to live so close to the Victory Theatre in Sheerness that they could hear the shows and used to join in the choruses of Rule Britannia and God Save the Queen.

In the show Callow charts his own relationship with Dickens, from the age of seven when he was taken to see A Christmas Carol ('which scared the hell out of me'). He also gives us a very informed potted history of Dickens' life until his death at the age of 58, worn out by his compulsion to perform.

Thankfully, Callow has passed that age and is still robust, but in other ways he is very much like his subject. A consummate performer and wordsmith,  he too is a great mimic; he too holds his audiences spellbound; and he too has swallowed The Complete Works of William Shakespeare and until the end of March is 'Being Shakespeare' at the Trafalgar Studios in London.
The audience in Maidenhead didn't know how lucky they were to have experienced this one-off evening!

ON GOLDEN POND - Darlington Civic Theatre

The first thing that strikes you as you enter the auditorium of the Civic Theatre to take your seat is the sound of birdsong. The second is the stunning set, designed by Michael Lunney, which recreates the interior of a summer house with an exterior backdrop that depicts the beauty and tranquillity of Golden Pond, Maine, New England.  This combination certainly helped set the scene and the tone of Middle Ground Theatre Company’s stylish production. Add to that a stellar cast, headed by a bona fide Hollywood legendary leading lady – Stefanie Powers – and you feel pretty sure that you’re going to have a theatrical treat in store.

Ernest Thompson’s best-known play began off-Broadway in 1978, before becoming a hit on Broadway, a much-loved film (starring Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda and Jane Fonda) and a musical. It now ranks as a modern classic.

The timeless and endearing love story of Ethel (Stefanie Powers) and Norman Thayer (Richard Johnson) is brought to life with great aplomb.  Powers delivers a flawless performance which is compelling to watch – indeed she is every inch the consummate leading lady. She is wonderfully supported by Johnson and the rapport they share as performers makes it very easy for the audience to believe that they are a devoted couple who have been together for almost half a century.

There are some very fine performances from the rest of the cast, too. Elizabeth Carling, as Chelsea, portrays the resentment she harbours against her father (who wanted a son but got a daughter) brilliantly.  Tom Roberts, as Chelsea’s new fiancé, strikes the right balance in his attempts to win over Norman whilst, at the same time, refusing to be belittled by him. Graeme Dalling has the unenviable task of attempting to embody a fourteen year old boy, yet achieves it perfectly. It falls to Kasper Michaels, as the slightly goofy mailman, Charlie, to provide much of the light relief and comedy moments.

The play ambles along at a leisurely pace and the humour is reassuringly gentle. This slick production, which has obviously been staged with a good deal of reverence, dispels any misconceptions that the piece may be dated and highlights the relevance of a narrative which deals with the relationships between differing generations. In fact, On Golden Pond is exactly what good theatre should be – entertaining, escapist, thought-provoking and deeply touching. Bravo!

Steve Burbridge.

Runs until Saturday 3 March, then continues to tour. 

Derren Brown Svengali

At Milton Keynes Theatre

 

Having seen several of Derren Brown’s TV shows I was interested to see how a live show would compare.  At the beginning of the performance Derren requests that none of us in the audience reveal the contents of the show to anyone else and whilst I am prepared to abide by this it does make reviewing it challenging.

One of the most significant differences between watching Derren on TV and seeing him perform live is that on TV you get closer images of the action, particularly his hands.  I think it is easier to distract an audience at a live show than someone watching on TV who only has the screen to focus on, rather than being in a theatre with lots of people.  The big difference between a live show and TV is that you are participating rather than merely viewing.  As audience participation plays a large part in the show every performance is different. Another aspect of being at the live show is the anticipation or trepidation at the prospect of being a participant depending on whether or not you aspire to be chosen to be involved.

It did appear that audience members had a degree of choice in that it was required to opt in by various means to most of the processes from which someone was eventually selected to take part. There was no shortage of people who wanted to be chosen to participate, which should have been a relief for those of us that didn’t but you couldn’t be sure that there wouldn’t be a selection by some random means where you were picked. There is also an element of suspense, as none of us knows what is going to happen during the course of the programme.

 

Of course Derren has to work with a different audience every show, which creates its own suspense for he cannot be sure how various people will react to some elements of the programme.  All went well in this show but there must be times when someone is upset in some way. I’m sure he has ways to cope with an unexpected reaction.

Derren is very charismatic and amusing and the audience are won over from the start. The programme was varied and did not disappoint; it was well received by the audience. I found it very enjoyable and would suggest that anyone who enjoys Derren’s TV programmes should not miss the live show as this brings an extra dimension of enjoyment to this superb act. 

Derren Brown Svengali was written by Derren Brown & Iain Sharkey with Stephen Long.   Although Derren is a solo performer there are numerous people involved in the production of this show, including; Director Polly Findlay, Producers Michael Vine, Andrew O’Connor & Corrie McGuire for Objective Talent Management, Will Bowen Set Design, Matthew England Lighting Design and Colin Pink Sound Design. 

Derren Brown Svengali plays Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 3^rd March 2012. Milton Keynes Theatre Box Office 0844 871 7852 (bkg fee). 

The tour continues playing The Lowry Manchester from Monday 5^th to Saturday 10^th March. 

www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes  www.derrenbrown.co.uk  http://uktheatre.tv 

 Reviewed by Sue Marks at Milton Keynes Theatre on Monday 27^th February 2012.

 

Folie à Deux
Two unforgettable characters lost in their own minds...one believes he is dead, the other has forgotten her past...sharing play, memories, ideas and finally madness.

A breathtaking fusion of beautiful contemporary circus and physical performance with ground-breaking, never-before-seen multi-touch screen technology. Folie a Deux is an intimate tale of both human experience and loss and the delicate kindness that can appear in the cracks of distress.
“Kafka meets Pinter” The Cornishman Circus and performance company Green Eyed Zero return to their home turf with a brand new performance Folie à Deux, which has toured nationally for the last year after two years in development. This show follows Green Eyed Zero’s last piece In the shadow of picture frames, which toured around the country to critical acclaim for two years, leading the company to be tipped as “one of the most innovative and challenging young companies around” (Gareth Lloyd Roberts, Wales Millennium Centre).


“Spellbinding” What's on Stage

Multi-touch Screen Technology
Ground-breaking multi-touch screen technology has been developed
especially for this show to allow performer and set to become intrinsically
one, where the real and unreal combine in a feast for the mind.
By simply touching the screen with any part of their body or any object,
the performers can directly interact with the screen in real-time while on
stage. Manipulating images, videos or virtual objects, they create unique
digital landscapes and animations enhancing the visual impact of the
imagery created.

This unique feature has never been used in performance before, making it
a ground-breaking development in performance arts.

Performance
This new performance tells the story of two characters as they search
their past to find their inevitable futures. It is an accessible piece of
theatre for ages 13+ that delicately combines beautiful physicality of
expression with the tragic interplay of two lost souls. One not to be
missed!

Folie à Deux is directed by internationally renowned Bim Mason and is
produced in association with The Lowry, Salford Quays, Jacksons Lane,
London, Circomedia, Bristol and is supported by the Arts Council of
England.


Behind the Scenes
Green Eyed Zero consists of only two members who take control of the
entire production. From the design and creation of the multi-touch screen
technology to the design and construction of all the set, including the
steel structure, to performance and story to production and marketing.

Being a small company they work hard to be as self-sufficient as possible
and work closely with technology. During the show the performers run all
the sound, video and touch screen cues using wireless remote controls
that are hidden in books, furniture and even on the performer, through a
computer software they have designed especially for their performances.


Company:
Rachel Pollard, First Class University of Exeter Drama graduate,
specialised in creative psychophysical performance and new media arts.
After undergoing intense training for over three years under the tuition of
Phillip B Zarrilli in the South Indian martial art form of Kalarippayattu she
pursued her physical performance training at Bristol’s Circomedia.
Sebastien Valade, former Mechanical Engineer (Master degree)
experienced in structural engineering, computer and new media
technologies, came to the UK from his homeland of France to study at
Circomedia following his passion for creative juggling and physical
performance.


Bim Mason, Director
Co-founder and Artistic Director of Circomedia (leading centre for
Contemporary Circus and Physical Theatre). He trained with Jacques
Lecoq and Desmond Jones, performing since 1978 with pioneering circustheatre groups Kaboodle and his own Mummer & Dada as well as solo
shows to the London International Mime Festival. Of the many physical
theatre shows he has directed, three have received Fringe First Awards at
Edinburgh - with Talking Pictures (1989) and with Rejects Revenge (1995
& 1997). In 1999 he founded Dark Horse, which won the Herald Angel
Award in 2000. Mask creation includes the walkabout piece, The
Bigheads. He is the author of Street Theatre (Routledge 1992) and
currently working on a PhD thesis about performance provocateurs.

PRESS NIGHT: TUESDAY 13TH MARCH

LISTINGS INFORMATION
Tuesday 13 – Saturday 24
March, 8.15pm
(no show Sun & Mon)



AUDIENCE QUOTES
“The Cambridge show was an absolutely superb theatre experience.
Amongst the very best things I've ever seen. This deserves to be seen by
many, many more people. Good luck.” John White

“ Folie à Deux is a truly beautiful, cathartic and extraordinary piece of
theatre. Thank you.” Jo Hodgkiss

“Just returned from seeing Folie à Deux at the Spring in Havant. Got the
tickets as I wanted to try something new. Really glad I did. Thoroughly
enjoyable and thought provoking. Fantastic concept and brilliantly
performed by both of you. Shame it was the last night! Well done and thank
you.” Tim Davies

“Last week (9 June) I saw with my family an amazing piece of unusual
theatre at the Civic in Barnsley. The show we saw was dynamic, thought
provoking, intellectually intriguing, emotionally engaging, entirely riveting
theatre. Involving juggling, gentle acrobatics, a large digital media screen
and a whole lot of feeling. Fantastic theatre.
Thank you Green Eyed Zero for one of the best nights out I’ve had in a long,
long time!” Steve Emmerson



Video: http://www.greeneyedzero.com/video.html

Macbeth, Shakespeare’s study of ambition and evil, receives a thrilling revival at Bolton Octagon this spring.

Played in-the-round on a tiny stage, it’s a chamber production that gives us big close-ups on the characters and shows how claustrophobic and introspective their world is. 

Robert Cavanah’s intelligent, intellectual and strangely sympathetic Macbeth is a consummate politician.  Like a certain Scottish prime minister who finally came to power after years of plotting and treachery, the Thane of Glamis soon realises that his grip on the throne is tenuous and his position precarious.  By the end I was expecting him to throw telephones at his loyal lieutenant Siward and refer to the gore-steeped Lady Macbeth (Suzan Sylvester) as “that bloody woman”.

As well as finally achieving my dream of seeing a Macbeth with a Scottish accent (not an optional extra if you think about the language and rhythms of speech), I love the fact that the supernatural elements of Shakespeare’s spine-tingling horror story are taken at face value and not psychoanalysed away.  The production teems with ghosts, witches and spirits, and the leather-clad Weyard Sisters, apparently channelling Vivienne Westwood, emerge from a flame-belching grid in the floor which appears to be a direct route to hell.

The ensemble is packed with terrific actors.  Colin Connor and David MacCreedy are committed and truthful in a variety of different roles, and Russell Dixon gives a master-class in acting as the Porter.

Director David Thacker’s fast-paced production is both intimate and epic, played mainly on the tiny central space but sometimes expanding into dimensions beyond.  It’s utterly immersive, compelling from start to finish, and a wonderful reminder of how exciting theatre-in-the-round can be.  Andy Smith’s eerie sound design, Ciaran Bagnall’s stunning lighting and James Cotterill’s stark and effective set all contribute to the impact of the show - a creative team that is clearly greater than the sum of its parts.

I have never seen a better production of Macbeth.  All hail, David Thacker.

Macbeth is on at Bolton Octagon until Saturday 17 March 2012
Tickets: £9.50-£22.50
Performances Mon-Sat
Eves @ 7.30
Matinees: Fri 24 Feb, Sat 3 Mar @ 2pm
Schools’ Matinees: Tue 28 Feb, Thu 8, Thu 15 Mar @ 1.30pm; Tue 13 Mar @ 10.30am
Schools’ Play Day: Tue 6 Mar.
Box Office: 01204 520661
www.octagonbolton.co.uk

LAMDA graduate James Corscadden has just finished a run of King John at the Union Theatre. He also stars in an independent film by an Irish company, Sodium Party, to be released in April.

With a firm handshake and a twinkle in his eye, Corscadden is brimming with insights and anecdotes about his latest play, King John. Although one of Shakespeare’s less well-known texts, it is reportedly full of political insights with a modern resonance.

We grab an evening coffee at Starbucks and he spoons vanilla sugar into it, and starts describing his new projects. Animatedly, with an Irish lilt. “Well one of the main things is, there hadn’t been a production in London for ten years. Not many people even study it academically... though it was very popular in Victorian England.” The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) will be doing a production in April, though their version will reportedly only be half the length.

So why is it relevant? Firstly, the way public opinion surfaces as a consideration by the characters, at a time when monarchy was still defended by the principle of divine right. He describes a key scene where the Cardinal tries to justify the legitimacy of the young boy Prince Arthur, (nephew of King John.) The Cardinal professes that not to give the true heir his due will turn the people against the government. This is even more significant when seen against the context of Magna Carta, which does not feature in the play but looms in the background.

Corscadden himself relates most to a passage in a speech by Philip the Bastard, about commodities. “It’s one of the best bits of Shakespeare for me,” he says. “People have such honourable intentions but drop them as soon as something comes along that they want... though Shakespeare obviously put it more skilfully.” Greed and material desire are evidently still relevant issues today.

So are nationalism and violence, particularly among the younger generation. When his character, Louis the Dauphin, and Philip the bastard, learn that the original reason they went to war has gone away, they carry on regardless. “They miss the point of the political problems and get caught up in nationalism, perhaps because their elders have set such a terrible example.”

King John himself is a timeless character. His petulancy and selfishness, says Corscadden, are the main reasons he has historically been so well remembered. At the play’s denouement, when King John is on his deathbed, his nephew asks, “How fares your majesty?” Corscadden does an impression of Nicholas Osmond, the actor who plays the king. Incredulously, he pauses for a few seconds, then spits: “Poison'd…

--ill fare--dead, forsook, cast off:

And none of you will bid the winter come

To thrust his icy fingers in my maw,

Nor let my kingdom's rivers take their course

Through my burn'd bosom, nor entreat the north

To make his bleak winds kiss my parched lips

And comfort me with cold.”

 

The play has been very well received, and Corscadden is able to cite just one poor review, by the Guardian. “She still gave us three stars. Which, from the Guardian, is pretty respectable. But the way she wrote the article, it sounded like she had more of an issue with the play itself.” One of Shakespeare’s earlier pieces, from the early 1590s, some of the scene changes are rather contrived.

He is also eager to talk about his film project Sodium Party, which he was talked into doing while still a full-time student. Essentially it is about a girl and her imaginary friend. The subject is that of madness and delusion, fuelled by drugs and the love of a bad boy, Danny – played by Corscadden. In her attempt to grow out of her childhood trauma and escapist fantasies, the protagonist ends up caught in a web of unreality. The cinematography is also apparently incredible.

After he finished LAMDA in July, Corscadden starred in the 24 Hour Plays – Old Vic, New Voices, a showcase for new acting talent. Aspiring thesps are required to write, rehearse and put on a play all within 24 hours. The best part for him was getting a signed good luck card from Kevin Spacey. At this rate, his autograph will soon have a similar value.

Nice Swan Theatre Company is a North East based productions company which focuses on giving local talented under-25-year-olds the chance to be involved in a professional scale production. They have earned themselves a reputation for staging the highest-quality productions and continue to grow and evolve. 2012 sees Nice Swan Theatre Company enter its fifth year and what better a way to start than with a double bill of well-known and much-loved plays – A Streetcar Named Desire and The Crucible. STEVE BURBRIDGE went along to The People’s Theatre to review both for UK Theatre Network.

 

A Streetcar Named Desire – 21 & 22 February 2012

Written by Tennessee Williams, in 1947, the issues and themes explored within this captivating and disturbing landmark play are as resonant today as they were during Williams’ lifetime. Human relationships are fragile and so is the mind.

Set in the French quarter of New Orleans, we were introduced to Blanche DuBois (Katie Gibson), a fading, complex and somewhat  manipulative Southern belle, Stella (Jessica Brady) her estranged, downtrodden sister and Stanley Kowalski (Dale Jewitt), Stella’s animalistic husband and a rising member of the industrial, urban working class.

At the centre of the drama lies an epic battle of both identities and will, the outcome of which lies with Stella and, ultimately, she is forced to make a decision which will tip the balance forever.

As always, Nice Swan manages to instil even the most ‘classic’ pieces of theatre with a new and invigorating lease of life, a unique and innovative slant, and they are to be wholeheartedly commended for such creativity, imagination and bravery.

The acting within this piece was of the highest standard imaginable and combined with atmospheric lighting design from Terrence Errington, evocative incidental music, sharp, stylish and slick direction by Lewis Pilton, the production was intensely compelling.

Despite the fact that Act One ran to a mammoth two hours which, in my opinion, is a tad too long, the audience seemed to retain their interest throughout and sat enthralled. Act 2 was slightly shorter, coming in at around the 90 minute mark.

Undoubtedly, one of the major factors in holding the attention of the audience was the superb quality of the performances within the piece. Katie Gibson was phenomenal as Blanche and she delivered a tour-de-force performance to rival any West End leading lady. Such an exquisite talent, breathtaking conviction, and commanding performance is exceedingly rare and she has established herself as a performer to watch out for in the future. No doubt, she has a promising career ahead of her.

A resounding success!

 

The Crucible – 23 & 24 February 2012

Having studied Arthur Miller’s 1953 study in hysteria, which was written as a parable for the events of the communist fearing McCarthy era in the USA, I was very much looking forward to Nice Swan’s take on the play.

However, a few dubious directorial decisions marred my complete enjoyment of the production. Firstly, by changing the setting of the piece from Salem during the 1692 witch trials to ‘No Place, during no specific time’, I felt that some of the power of this dark and twisted tale of revenge, unrequited love and the power of fear within a community was diminished. Also, having a female play Reverend Parris jarred with me and prevented me from being totally able to suspend my disbelief – in fact, it actually came over as slightly gimmicky. Although, I must point out that this observation is in no way a negative reflection upon Lauren McNeillie’s sterling performance.

In general, the performance standard was mixed. Some members of the group demonstrate greater promise than others, and it was performances by actors playing comparatively ‘minor’ roles who, in my opinion, stole the show. Dylan Stafford, as Hale, was superbly sinister, whilst Bethany Walker was deeply affecting as Elizabeth Proctor. Both the aforementioned performers were so engaging in their roles that they actually outshone Laura Stoker (Abigail Williams) and John Mitchell (John Proctor).

It is, though, commendable that the entire cast performed in such a thoroughly professional manner, considering the conduct of some in the auditorium. Never before have I had such misfortune as to sit amongst an audience so totally devoid of both theatre etiquette and common consideration of others. The incessant rustling of crisp packets, ring-pulling of cans  - and even fully-blown conversations being conducted at a level that was equally as audible as the voices of the onstage performers – must have been as much of a distraction to the cast as it was to my companion and I. This fault is not only attributable to the ill-mannered members of the audience, but also to the lack of responsibility shown by the stewards on duty.

A real shame!

 

REVIEWED BY RICHARD HOWELL-JONES

Let’s get something clear from the start: this may be a play about an industrial working-class community in 1912, but no-one strides in to announce that there’s trouble at t’mill, something’s out of skew on t’ treadle, or insist that there’s nowt wrong wi’ gala luncheons, lad! Get that right out of the way, and we can begin.

D.H Lawrence’s work has multitudes of supporters and detractors, many of whom appear far more erudite that my loftiest aspiration; in any case, I’m here to discuss the production, not the literature, so we can pass by that bit as well.

Having wiped away the dust, the first stratum we encounter is a thoroughly researched and rehearsed accent. Lawrence wrote the play in Nottinghamshire dialect, but it’s clear that the cast has worked hard with their voice coach, Sally Hague, to sound natural; there are individual variations, but so there are in life; nor could I say how accurate the accent used truly is, but that’s irrelevant, as this isn’t a documentary. What is important, though, is that it commits the deadly sin of getting in the way. What is the point of having something meticulously researched if its very authenticity prevents the audience from understanding what’s going on? The Library theatre company is particularly good at re-capturing the past, but this time perhaps it’s done too well. I was by no means alone in having difficulty for the first half of the performance in understanding what had happened to whom, grabbing the words I could understand and hoping I wasn’t missing too much detail. In this respect, the performers generally didn’t help; concentrating on naturalism, they cantered, in some cases galloped, serenely through their lines, leaving us panting to keep up. But by the second half, the audience (note the focus that this word has on hearing) had caught up; I suspect also that Lawrence felt that he’d made his point and could reduce the density of the dialect. However it may be, we drill down beneath the language barrier to find a rich and rewarding seam of performance.

Lawrence’s subtle construction may make us wonder initially why some of the characters are there at all, but none is there to make weight. Of course, the community’s authority and ‘establishment’ is personified in Mrs Gascoigne, the archetypal working-class mother complete with trad. aphorisms which delighted much of the audience, competently played by Diane Fletcher. But it’s important that she’s shown to be typical and in authority and accepted as such by her peers; so Mrs Purdy, one such peer, does far more than simply arrive to start the plot off. Were we to learn of Mrs Purdy’s news by letter, for example, Mrs Gascoigne could easily be seen to be an isolated oddity, out of touch with her community; but the simple realism which Susan Twist brings to the character, so that she just is, reinforces Mrs Gascoigne with the support of that community, enabling the tremendous conflict in the third scene. This is where Natalie Grady shines as Minnie Gascoigne, the daughter-in-law, facing down the world to get the life she wants with the man she loves, combining strength and vulnerability in more than one enjoyable showdown. Her husband, Luther Gascoigne, is a passionate but weak man, a difficult combination capably performed by Alun Raglan, though the passion occasionally tested the audience’s new-found familiarity with the Notts. accent. Paul Simpson entertained as cheeky, but actually very canny, brother Joe Gascoigne, pitching his incisive comments and his sister-in-law’s crockery just right. Even the cabman (Max Calendrew) had his part to play by presaging Mrs Gascoigne’s downfall in microcosm.

The staging, I should say, consisted of two simple interior sets, convincingly dressed, one of Mrs Gascoigne’s house, the other of Luther Gascoigne’s house. But the change between them was a delightful pas-de-deux of stage management, efficient yet effortlessly and unhurriedly achieved, despite what must have been cramped conditions backstage. Jamie Byron and all his technical team should feel proud.

So this production, then, while setting out to be gritty and realistic as a chunk of coal, has achieved that other carbon structure, perhaps even more valued. The audience has to do some mental polishing to get the full brilliance, but I’m glad to say it’s worth it, for having done so one can be captivated by a little gem. (Whether it’s actually a diamond or not, I leave to you.)

Chris Honer directed.

The Daughter-in-Law, the Manchester Library Theatre Company,
at the Lowry Theatre from 23rd February to 10th March.
Tickets: 0843-208 6010
www.librarytheatre.com

 

It’s a big ask to fill the shoes of three icons of American music history, Sinatra Davis and Martin, but that is the expectation we have as the curtain rises on ‘The Rat Pack, Live from Las Vegas ‘ to reveal what will prove to be a most excellent  twelve piece band.

As for the three stars, the voices are not quite right and if you squint your eyes Frank and Sammy bear a passing resemblance to the living legends they portray, but be clear this is not a criticism; the three of them give us a spectacular show. They are all talented singers in their own right. The songs are sublime, they are not from my era but they have seeped into western culture and are as familiar as old friends.


The Rat Pack was a phrase coined for Sinatra and his show biz friends who appeared together on stage and in movies notably Ocean’s Eleven. On the launch of their final tour Sinatra chastised a reporter for using the term "Rat Pack" Frank called it, "that stupid phrase".

This show might not quite ‘fill the shoes’ but it is a wonderful homage to an era gone by. We are given a little peep into the world of Las Vegas when the three men ruled. They would turn up unannounced to perform in each other’s shows and this production captures the feel of that perfectly as the three of them banter and joke with such ease it feels spontaneous, but if you check old clips on YouTube you will see someone has done their homework well.


Half way through the first act we are introduced to the three lovely Burelli Sisters in gorgeous crimson gowns, slashed thigh high, all subtly different in design. The sisters sing their own numbers and act as backing singers and dancing girls, appearing  in a range of glamorous leggy costumes reminiscent of the Vegas showgirl genre of the day. The dance choreography, like the rest of the show,  goes that extra mile with its attention to detail. It would be easy to give us some cliché moves but no this is imaginative and at times subtle.

The show builds beautifully. The first half is a set of nonstop classics, Mr Bojangles, New York New York, The Lady is a Tramp, Every Body Loves Somebody, all interspersed with jokes and snippets of Rat Pack history.
The second half has a show stopping, What Kind of Fool Am I, from Sammy Davis but relies much more on banter and jokes and the audience are absolutely ready for it and the genius of the show is that this feels like it is how the actual legends would have behaved. They make me think how incredible it would have been to see the real deal and that is to their credit.

As Frank sings us out to My Way, the lady beside me joins in, sadly out of key but in her head there is only Frank and her in the venue, he is singing only for her. To quote the man behind me, ‘What a cracking show’.

Future tour dates.
Mon 27th Feb - Sat 3rd Mar  Churchill Theatre Bromley
For further dates and information visit www.theratpacklivefromlastvegas.com

For information about the Spring programme at the Waterside Theatre:
“Box Office:                        0844 871 7607 (bkg fee)
Groups Hotline:                0844 871 7614
Access Booking:               0844 871 7677 (bkg fee)
Online Booking:               www.ambassadortickets.com/aylesbury (bkg fee

Reviewed by:
Pete Benson
23rd February 2012